Ted Cruz Explains His Vote To Keep Hemp THC Products Federally Legal In Historic First Senate Roll Call On Cannabis

As the Senate held an historic first standalone roll call floor vote on the
issue of cannabis on Monday, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) drew some attention as
one of just two Republicans who joined about two dozen Democrats in a
failed attempt to keep alive a spending bill amendment to prevent a ban on
hemp products containing THC.

The Senate ultimately passed the underlying appropriations package,
including language championed by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) that industry
stakeholders say would decimate the hemp market. A last-ditch attempt to
strike those provisions of the bill, led by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), failed
after a majority voted in favor of a motion to table his amendment.

Paul’s fight to block the ban made headlines, with some lawmakers such as
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) criticizing him for “gumming up the
works” over “little parochial priorities.” Of course Paul voted against the
motion to table his amendment—as did 22 Democrats and an independent
senator that caucuses with Democrats—but the member who especially stood
out was Cruz, who has spoken out against federal marijuana rescheduling.

“I have long believed that the regulation of hemp and marijuana products
should rest with each individual state,” the senator said following the
vote. “Reasonable minds can disagree, and a blanket federal prohibition
disempowers the voters in each of the fifty States.”

I have long believed that the regulation of hemp and marijuana products
should rest with each individual state. Reasonable minds can disagree, and
a blanket federal prohibition disempowers the voters in each of the fifty
States.

A one-size-fits-all federal standard will… https://t.co/iJTSVSqtdg

— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) November 11, 2025

“A one-size-fits-all federal standard will undoubtedly create unintended
consequences that harm consumers,” he said. “There is a vital need to
protect children by, at a minimum, requiring that purchasers be 21 and
prohibiting synthetics and dangerous foreign imports marketed to kids.”

Cruz added, “That’s the approach Governor Abbott has taken in Texas, and I
urge other states to follow Texas’s example,” referring to the governor’s
veto of an outright hemp ban bill and push for a regulatory model with
age-gating and product testing standards.

Notably, while Cruz said that a blanket federal prohibition on hemp
deprives states of autonomy to set their own policies, the senator has also opposed
the former Biden administration’s move to simply reschedule marijuana,
citing increases in vehicle injury and fatality rates that he attributed to
the legalization of adult-use cannabis.

Cruz has been broadly critical of marijuana legalization, though he’s also
said at some points that individual states should have the ability to
decide how to regulate cannabis. “I think it ought to be up to the states,” he
said during a 2018 debate. “I think Colorado can decide one way. I think
Texas can decide another.”

With respect to Monday’s vote on the Paul amendment, meanwhile, Democrats
were largely divided. Twenty-two Democratic caucus members voted against
the motion to table, while 25 voted to block the amendment. Of course, the
vote on the motion didn’t necessarily reflect members’ views on the
proposal itself.

Still, there were some stand-out votes from the Democratic caucus, with
certain pro-reform lawmakers joining nearly all Republicans in quashing the
amendment. And there were notable divisions among senators of the same
party representing the same state.

For example, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) split with Sen.
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) by voting against the motion to table. Sen. Cory
Booker (D-NJ) voted against tabling, while Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) voted to
pass the motion.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) voted against the motion as well, while his Virginia
colleague Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) supported the effort to table. Also split
were Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), who voted against tabling, and Sen. Mazie
Hirono (D-HI), who voted for it.

Meanwhile, both senators representing Oregon—Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and
Jeff Merkley (D-OR)—voted in favor of considering Paul’s amendment. Sen.
Bernie Sanders (I-VT) also opposed the motion to table.

Paul, for his part, has pledged to keep “fighting” after the Senate
rejected his attempt to roll back the hemp ban language.

I am truly sorry. I am still fighting.

— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) November 11, 2025

“The hemp provision in this appropriations package wipes out nearly 100% of
legal hemp products overnight: killing jobs, crushing farmers, and
overriding 23 state laws that already regulate hemp responsibly,” he said.
“Our farmers have turned to hemp as a lifeline when fertilizer, fuel, and
equipment costs skyrocketed and crop prices fell. Instead of working with
us to crack down on bad actors and synthetic cannabinoids, some in Congress
chose prohibition.”

The hemp provision in this appropriations package wipes out nearly 100% of
legal hemp products overnight: killing jobs, crushing farmers, and
overriding 23 state laws that already regulate hemp responsibly.

Our farmers have turned to hemp as a lifeline when fertilizer, fuel, and…
pic.twitter.com/JDrC0HVX7X

— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) November 11, 2025

“Kentucky jobs are not collateral. Our farmers are not bargaining chips,”
he said.

The underlying appropriations bill now heads to the House, which is
expected to hold a vote as early as Wednesday.

Meanwhile, advocates are sharply criticizing congressional leaders for
advancing the spending bill ahead of Veterans Day on Tuesday that also
omits bipartisan provisions allowing U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) doctors to recommend medical cannabis to patients in states where it’s
legal—even though the policy was approved by the full Senate and House of
Representatives earlier this year.

*Photo courtesy of Brendan Cleak.*

The post Ted Cruz Explains His Vote To Keep Hemp THC Products Federally
Legal In Historic First Senate Roll Call On Cannabis appeared first on Marijuana
Moment.