Texas Governor Signs Hemp Executive Order Setting Age Limit And Labeling Requirements For THC Products

*“My executive order makes sure that kids are kept safe and parents have
peace of mind now, and that consumers know the products they purchase are
tested and labeled responsibly.”*

*By Alex Nguyen, The Texas Tribune*

THC products will remain largely legal in Texas, but will be banned for
minors and further regulated under a new executive order by Gov. Greg
Abbott (R) on Wednesday.

Abbott directs the Texas Department of State Health Services and the
Alcoholic Beverage Commission to ban the sales of THC products to minors.
The health agency, under the order, also has to review existing rules to
add stricter labeling and testing requirements, improve record-keeping to
facilitate oversight, as well as increase licensing fees to support
enforcement.

The order also calls for these agencies to work with the Department of
Public Safety to increase enforcement on existing rules.

“Texas will not wait when it comes to protecting children and families,”
Abbott said in a press release. “While these products would still benefit
from the kind of comprehensive regulation set by the Texas Legislature for
substances like alcohol and tobacco, my executive order makes sure that
kids are kept safe and parents have peace of mind now, and that consumers
know the products they purchase are tested and labeled responsibly.”

Hemp should not be sold to our kids.

Today, I issued an Executive Order cracking down on unsafe hemp products —
banning sales to minors, strengthening enforcement & ensuring Texans know
what they’re buying.

Safety for kids, freedom for adults. pic.twitter.com/rbwo6mhGZt

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 10, 2025

The Texas Tribune’s Blast newsletter first reported on Abbott’s expected
executive order, which came about a week after the Legislature gaveled out
of this year’s second special session, having neither banned nor further
regulated consumable hemp goods in the state.

Abbott put THC regulation on the agenda for two consecutive special
sessions, but lawmakers failed to find a middle ground with the governor.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R)who has called THC products a “poison in our public,”
reiterated in a post on X earlier this month that he and the Texas Senate
would not accept anything less than a total THC ban. Abbott has said he
would prefer tighter regulation over a ban.

With Wednesday’s order, Abbott bypassed the legislative deadlock instead of
calling for another overtime lawmaking session.

The Texas Tribune has reached out to Patrick’s office for comment.

Following the Texas Tribune’s report about an expected executive order and
before Abbott’s announcement, state Sen. Charles Perry (R) said an age
restriction would still leave harmful products on the shelves. The Lubbock
Republican, who authored all of the Senate’s proposed THC bans during this
year, added that the only effective response is to prohibit “all synthetic
cannabinoids, converted cannabinoids, and smokeables outright.”

“This debate isn’t over,” Perry said in a Tuesday post on X, “and I will
not stop fighting until we secure real protections for our communities and
prevent Texas from repeating the mistakes of other states.”

The move to set age limits on who can purchase THC products has received
significant backing from the hemp industry. Some retailers said they
already check customers’ identification to ensure minors are not purchasing
their products, though there exists no formal age restriction. Some
industry leaders have even said the Legislature’s failure to pass such a
restriction was a missed opportunity.

BREAKING: Governor @GregAbbott_TX issued an executive order to protect
children from hemp products.

This order will ensure hemp products are not sold to children.

Read the Governor’s executive order here: https://t.co/3gczAHCWBO
pic.twitter.com/FsWNOfU4jH

— Governor Abbott Press Office (@GovAbbottPress) September 10, 2025

“It’s disappointing they didn’t take the opportunity to pass an age-gate
bill,” Cynthia Cabrera, president of the Texas Hemp Business Council, said
following Patrick’s post on X.

In particular, the trade group backed House Bill 36 during the second
special session. The bill, which died in a House committee despite
receiving some attention during a last-minute deal-making attempt, would
have banned THC products for anyone under 21. In addition, the proposal
would have created a Class C misdemeanor for buyers in most cases and a
Class A misdemeanor for sellers. But some critics say the bill should have
put the onus solely on sellers instead of adding more punishment for minors.

Earlier this year, the Texas House also proposed restricting THC sales to
those 21 and older, similar to the regulatory approach Abbott later said he
preferred. But the lower chamber later abandoned that plan and agreed with
the Senate on a bill to ban THC, prompting the governor to veto it in June.

In his veto proclamation, Abbott said the proposed ban would go against
federal law. He also called for more regulations instead.

*This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at
https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/10/texas-thc-executive-order-greg-abbott-weed-cannabis/.*

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Labeling Requirements For THC Products appeared first on Marijuana Moment.