Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick addressed the media on Monday with one message: Gov. Greg Abbott “wants to legalize recreational marijuana.”
His sentiment comes after Abbott vetoed SB 3, a bill Patrick said seemingly had the governor’s support up until the signing deadline. SB 3 intends to ban all hemp products, excluding cannabidiol (CBD) or cannabigerol (CBG), for the safety of its consumers.
The bill will now enter a special session, under Abbott’s direction, to change its language from banning hemp products to regulating them. However, Patrick said of all the bills in the special session, this is one of a few that concerns life and death.
“You regulate things that are legal,” Patrick said. “That’s why I said I’m stunned that he wants to legalize marijuana in the state of Texas.”
SB 3 stems from the desire to protect the industry from “bad actors” who market to minors and sell over the legal 3% THC limit.
While Abbott and Patrick both acknowledge the same issue, Abbott argues banning hemp will directly contradict federal law and “invites potential criminal entrapment for Texas farmers.”
“It would also make felons of other innocent Texans,” Abbott added in his veto proclamation, “like pharmacists stocking health supplements, veterans treating PTSD, and parents caring for epileptic children with FDA approved medication.”
Abbott also cited a lawsuit filed in Travis County District Court on Friday that argues SB 3 is an unconstitutional taking that turns innocent individuals into criminals despite protections for hemp products under federal law.
“They are right,” Abbott wrote.
Patrick refuted the governor’s notion as he said SB 3 does not affect the groups above, solely the consumer side of THC sales. He added an “unconstitutional taking” cannot take place if the sold items are illegal to begin with.
Additionally, he said there are not enough law enforcement officers to regulate 8,000-9,000 stores across Texas, therefore a ban must be put in place.
“The only way you can regulate it is for Abbott to say that no product could be sold with more than 3% and that it would be taxed very heavily,” Patrick said. “But that would put them (hemp stores) all out of business, because they’re not interested in selling products under 3%. They’re interested in selling products sky high in THC.”
Patrick also argues THC bans are not a constitutional overreach as courts have ruled in favor of states outlawing the drug, including California.
While the two are at odds on how to address THC in Texas, both agree it is a dangerous substance that has resulted in the death of many, specifically minors.
Patrick recalled testimony he heard from families who have lost their children, and Abbott mentioned seven children who were hospitalized from large amounts of hemp gummies.
“If we don’t pass a bill that regulates hemp and marijuana, then the status quo continues in those 8,000 shops,” Patrick said. “They keep selling all this poison, and kids keep getting sick, and parents keep losing their children, and people walk out in front of trains and people shoot somebody. And by the way, if that happens, I’m sorry, Governor, it’s not on us.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Lt. Gov. Patrick says Gov. Abbott ‘wants to legalize recreational marijuana’ after veto
Reporting by By Marianna Souriall / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
