AUSTIN, TX — Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) has sent a formal letter to Governor Greg Abbott urging him to sign Texas’ Senate Bill 3 into law, a bill that would end the sale of all THC products in the state. In the letter, SAM detailed how the unregulated sale of intoxicating THC products, like Delta-8 and Delta-9 edibles, has put children, families, and public health at serious risk. These products are often packaged to look like candy or snacks and have been linked to thousands of calls to poison control centers nationwide.
Dr. Kevin Sabet, President and CEO of SAM, released the following statement:
“Governor Abbott can make Texas healthier and safer, and strike a blow for pot sanity, by signing Senate Bill 3 into law. That’s why we sent him a letter calling for him to take immediate action to eliminate dangerous hemp-derived THC products from store shelves across the state.”
“Signing this bill will mark the end of self-medicating with gas station drugs. Right now, anyone can walk into a smoke shop or corner store and buy THC products with no age verification, no medical oversight, and no ingredient labeling. Texans have no idea what they are putting in their bodies, but we know these are dangerous, unregulated chemicals dressed like candy and marketed as medicine. This must stop.
“Spearheaded by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Senator Charles Perry, the bill is a golden opportunity to defend the Lone Star public.
“There should be zero debate on this: Delta-8 THC is dangerous. It is psychoactive, intoxicating, and addictive. It can cause hallucinations, vomiting, and loss of consciousness. It killed a four-year-old in 2022. How is this even an open question?
“The U.S. House has shown incredible leadership on this issue, advancing a ban on Delta-8 THC. We call on Governor Abbott to follow that example and curtail these harms today. While these companies rake in millions, Texas’ kids suffer.
“Governor Abbot, please: Protect the health and safety of Texas families. Put their well-being above the bottom line of an addiction-for-profit industry. Act now and show America true Texas values: grit, independence, and courage.”
In the letter to Governor Abbott, SAM detailed how the 2018 Farm Bill inadvertently opened the floodgates for kid-friendly THC products like Delta-8 and Delta-9 candies, sodas, and vapes to appear on Texas shelves, which exploited a legal loophole and targeted youth. The letter cited more than 10,000 poisonings involving Delta-8 THC since 2021, and FDA findings that declare these substances unsafe food additives. It also noted that 12.3% of 12th graders reported using Delta-8 in 2024, a troubling increase that mirrors patterns of adolescent use seen with marijuana.
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