AUSTIN, TX – Dr. Kevin Sabet, President of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and a former White House drug policy advisor to Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton, released the following statement after Governor Greg Abbott vetoed SB3, which would have banned intoxicating hemp-derived THC products in Texas:
“Governor Abbott’s decision to veto SB3 is a profound disappointment for families, law enforcement, and public health experts across Texas. This bill had broad bipartisan support, the backing of Lieutenant Governor Patrick, and was crafted to protect communities from high-potency THC drugs disguised as hemp.
“We are now left with a dangerous status quo, where powerful THC candies, vapes, and sodas can be sold at gas stations and marketed to kids. These products are intoxicating, addictive, and deeply harmful, contributing to spikes in emergency room visits, traffic deaths, and youth mental-health crises.
“The governor’s apparent reasoning, that his state could not neact this ban because it might face industry lawsuits, is ludicrous. Worse, it creates a clear precedent for the wider marijuana industry to exploit.
“Texas had a chance to lead the country. Instead, today’s veto allows the marijuana industry to continue exploiting legal loopholes at the expense of public health. SAM remains committed to working with state leaders to close this loophole and ensure Texas families are protected from predatory drug marketing.”
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