The Texas THC Ban And Your Smoke Shop

UPDATE AS OF 6/23/25* 

Well, well, well it appears that hell hath truly frozen over because as of June 23rd the governor of Texas Gregg Abbott has vetoed the amendment to Senate Bill 3, preventing an impending ban on THC from going into place! 

Despite all the odds (and even our A.I. chat bots prediction), common sense has prevailed and instead of receiving an immediate ban, a special legislative session will be called to come up with a better way forward. 

Now this doesn't mean they won't just agree to ban it in the special session, it instead means that THC is off the chopping block for now and the proper time will be invested to devise a series of regulations that work best for citizens. 

So to all our Texans out there, time to spark up and smoke em if you got em! Celebrate the wins where can find them and always remember to keep an eye on the future for more updates! 

---

They say everything’s bigger in Texas, even their blunders. Well this past week that axiom has sadly been proven right, as the Texas House of Representatives voted yes on an amendment to Senate Bill 3, banning any and all THC from the entire state market.

Despite the mountains of evidence proving its importance to the citizens of Texas, the powers at be have chosen the nuclear option, regardless of the consequence of the ensuing fallout.

This casual recklessness with an industry that employs over 50,000 people and rakes in 7 billion in taxes is an unfortunate consequence of the reactionary nature of our legal system. A big swing meant to over correct and punish an industry, instead of working to improve it.

That’s why today at Got Vape Wholesale we wanted to explain what the Texas THC ban means for your smoke shop and whether this cancerous ban is contained in the long star state or has the potential to spread to other states in the union.

Table of Contents:

What Is The Texas THC Ban?
What’s Next For Senate Bill 3?
What Does The Texas THC Ban Mean For My Smoke Shop?
What Does The Texas THC Ban Mean For Customers?
Will This Affect THC Laws In Other States?
What Can Be Done About The Texas THC Ban?
Keep Calm And Carry On

What Is The Texas THC Ban?

First passed by the Texas Senate, SB3 has now been passed by the Texas House Of Representatives, which if School House Rock taught us anything means now it’s on the way to the desk of the Governor to sign - wherein it will become the new law of the land.

This new amendment effectively closes the loop-hole created by the 2018 Farm Bill by explicitly prohibiting the sale of any form of THC in any %, thus eliminating the products below 0.3% that are currently on the market.

The amendment doesn’t stop there, as this goes on to ban derivatives like Delta 8, Delta 9, Delta 10 as well - completely guillotining the sale of a wide variety products including edibles, pre-rolls, drinks, topicals, and more.

Notably the compounds CBD and CBG have been spared from the purge, as well as the states currently running medical THC Compassionate Use Program. Unfortunately many CBD products also contain trace amounts of THC, so expect there to be a period of adjustment as the remaining brands look to navigate to market.

This vote has sent shock waves throughout the industry and caused an immense amount of harm to businesses that derived a portion or the entirety of their sales from products containing the previously accepted amounts of THC.

Despite the protests of business all across the state and a mountain of evidence pointing out the massive benefits of the industry - they say you can’t fight city hall for a reason, not all battles are winnable.

What’s Next For Senate Bill 3?

Now you may be thinking, well sure it passed the Senate and the House - but doesn’t the Governor still have to sign it? Couldn’t they maybe change their mind and choose to save the industry?

While that is technically true, the reality is the current Governor of Texas is an ardently vocal supporter of the bill and is about as sure to sign this bill as Yogi Bear is going to tuck into that unattended picnic basket.

This is to say that we can add a third certainly to life next to death and taxes, the fact that the current amendment banning THC in Senate Bill 3 because this is 100% happening. With this reality in place, the only move we have as smoke shops is to keep calm and start amending our business to follow these regulations.

What Does The Texas THC Ban Mean For My Smoke Shop?

Businesses and individuals who are involved with the distribution or manufacturing of products that contain any amount of THC are subject to up to 10 years in prison. Yup. They are really not messing around with this one, as there is no reality where a decade locked up is worth running afoul with these strict laws.

This means that if your smoke shop is located within Texas, you will have to immediately cease any and all sales of THC products once the bill is signed. With no more Farm Bill, there is zero wiggle room left and anything but following the law to a tee is going to get you in serious trouble.

White this reality is unfortunate, it is reality. As smoke shops and distributors we have no choice but to abide by the vote. Thus all the revenue you were once making from these products is going to dry up and disappear for good.

Such is the fickle nature of our business, which is why the best thing to do now is take stock of what products you do have and think of ways to move them before the Governor puts pen to paper.

Try speaking to other shops out of state, this can be a way to quickly move the rest of your back stock to another business that understands the value of the products. Instead of piecemealing it, a bulk sale is a way for you to at the very least get your initial investment back.

What Does The Texas THC Ban Mean For Customers?

Those caught in possession of products that contain any amount of THC in Texas will now face up to a year in prison for their supposed transgression against the state. Gone are the days of rolling up to the shop for some legal alternative THC experiences and back are the days of regressive prohibition.

This night and day reversal is going to cause some serious whiplash for your customers. As not all of them will be up on the news, you are going to have to explain to quite a few regulars that their favorite brands are no longer available and won’t be coming back.

As a result of all THC products being illegal, even customers using products that they purchased while it was legal are going to have issues. All of this will lead to more people being put into prison and more time spent litigating issues that were previously non-existent.

For customers who used these products for their supposed medicinal benefits, this will lead to a drop in the quality of their lives and cause real harm. A point that the lawmakers in Texas sadly have lost the thread on.

While maddening, that’s just the way of the road when it comes to State laws interfering with innovative industries. The best thing you can do for your customers is let them know the laws and ensure that when the elimination day does strike, they aren’t left floored by the revelation.

Will This Affect THC Laws In Other States?

Based on the results of this Texas vote, you may be wondering if this is a canary in the coal mine for the twilight hours of the 2018 Farm Bill loop hole industry. While it may be easier to doomsday and claim this is the harbinger of the end of hemp, it's important to look at the facts.

Texas has historically been one of the more protective states when it comes to alternative markets and the experiences they provide. More often than not the state will air on the side of banning, whereas other states are far more lenient.

This means that just because Texas changed their laws to be more restrictive, not all states are in the same mind set as them. Some movements may become emboldened by this decisive win for anti Farm Bill legislators, this will also provide fuel to the fire of movements defending hemp derived THC.

Having seen what can happen when the state overreaches, the other states where the market is still alive are going to be more pro-active in ensuring the status quo endures.

What Can Be Done About The Texas THC Ban?

When it comes to dealing with the Texas THC Ban you have to break things down to the immediate and the future. In the immediate future you will have to stop selling products that contain any of the banned THC substances.

For the future, we have to look to organizations like the Texas Hemp Business Council who plan to sue the state to prevent the law from being enacted. By banding together with the other voices in the industry who sell these products, we stand the best chance of making a difference.

Providing another small beam of light amidst this admittedly dark period, is the fact that our industry is no stranger to dealing with the ebb and flow of prohibitionary policies. Throughout the past decades hundreds of products have gone from being fully legal to banned in the blink of an eye and each time smoke shops find a way forward.

This adaptable spirit is what keeps our market alive and fuels the creation of innovative products that will soon fill the spot in your inventory where legal THC products used to sit. While it will never be the exact same, the smoke shops that stay adaptable are the ones that are going to survive.

That’s why one of the best things you can do if you're located in Texas is stay up to date on this amendment and know exactly when your final sales can be made. Thanks to all the eyes on this issue, checking out the news daily is a great way to guarantee you're not blindsided.

Always remember that at the end of the day, we are all in this together. Thousands of stores across Texas are going to be simultaneously dealing with these changes, so using your fellow stores is ultimately going to be your greatest resource.

Keep Calm And Carry On

Now there’s nothing else left to do but pour one out for all of our legal THC sales in Texas and hit the ground running tomorrow by finding the next experiences and products that customers are going to love.

Our industry never stays down for long, so don’t be surprised if we see legal hemp rising again within Texas even after the bell has been rung. We’ll be keeping an eye on the situation, so if things ever do look like they are going to switch on again Got Vape Wholesale will let you know.

For more industry insights and product guides, take a look at our weekly Smoke Shop Blog to find articles written directly about your business. In the past we’ve broken down how you can build a proper top shelf at your store and how you can use Puffco accessories to make massive profits.