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TAMU | Culture

Texas-Sized Loopholes: The State’s THC Dilemma

Aarya Bhatia Student Contributor, Texas A&M University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Texas currently has the nation’s largest cannabis market, but one thing doesn’t quite make sense: recreational marijuana isn’t legal in the state. 

With over 7,000 dispensaries across Texas, from 24/7 cannabis delivery to on demand vending machines, the fact that non-medical marijuana hasn’t been legalized doesn’t seem correct. However, the THC products aren’t made from weed; they’re made from hemp.

How Did We Get Here?

In 2019, House Bill 1325 of the Texas Legislature was created to promote the commercialization of hemp to bolster agriculture (Lt. Governor of Texas). The goal of this bill was to help Texan farmers enter and stay competitive in the textile industry, but some chemists were able to exploit the non-removable, albeit extremely low, levels of THC in hemp to create a market of unregulated products. 

This new industry provides over 50,000 jobs in the state, but currently faces no regulation. Because of this, children are able to buy lollipops, drinks, and other hemp-based products with high levels of THC. Since all these products are created through a legal loophole, there are no laws surrounding what can or cannot be sold, and who it can or cannot be sold to. Nico Richardson, the CEO of a medical marijuana company in Texas, gave an interview to NPR, in which he stated that “there is no recreational market in the country that would allow [selling to minors],” and for good reason. Anyone of any age can purchase these products, which can lead to disastrous situations, especially where children are involved. 

How is it being fixed?

Since this issue was brought up in late November to the Texas Legislature, not much change has been made. Senate Bill 3 was announced in December of 2024 by the Lieutenant Governor, whose goal is to ban all forms of THC in Texas. However, this will be a lengthy process, as it will most likely fight a legislative battle between parties when thousands of jobs are involved. While the future of hemp products in Texas hangs in the crossroads, the government will have to try to find a solution that balances the health and safety of the state with its economy. 

Aarya Bhatia

TAMU '28

Aarya Bhatia is a freshman who is on the Writing & Editing committee at the Texas A&M chapter of Her Campus. She writes about topics such as current events, beauty, pop culture, and literature.

Beyond Her Campus, Aarya is majoring in engineering at TAMU. She is involved in the Society of Women Engineers as the Communications Chair for the STEMFest committee, bringing her writing skills from Her Campus to other organizations on campus.

In her free time, Aarya enjoys baking and dance. She is a coffee enthusiast and will find any excuse to talk about opinions on books or music.