After Vetoing Ban, Texas Governor Issues Executive Order Regulating Hemp THC
September 16, 2025Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued an executive order restricting hemp-derived THC sales to adults, creating a new framework for the state’s booming hemp THC market. In addition to restricting sales to adults, the governor’s order requires retailers to check IDs with non-compliant retailers at risk of losing their operating permits.
With the executive order issued, Texas’ Department of State Health Services and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission will draft the formal rules, including establishing the age requirements to purchase hemp THC products. While the governor did not specify an age in his order, Abbott has stated in the past that sales should be restricted to those 21-and-up.
According to local reporting, the TABC will issue further guidance in the coming weeks. The move has been widely celebrated by the hemp THC industry, which has repeatedly asked for guidance from the state as their businesses expanded and their legal standing grew shaky.
“The Texas Hemp Business Council (THBC) recognizes Gov. Abbott’s executive order, emphasizing that existing Texas hemp laws already regulate the industry, while supporting protections for minors and practical enforcement for hemp businesses,” said a statement from the Council. “By avoiding a ban on hemp products, GA 56 preserves lawful adult access, promotes responsible commerce, and discourages the growth of illicit markets.”
While this provides an initial framework for the industry, there is still considerable resistance to any kind of legally available THC from some state Republicans, including Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and State Senator Charles Perry, who proposed the original hemp THC ban that Governor Abbott vetoed. Following his veto, the governor called the state Legislature back for a special session, which ended without approving THC regulations or enacting a ban.
“Gov. Abbott’s executive order serves as an interim enforcement tool, drawing from the hemp regulatory framework proposed in H.B. 309 by Rep. Briscoe Cain,” said the THBC. “We urge regulators to implement these directives in a way that does not create undue burdens on responsible hemp businesses. Clear and practical rules are critical for compliance and for the continued growth of Texas’s legal hemp industry.”—Shane English
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