Texas Democrats Say GOP Lieutenant Governor Pushed For Hemp THC Product Ban To Benefit His Alcohol Industry Donors - Marijuana Moment

During the last legislative session, Patrick, who runs the Texas Senate, championed a bill to recriminalize a wide range of hemp products. The bill did not survive. Gov. Greg Abbott then vetoed it before issuing an executive order on the matter, and state regulators have since put significant restrictions on hemp derivatives in place.

The accusations are coming from a county Democratic Party organization and from Patrick's opponent in this year's lieutenant governor race. Their argument is straightforward: Patrick's push against hemp products lined up neatly with the financial interests of alcohol companies that have donated to him.

For people in Lubbock, this fight matters. Hemp-derived products have become a fixture at local shops across the city, and the regulatory crackdown that followed Abbott's executive order has already put pressure on those businesses. A full recriminalization push, if it gains traction in the next session, could wipe out a retail category that has grown quickly across West Texas.

Texas is one of the country's largest hemp markets, which makes the political pressure to restrict it here carry more weight than it might in a smaller state.