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Addressing Texas’ youth mental health beyond social media

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feeds.texastribune.org – By Stephen Simpson – 2025-01-27 05:00:00

Social media isn’t the only cause of mental health woes among Texas youth, advocates say

Social media isn’t the only cause of mental health woes among Texas youth, advocates say” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

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Over the last four months, a joint committee of state House and Senate members has met twice to listen to hours of testimony on the effects the online world is having on minors, with lawmakers classifying social media as “the most dangerous thing our kids have legal access to in Texas.”

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has made examining social media for youth a legislative priority for the Senate, and so far, six bills have been filed this state legislative session to address the issue, including one that would prohibit minors from creating accounts on social media sites and require age verification for new users.

No bills have been filed yet to meaningfully address workforce shortages beyond sharing workers with other states and loan repayment programs that have been in place for years, and the state is unlikely to fully replace the more than $19 billion Texas schools have received over the last four years in COVID-19 funds, with a large percentage of it going to address youth mental health needs.

Even though it has received heavy attention from lawmakers, social media is just one reason for the surge in youth mental health problems, according to mental health providers, advocates and school officials, and addressing social media shouldn’t come at the expense of building up the state’s mental health providers and funding life-changing programs on the brink of extinction.

“The surge in youth mental health challenges stems from multiple interconnected factors. Today’s youth face intense academic and social pressures, often without adequate (mental health) support systems,” said Lyssette Galvan, public policy director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Texas. “The 89th legislative session presents a vital opportunity to address these challenges comprehensively.”

Roughly one in five of Texas’ 7 million youth report having a mental, emotional, behavioral or developmental problem.

And the mental health of young Texans has only gotten worse. Over the last five years, the rate of Texas youth who reported at least one major depressive episode has increased from 12% to 19% — or 483,000, according to Mental Health America.

Programming needs

When the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world, she witnessed a different level of investment in youth mental health, said Andrea Guerrero, director of public health for Bexar County.

“It allowed us to expand our reach and approach to community-based mental health, especially youth mental health,” she said.

About $100 million of $350 million in COVID-19 relief funds that Bexar County received were used to hire clinicians and start programs, including a Boys and Girls Clubs mental health initiative and multiple school programs catered for each district.

This is why Guerrero considers the rise in mental health referrals in Texas and across the nation as an awakening, not a crisis being brought on by one specific thing, such as social media. The rising number of cases shows that the stigma around mental health is dropping, she said.

However, meeting the mental health needs of so many young Texans will become even more challenging as COVID-19 funds expire in the coming year or two, putting programs across the state in danger, she warns.

The pandemic emergency funding helped create and sustain many innovative mental health efforts in Texas, including telepsychiatry programs in rural schools, peer-to-peer services done by fellow students, and library programs for teenage mental health.

Pandemic relief funding is also supporting 11 of the 48 teams that provide specialty outpatient treatment for people who experience psychosis for the first time, often children. These teams are made up of a psychiatrist, case manager and education specialist, among other providers, who treat patients for up to three years.

The service helps families who might not have financial resources. Without additional funding, several of these teams are at risk of going away, Galvan said.

House Bill 1594 by Rep. Mihaela Plesa, D-Dallas, which would require commercial insurance policies to cover these crisis team services, would plug just one of many holes in the mental health system that the expiration of COVID-19 relief funds leaves behind.

Guerrero said the county does not have funding to immediately replace the $100 million in pandemic relief funding that went toward mental health. The county has already contacted school districts it has supported for their plans on staying afloat.

“For example, if you hired five clinicians, can you keep one of them? How much can they budget for themselves? We are also working on creating an ecosystem of additional partners to try and provide a warm handoff,” she said.

Galvan said schools currently receive a $400 million safety allotment from the state, and because schools must spend so much on security, only a mere 1.6% of these funds are being directed toward mental health support.

A 2023 statewide survey found that 714 school districts that participated reported using the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund for mental health, primarily to provide services for students to transition back into the classroom after the pandemic. These $19 billion in funds must have been committed by the end of 2024 and be spent by March 2026.

Sen. José Menéndez has offered a way to help keep funding these services with Senate Bill 176. It would allow schools to partner with local mental health authorities to provide on-campus services for eligible low-income students that are funded with Medicaid reimbursements.

House Bill 462 by Rep. Ryan Guillen, R-Rio Grande City, and House Bill 1728, also by Plesa, would also create a mental health allotment for schools. Guillen’s bill would give $100,000 a year and Plesa’s would provide funding based on student attendance.

Provider shortage

Round Rock school district superintendent Hafedh Azaiez said he welcomes any help from lawmakers to address social media because his top priority right now for youth mental health is funding.

“The last session, they wanted a police officer on every campus and all these security measures, but it was an unfunded mandate,” Azaiez said. “Some school districts, including ours, were able to fulfill it and provide some mental health resources, but a lot of school districts aren’t as big, and they have to make tough choices between security and mental health.”

Azaiez said his school district, one of the largest in the state, takes pride in providing mental health resources to their students, but he needs more funding for providers.

“We have over 47,000 students, and we have 12 or 11 social workers at a time,” Azaiez said. “With that ratio, can you confidently say that you meet every kid’s needs?”

Social workers on their campus are spending most of their time responding to crises, even though they would prefer to be more proactive, using skills like case management, basic needs, and mental wellness.

“Right now, we have two individuals to cover 11 campuses,” said Byron Gerard, Round Rock’s assistant superintendent of student support services. “That is a heavy lift.”

Today, 246 of Texas’ 254 counties are wholly or partly designated by the federal government as “mental health professional shortage areas.” This has had a profound effect in rural, border, and frontier counties in Texas, where there may only be one mental health professional or none.

“If we hired 10 clinical providers right now for mental health services, we would probably keep all 10 of them busy,” Guerrero, the director of public health for Bexar County, said. “It’s really about building up that workforce specifically for youth because it takes an additional thousands of hours to be clinically certified to provide mental health services to kids.”

Texas has 4,017 licensed school psychology specialists, a 27.6% increase from the 3,148 providers in 2015. However, in 2023, there were 97 counties without licensed school psychology specialists.

The state’s crisis response infrastructure also requires significant improvements, Galvan said, as the state only has eight youth crisis outreach teams and six youth crisis respite units among 39 local mental health authorities.

“Proper staffing, funding, and youth-specific resources are essential for an effective crisis continuum of care, including 988 call centers,” she said.

Social media’s advantages

Although research on the effects of it is still new, social media has been shown to put young people at a greater risk of depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges.

“While technology is an integral part of modern life, its use must be balanced to ensure children develop the critical and social life skills necessary to thrive,” said Bryan Mares, government relations director for the Texas chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.

Lawmakers have suggested several initiatives in the next session to address the online dangers affecting Texas children, including training teachers about cyberbullying, banning the use of people’s likenesses in artificially created pornographic images, and even adding warning labels on social media platforms that state what social media can do to a minor’s mental health.

“We have heard youth talk about how social media creates intense levels of comparison for them and their peers. For girls specifically, social comparison is the number one predictor of poor body image,” said Ana O’Quin, advocacy manager for the Girls Empowerment Network.

A sign of the state’s increased effort to lessen social media’s negative impacts, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission recently awarded Bexar County’s mental health authority a $1.2 million grant to create a program to educate teens and parents on the pros and cons of social media and video games.

Jelynne LeBlanc Jamison, head of the mental health authority, said the goal of the program is not to villainize social media, but to have parents understand the critical role these platforms play in their children’s lives and for children to understand the dangers of this digital landscape. She said most of the problems with social media come from a lack of understanding between generations.

“I think we have been really lazy in terms of really guiding people on how to use these tools,” said Jamison, who is using the new social media funding to expand their outreach specialists from one to nine. “And I think we’ve made some mistakes and I hope we don’t go much further without making some common sense rules about usage and access.”

Jennifer Edwards, executive director of the Texas Social Media Research Institute at Tarleton State University, said there are clear benefits of social media, especially for those who live in rural areas, as they get the opportunity to become positively exposed to different viewpoints and issues and to find their own community that might not exist in their small town.

Youth can use social media to learn, create content and express themselves because they have information at their fingertips, according to researchers.

“Having that sense of community is especially beneficial for wellness and mental health,” she said.

Putting all the blame on social media for the adverse mental health outcomes of young Texans ignores the pandemic’s varying effects on children’s developmental years, according to mental health advocates.

After schools reopened after pandemic-related closures, a majority of students returned with what appeared to be generalized anxiety, Guerrero said.

In 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Children’s Hospital Association declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health due to the pandemic.

These organizations predicted mental health disorder rates are likely to increase over time, given that sustained COVID-19 stressors may result in years-long mental health impacts.

“There isn’t a magic wand or one policy solution to youth mental health. But instead, we need to tackle this issue from multiple angles,” Mares said.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/27/texas-youth-mental-health-needs-social-media/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

News from the South - Texas News Feed

Former Sid Miller allies told police the ag commissioner feared the DEA, told a friend to get rid of marijuana

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feeds.texastribune.org – By Kate McGee – 2025-07-31 05:00:00


Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller was reported by a former friend to have asked him in 2022 to dispose of marijuana cigarettes and gummies to avoid DEA detection. The friend, Michael Hackney, lived on Miller’s ranch where Miller legally grew hemp. Miller denied the allegations. Investigations into Miller’s hemp operations revealed internal accusations but no charges against him. His former aide Todd Smith pled guilty to commercial bribery related to hemp licenses and was later rehired by Miller. Another former employee alleged Miller exchanged hemp for THC-laced products, which Miller denied. Miller is running for reelection amid ongoing controversies.

Former Sid Miller allies told police the ag commissioner feared the DEA, told a friend to get rid of marijuana” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.


A former friend of Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller told a Texas Ranger that in 2022 Miller asked him to dispose of three bags of marijuana cigarettes and gummies because he was afraid that the Drug Enforcement Administration might find them on his property.

At the time, the friend, Michael Hackney, was living in a motorhome on Miller’s Stephenville ranch, where Miller was licensed to grow hemp.

“I’ve got to get rid of this. I’ve had it at the house, and if the DEA comes, I can’t get caught with this stuff,” Miller said, according to Hackney. “He says, ‘You do with it whatever you want. Get rid of it. But don’t leave it here.’”

Hackney added, “He was really, really nervous about that deal.”

Recording of Michael Hackney’s interview with a Texas Ranger in July 2024

Having trouble viewing? Watch this video on texastribune.org.

The Texas Tribune obtained a recording of the Texas Ranger’s July 2024 interview with Hackney through an open records request to the Texas Department of Public Safety, but has not been able to confirm whether Miller was — or has ever been — under investigation by the DEA or any other law enforcement agency. He has not been charged with a crime, and a Department of Public Safety spokesperson said Miller is not under active investigation by state police. A DEA spokesperson said the federal agency could not comment on any ongoing or past investigations unless they are fully adjudicated in the courts.

In an interview with the Tribune, Miller flatly denied the accusations.

“If I had marijuana cigarettes and gummies and I thought the DEA was going to investigate me, I damn sure wouldn’t have given them to anybody else to get rid of. I’d have just gotten rid of them myself,” he said. “I would never do that and it didn’t happen.”

Law enforcement records reviewed by the Tribune show Miller entangled in a morass of accusations related to his hemp farming operation made by former associates. The records were from two separate state investigations, neither of which targeted Miller. One investigation was into bribery accusations against a top Miller aide. The second was in response to an accusation of illegal coercion that Miller made against one of his own high-ranking Texas Departure of Agriculture employees. Miller accused the employee of trying to blackmail him with threats of explicit photos.

Miller dismissed the accusations made to law enforcement as lies from a disgruntled former employee and former friend. He said DPS has never reached out to question him about the claims.

Recorded interviews conducted during both investigations revealed people close to Miller believed his hemp farm was under scrutiny by the DEA.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller denies accusations against him to Texas Tribune reporter Kate McGee.

Having trouble viewing? Watch this video on texastribune.org.

That included Freddy Vest, a former agriculture department director who oversaw the hemp licensing program and who Miller accused of blackmail. DPS investigated the claim but did not charge Vest with a crime.

During that investigation, Vest told officers in June of this year that a colleague had informed him three or four years ago that the DEA had contacted the agency asking for information about Miller’s hemp farm.

When Vest relayed the information to Miller in early 2022, he said Miller grew angry.

“I said, ‘Sid, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I told you I’d never lie to you, and I never hold anything back from you. … I’ve heard that there’s been a DEA agent that is inquiring on your hemp program,’” Vest recounted to the officers.

“[Miller] said, ‘What’s a DEA?’ I said, ‘Drug Enforcement Agency.’ And so he went back home. He got mad at me for telling him or that I knew about it,” Vest added to the officers.

Miller confirmed Vest told him the DEA was looking into his hemp operation, but said he was wrong.

“Freddy is a damn drama queen. He’s full of it,” Miller told the Tribune. “I checked out his story and it didn’t check out. It never happened. I never, ever talked to the DEA. They never stepped foot on my place.”

Miller, a Republican in his third-term in the state elected office, was registered to grow hemp in Texas between 2020 and 2023 — under a license granted by his own office. He was one of the hundreds of people who applied for that opportunity after state lawmakers legalized growing parts of the cannabis plant in 2019 as long as it did not contain more than .3% of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.

Miller planted 10 hemp crops at his Stephenville tree nursery through 2022, including varieties called Sweet Wife, China Blossom and ACDC, records show.

State lawmakers in May voted to ban the sale of substances containing consumable THC in Texas citing concern that they are dangerous to people’s health. At first, Miller opposed that ban, arguing it would be harmful to Texas farmers, though he ultimately supported it.

Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed the ban in June, calling for a focus on regulation. Lawmakers returned to Austin on July 21 to once again tackle that issue, among others.

Scrutiny over hemp licenses  

When Hackney spoke to the Texas Ranger about Miller’s hemp business, the Ranger was investigating Miller’s close political consultant Todd Smith.

Smith was arrested in May 2021 for soliciting up to $150,000 to guarantee prospective growers supposedly exclusive hemp licenses from Miller’s office. Licenses to grow hemp are unlimited in Texas and cost $100. After the indictment, Miller told reporters that he parted ways with Smith following his arrest. He later said the investigation was politically motivated and that Smith did nothing wrong. Miller has denied involvement and was not implicated in the case.

Todd Smith.
Todd Smith was rehired by Miller as chief of staff of the Texas Department of Agriculture. Credit: Social Media

Smith pled guilty to commercial bribery in 2024, a few weeks before his jury trial was scheduled to begin and about a week after Miller was subpoenaed to testify. Smith agreed to two years of deferred adjudication, meaning he would have to follow terms of probation but then could have his charges dismissed. A few months after Smith pleaded guilty, Miller hired Smith as chief of staff of the Texas Department of Agriculture. Smith did not respond to request for comment.

Hackney’s interview with the Texas Ranger, in which he described Miller asking him to get rid of the marijuana, is embedded in Smith’s 180-page investigative file from DPS.

“Sid shows up at my motor home and has three bags of product and by product, I mean, marijuana cigarettes that were in little cigar wrapping, gummies and so forth,” Hackney said in the interview.

Hackney responded, “What in the world is this?” he told the Ranger. But he did what Miller asked, he said.

Hackney’s motorhome had been parked on Miller’s property in Stephenville for about five years at the time to help manage his horse and cattle operation, he told the Ranger. Hackney, a former calf roper, got close to Miller traveling around the country and showing horses with him. He said two had a falling out in 2023 which resulted in Hackney moving off Miller’s property. Miller said he asked Hackney to leave his property because “he wore out his welcome.”

In the interview, Hackney told the Ranger he witnessed Miller tell an employee at his nursery to make sure if they had anything illegal on the property to get rid of it. And once at Miller’s house, he said he saw Miller smoke marijauna.

Miller said he told his employees to only grow legal hemp on the property.

Reached by the Tribune, Hackney said he stood by his statements to DPS, but stressed that he only came forward because he was asked by the Rangers to interview about Miller’s relationship to Smith. He was told by DPS that his statements would be confidential.

“I did not want to hurt Sid and especially his family in any way, but I did answer my questions to the best I could with the knowledge I had,” Hackney told the Tribune.

It’s unclear whether any investigators took any further action in response to Hackney’s claims. Asked about them, the DPS spokesperson initially said Hackney’s interview was included in a report that was submitted to the Travis County District Attorney’s office, and directed further questions to that office.

A spokesperson for the Travis County DA’s office said they do not have a record of receiving a copy of Hackney’s interview. Hours before publication, DPS sent an additional statement saying it did not send Hackney’s interview to the the district attorney’s office after it was determined that it “had no investigative value” to the Smith case.

A second investigation

Nearly a year after Hackney was interviewed by the Rangers, Vest, the employee fired by Miller after 10 years at the agency, got a knock on his door from two DPS agents asking to talk to him about his recent termination from the agriculture department.

In the interview, Vest said a former assistant commissioner, Walt Roberts, once told him that he accompanied Miller to a shop in Bastrop where Miller dropped off multiple garbage bags of his harvested hemp in exchange for two large garbage bags of black tubes with individually rolled joints inside.

“[Roberts] said [Miller] took his hemp down there, and what this guy was doing was spraying it with synthetic THC, turning it back into marijuana,” Vest told law enforcement.

Miller denied to Roberts he was doing anything illegal and remarked that “there’s some college kids that’d like to have this,” Vest told officers.

Roberts confirmed Vest’s account to the Tribune, adding that he felt uncomfortable being present for the exchange. He declined to answer further questions. Roberts was hired by Miller when he first took state office. Roberts has publicly disclosed he pleaded guilty for a federal felony and misdemeanor for his role in a campaign finance conspiracy in Oklahoma in 2003.

Miller denied he ever sold or exchanged his hemp in Bastrop.

Vest was interviewed after Miller reported him to DPS and accused him of threatening to expose intimate pictures involving Miller if he didn’t fire certain employees at the agency, according to a written request from Miller’s office for DPS to investigate the incident.

In a recording of that DPS interview, Vest told the officers Hackney had photos of Miller that could be incriminating.

The Tribune reviewed copies of both photos. One photo was of Miller laying next to a blonde woman on a bed smiling. Miller told the Tribune that it was a sick woman lying in a hospital bed who he took a selfie with. The other photo was a screen shot of what appeared to be Miller’s own Facebook story post of a woman naked on a bed, but only her backside is visible. Vest told police this woman was Miller’s wife. Miller told the Tribune he was unaware of this photo. Miller’s wife did not respond to a request for comment.

Vest told Miller about the photos in May, but didn’t tell him who had them, despite Miller’s repeated requests for more information, according to a recording of their conversation that Miller secretly recorded and sent to DPS.

When Miller fired Vest and reported him to DPS, he submitted his audio recording and a transcript of the conversation as evidence. The Tribune obtained copies via an open records request.

When Vest tells Miller about the photos, Miller asks where the photo came from and tries to guess who has copies of the photos, according to the recording shared with DPS.

In that recording of Miller and Vest’s conversation, Vest said that he had known about the photos for a while, but had previously convinced the person not to publicize them. But the person was more recently considering making them public and wanted Miller to fire Smith and another agency head.

Hackney told the Tribune that he never intended to release the photos.

Vest insisted in his DPS interview that neither he nor Hackney ever directly threatened Miller. He had tried, he said, to get Miller away from Smith for years.

“I didn’t show these [photos] to anyone to extort anything out of Sid or anything,” Vest told the officers. “And since I was terminated, I haven’t. It’s not a vendetta for me against Sid Miller.” Vest declined an interview with the Tribune.

The agents said in the interview with Vest that there was no evidence that Vest tried to blackmail Miller and closed the case. Vest was never charged with a crime. Miller told the Tribune he is still considering further legal action.

Political storms

Miller is gearing up to run for reelection for a fourth term next year. So far, he’s garnered at least one primary challenger: Nate Sheets, founder of Nature Nate’s Honey Company.

Miller previously served in the Texas state House from 2001 to 2013. Since he was first elected agriculture commissioner in 2014, he’s repeatedly weathered political controversies and criticism.

Miller has frequently faced backlash for posting misleading and false information on his political social media pages.

In 2016, Miller came under fire for using state funds to travel to Oklahoma to receive what he called a “Jesus shot,” an injection that a doctor in Oklahoma City claimed could take away all pain for life.

Miller later reimbursed the state for the trip and Travis County prosecutors did not pursue charges.

In 2017, the Texas Ethics Commission fined Miller $2,750 for sloppy campaign accounting. The next year, the ethics commission fined Miller $500 for using state funds to travel to a rodeo in Mississippi after an investigation found the primary purpose of the trip to Jackson was personal.

Kate McGee is continuing to report on issues related to the Texas Department of Agriculture. If you have a tip reach out at mcgee@texastribune.org.


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This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/31/sid-miller-hemp-dea-texas-marijuana-gummies/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

The post Former Sid Miller allies told police the ag commissioner feared the DEA, told a friend to get rid of marijuana appeared first on feeds.texastribune.org



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

The article presents a factual, investigative report on allegations involving Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller without adopting an overt ideological stance. It details accusations from multiple sources, Miller’s denials, and related investigations, maintaining a neutral tone throughout. The coverage includes balanced perspectives and official statements, focusing on documented events and law enforcement records rather than editorializing. While the subject is a Republican politician with a history of controversy, the article refrains from partisan framing and simply reports the facts, consistent with The Texas Tribune’s nonpartisan editorial approach.

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News from the South - Texas News Feed

Glass panels keep falling from downtown Austin building

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www.kxan.com – Nabil Remadna – 2025-07-30 20:37:00

SUMMARY: Glass panels have fallen multiple times from the under-construction 55-story ATX Tower in downtown Austin, raising safety concerns. On July 28, Ryan Companies found a broken glass panel—the fourth such incident this year—and alerted authorities, ensuring no injuries occurred. A covered walkway was installed as a safety measure. The City of Austin’s Development Services Department is working closely with the contractor, conducting site visits and investigations. While causes, including high winds, are being studied, no penalties have been imposed yet. Council member Zo Qadri demands accountability and potential city council action to ensure public safety amid ongoing risks.

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The post Glass panels keep falling from downtown Austin building appeared first on www.kxan.com

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Texas Senate passes THC ban | Texas

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-07-30 19:23:00


The Texas Senate has passed SB 5, a bill banning THC products, for the second time, following Gov. Greg Abbott’s veto of a similar bill (SB 3). Abbott has proposed legalizing THC for adults 21+, but the GOP-led legislature opposes legalization and supports the ban, citing health and safety concerns, especially for children. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick strongly advocates the ban, condemning loopholes exploited by retailers selling potent THC products marketed to youth. The bill bans production, sale, and possession of most THC products except CBD/CBG. Opponents argue it harms businesses and patients, but Patrick highlights expanded medical access through the Compassionate Use Program. The Texas House plans to pass the ban, deepening the rift with Abbott.

(The Center Square) – The Texas Senate on Wednesday passed for a second time a ban on THC.

In the regular legislative session, the Senate passed SB 3, filed by state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, with bipartisan support in both chambers. Gov. Greg Abbott then vetoed it in the last hour of the last day allowed by the Texas Constitution after the legislature adjourned and couldn’t convene to override it.

Next, Abbott proposed legalizing THC for adults over age 21, making it a legislative priority for the special session, which began July 21. However, the Texas Legislature, led by Republicans, oppose Abbott’s proposal and oppose legalizing THC and marijuana.

The Texas Senate next passed Perry’s second THC ban, SB 5, out of committee with bipartisan support last week. The full Senate passed it on Wednesday by a vote of 21-8.

The Texas House is also not backing down on a THC ban. An identical bill to Perry’s was filed by state Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, HB 5.

In response to the Senate again passing the THC ban, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said, “Since 2019, bad actors have taken advantage of a loophole in Texas agriculture law to sell potent, intoxicating forms of THC that have nothing to do with agriculture. These shops have rapidly spread throughout Texas, endangering the health and safety of children and families across our state, with no accountability. These products, often containing dangerous levels of THC, are marketed directly towards young people with colorful packaging and images, making THC look like candy or sweets.”

Patrick has made a THC ban his mission this year, holding multiple press conferences and posting videos on social media about why a ban is important.

A THC ban remains a legislative priority, he said on Wednesday, “because we refuse to let these rogue retailers exploit loopholes in state law to sell dangerous THC products into our communities.”

The bill has the support of every law enforcement agency in Texas, the Texas Medical Association, Texas Pediatric Society, and many families impacted by THC. Law enforcement officers oppose regulating it, arguing regulation won’t work. Current regulation related to hemp farming has already been abused and unenforced, witnesses testified, pointing out that an official list of hemp growers includes smoke shops, extract labs and closed businesses.

Abbott is standing in opposition to law enforcement and Texas families, and is paving the way to legalize marijuana, Patrick argues. Abbott has proposed regulating THC like alcohol.

Marijuana and THC products are considered Schedule 1 controlled substances by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, which “considers them to have a high likelihood of being abused and no current medical use, despite marijuana being legal in some cities and states, including for medical purposes,” WebMD explains.

In Texas, marijuana for recreational use is illegal; CBD oil, an extract of the marijuana plant, is legal for medical use. In 2015, the state legislature passed the Compassionate-Use Act, authorizing qualified physicians to prescribe low-THC cannabis (less than one percent) to patients with certain conditions. It initially only applied to patients with intractable epilepsy but was later expanded to include those diagnosed with a seizure disorder, multiple sclerosis, spasticity, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism, cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder and an incurable neurodegenerative disease, the State Law Library explains.

SB 5 allows Cannabidiol (CBD) or CBG, whole hemp seeds, hemp seed protein powder and hemp seed oil to continue being sold in Texas. Their sale is “currently legal today through the FDA,” Perry said at a hearing last week. However, “It is with almost 99% assuredly most of the [THC] products that are being sold off these retail shelves today through these hemp stores and other venues is illegal federally. We have court cases building by the week that support that.”

SB 5 bans the production, sale, and possession of consumable marijuana products that contain any cannabinoids other than CBD or CBG, including banning substances marketed as delta-8, delta-9, delta-10, THCA, and THC-O. Violators face criminal penalties ranging from a Class C misdemeanor for possession to a third-degree felony for manufacturing or distribution of THC.

Opponents of the ban say it will wipe out small businesses, tens of thousands of jobs and negatively impact veterans, seniors, cancer survivors and others experiencing chronic pain who use THC, The Center Square reported.

Patrick says they can legally purchase THC with a prescription from their doctor. The legislature also passed HB 46 to expand the Texas Compassionate Use Program, “the largest compassionate use program in America” to ensure they had access, he said.

The Texas House is expected to again pass the THC ban, setting up another showdown between the Republican-led legislature and Republican governor.

The post Texas Senate passes THC ban | Texas appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

The article presents a largely factual and straightforward report on the Texas Senate’s legislative actions regarding a THC ban, detailing the positions of Republican lawmakers, the governor, and other stakeholders. While the content predominantly reflects the viewpoints and legislative priorities of conservative Republicans opposing THC legalization, it reports these without overt editorializing or strong emotive language favoring one side. The framing highlights Republican concerns about public health and law enforcement backing, as well as opposition arguments about economic and medical impacts. Overall, the article leans moderately toward conservative perspectives through its focus but maintains a largely neutral tone in presenting the facts and differing opinions.

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