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Texas Judge Pauses New Rules Banning Hemp Products Like Smokable THCA Flower Amid Legal Challenge From Industry

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2 months ago

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A Texas judge has issued a temporary restraining order preventing the new state from being enforced Regulations restricting access to hemp-derived products such as THCA combustible flower.

Friday’s ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by a coalition of hemp industry leaders and advocacy organizations that effectively outlawed the state’s Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). ban the sale and manufacture of certain hemp consumable products.

Guerra Gamble Travis County District Court’s order suspends restrictions on hemp products for 14 days while the broader legal case is reviewed.

“This case is based on a constitutional separation of powers issue,” Jason Snell, an attorney for the Texas Hemp Business Council (THBC) and the Hemp Industry & Farmers of America (HIFA), said at a hearing Friday, calling the new restrictions imposed by regulators “illegal rules.”

“Here we are today, with regulators trying to do what lawmakers couldn’t and didn’t do, and that’s illegal,” he said. “What the legislature refuses to decide cannot be imposed by rulemaking. Rulemakers cannot exceed their authority and impose rules that are more restrictive than those enacted by the legislature.”

“Thousands of people lose their products, their lifetime investments, their businesses, their jobs, everything they put their heart and soul into,” Snell said. “They are already disappearing and may disappear forever unless this illegal regulatory framework is stopped.”

Zachary Berg, the state’s attorney, suggested at the hearing that the new rules are needed to comply with a federal law that is set to redefine legal marijuana under a restrictive new definition that will begin in November.

Under state law passed by the legislature and governor in 2019, the suit says cannabis products are legal if they contain no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC. But regulators at DSHS and HHSC recently approved a “total delta-9 THC” limit using a post-decarboxylation formula that includes tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) in the calculation.

Texas lawmakers passed legislation to severely restrict hemp products in the 2025 session, but Gov. Greg Abbott (R) vetoed it and did not make it into law.

The hemp industry lawsuit, which also lists Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) as a defendant, also calls into question large increases in business license fees that were approved by regulators. Under the new rules, the cost of a manufacturer’s license increased from $250 to $10,000 per facility, while the retailer registration fee increased from $150 to $5,000 per location.

On Friday, the judge did not order the removal of the new fees, however.

“These measures do not impose the policy choices of the Legislature; they supersede them,” the industry complaint says. “And they do so against the backdrop of a constitutional legislative process that ran its entire course — from the legislative passage of Senate Bill 3 to the governor’s veto, two failed special sessions — and produced an ambiguous result: no new law. Texas law does not allow agencies to override that result through rulemaking.”

“Texas has long promoted itself as a national leader in economic growth and regulatory stability. It is a state committed to fostering innovation, supporting legitimate businesses, and maintaining a predictable legal environment in which businesses can operate and invest,” he says. “Consistent with this vision, Texas has chosen to authorize and regulate the manufacture, distribution and sale of consumer hemp products (“CHP”) through a comprehensive statutory framework enacted by the Legislature in 2019.

“Plaintiffs acknowledge this framework and the State’s interest in ensuring that CHPs are produced and sold in a safe, responsible and lawful manner,” the lawsuit states.

In addition to an immediate temporary restraining order to block enforcement of the new rules, the plaintiffs are seeking a temporary and permanent injunctive relief. A hearing on the preliminary injunction request is scheduled for April 23.

Separately, Texas officials recently conditionally approved more new medical marijuana business licenses As part of a law being implemented to significantly expand the state’s cannabis program.

In the last month, Texas voters approved a question to legalize marijuana that showed up in the state’s Democratic primary voting.

A statewide survey released in February found that Texas voters don’t like how state leaders and lawmakers have handled marijuana and THC policy issues. In the poll, many voters (40 percent) said they disapprove of how their elected officials have approached the issue, according to the poll. 29 percent said they approve of how cannabis issues have been handled, while 31 percent said they had no opinion either way.

A separate survey released last year proved this A large number of Texas voters want the state’s marijuana laws to be “less stringent.” And among the issues examined by members of parliament in the last special sessions, the voters said that a proposal to deal with the regulation of hemp was one of the least important.

Meanwhile, the lieutenant governor and speaker of the House recently announced that the state will continue with their own ibogaine research program The drug companies did not submit proposals to meet the requirements and standards for receiving state funds under a recently passed law to begin clinical trials with the psychedelic.

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Columbia hemp business Burning Acre to close and move to North Carolina over new Tennessee rules

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10 hours ago

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June 14, 2026

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Burning Acre, a Columbia, Tennessee-based hemp company, says it will close its retail store and move operations to North Carolina ahead of new state regulations that take effect July 1, according to WSMV.

The business says its last day to open in Columbia will be June 30, the same day the Tennessee Department of Agriculture licenses for hemp-derived cannabinoids expire. As of July 1, businesses that continue to operate in the state will be required to be licensed under a new regulatory framework led by the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

Burning Acre says the changes have forced it to abandon plans for a new sandwich shop and bakery and close its Tennessee retail operations and relocate to Murphy, North Carolina. “I won’t sugarcoat it, it’s a very hard video for me and a message I should never have written,” the business wrote.

The business puts the annual cost of manufacturing, distribution and running the retail store at about $750. Under the new rules, he says, those costs would rise by tens of thousands of dollars, citing new licensing fees, a required $25,000 annual bond and increased testing fees.

The law, which took effect in July, changes the regulation of hemp-derived cannabinoid businesses from the Department of Agriculture to the ABC. The Department of Agriculture stopped issuing licenses at the end of 2025, and the licenses issued by the TDA will remain valid until June 30, 2026.

“Columbia, we absolutely love being a part of this community,” said Burning Acre. “We are truly heartbroken to have to say goodbye to this location.”

Read more at WSMV4










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North Carolina Lawmakers Advance Bill To Set A Minimum Age Limit For Hemp And Kratom Products

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10 hours ago

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June 14, 2026

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“Many other details about cannabis have been debated and will continue to be debated.”

By Christine Zhu, NC Newsline

Lawmakers in North Carolina are considering banning people under 21 from buying or possessing certain hemp-derived consumables, including combustible hemp flower, hemp cigarettes, gummies and drinks, or items that include the drug kratom.

The House Agriculture and Environment Committee approved a rewrite of Senate Bill 59 on Wednesday. This is the latest attempt by state legislators after years of proposals to regulate the sale of hemp products that didn’t work out in the end.

This measure would prohibit companies from selling such products to under-21s. If the seller has “reasonable grounds” to believe that the buyer is under the age of 21, the seller must verify the buyer’s ID.

Rep. Jimmy Dixon (R-Duplin), who introduced the bill, said he was motivated to bring public attention to issues surrounding cannabis. He said there was a 14-year-old boy in his neighborhood who had an emergency after buying a hemp-derived product.

“There are a lot of other details about cannabis that have been debated and will continue to be debated, but ladies and gentlemen, to make sure we have the good sense to be agents of these kinds of issues, that’s the lowest hanging fruit,” he said.

Violators would face a Class 2 felony, as well as a fine of $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second offense and $1,500 for subsequent offenses.

asked Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford). of the bill language resulted in potential changes to hemp-derived products. It is common for manufacturers of synthetic recreational drugs to make changes to the chemical composition of their products to avoid legal bans or restrictions.

“I assume the definition as written is broad enough to capture any future manipulation of molecules,” he said. Dixon nodded.

Legislators also voted in favor correction To add kratom products to the under-21 ban.

Rep. Jeffrey McNeely (R-Iredell), who proposed the amendment, said it was necessary to add those elements to the bill.

“I’ve been working on this for quite some time, trying to get these bills passed,” McNeely said. “We definitely have a problem. So I’m hoping we can keep posting this and we’ll get something done before we get out of the short session here.”

Both the amendment and the legislation passed unanimously without debate.

The bill moves next to the House Rules Committee. Other amendments will be heard when they appear on the House floor, which could be as soon as next week.

This story was first published by NC Newsline.

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GreenTech Amsterdam 2026 in 2026 photos

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1 day ago

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June 13, 2026

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Well, it’s not 2026 photos, but with around 600 photos, we definitely did our best. For the past two days, the Netherlands has been the place to be for the global greenhouse industry. From Flower Trials for the horticulture sector, company visits to growers and technical suppliers, as well as dinners, get-togethers, drinks, knowledge sessions and much more. And of course with GreenTech Amsterdam.

The event brought together professionals from around the world to connect, network, share knowledge and do business.

Next week, we’ll be sharing more information on market developments, trends, what’s on display, news, business news, innovations and whatever else you can think of, but for now we’ll stick to photo reporting.

Click here for the photo report.

© Arlette Sijmonsma | MMJDaily.com










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