Texas Pauses Hemp Crackdown, Delta-8 Stays Legal

0:00Texas just hit paws on a big crackdown, targeting smokeable hemp products like Delta-8 and T-A-C-A flower. A judge in Travis County temporarily blocked new state rules that kicked in on March 31st, keeping those items on store shelves for now. While regular cannabis stays mostly illegal here, these hemp-derived options have been in a tricky legal spot. This all stems from the 2018 Federal Farm Bill that opened the door to hemp, leading shops to sell stuff mimicking weeds high. State health folks and attorney general Ken Paxton have pushed back hard since October 2021, calling Delta-8 a controlled substance, and aiming to ban smokeable versions outright. Folks are split-babe shops and farmers cheer the court when, but regulators worry these products turn into the real deal when heated up. Texas's medical program is super limited, only low, THC oils or pills for things like epilepsy, cancer or autism, and no smoking allowed at all. Hemp businesses, including the Texas Hemp Business Council, sued right away, arguing the THC testing changes were unfair.

1:07Now the court's weighing whether to lift the block or let the ban roll statewide. So while the fight drags on in court, grab what you can legally today, but stay sharp. Texas laws on this gray area green could shift any day, especially with lawmakers circling back next session. From your city, powered by AI, this is El Paso News Today.