DALLAS — From the moment Dan Patrick announced that he would seek to ban all forms of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) in Texas, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said he started receiving messages asking him to come out against the Lieutenant Governor’s efforts.
And who exactly sent those messages?
“8,000 vape shops across the state of Texas,” Miller said with a laugh. “You know it would be detrimental to their business. But we have 8,000 businesses selling this THC product.”
THC is the ingredient in cannabis that makes a user feel “high.”
When Miller sat down with us on Inside Texas Politics, he made absolutely clear he fully supports Patrick’s interest in going after unregulated, and often illegal, businesses. But he also made clear he doesn’t want that effort to go too far that it hurts Texas.
Miller says we already have recreational marijuana in Texas right now, but nobody wants to admit it.
Over the past several years, Texas legalized hemp farming and processing. Lawmakers also created, and have since expanded a medical marijuana program.
When he wrote the rules for the state’s hemp laws, Miller tells us a couple of now-popular synthetics didn’t even exist, Delta-8 and Delta-9. Miller says those new synthetics produce a high equivalent to regular marijuana and are far more dangerous for kids, who are often enticed by its various forms, from gummies and edibles to vape pens.
But the definition of intoxicating marijuana and some of the other language in the legislation has led to loopholes and, in essence, an unregulated marijuana market.
Lieutenant Governor Patrick says Texas now has a THC problem, and proposed Senate Bill 3 would ban all forms of it from being sold in Texas.
Miller tells us he’s glad there will be a committee hearing for the bill so lawmakers can hear all of the pros and cons related to the issue, including a ban’s potential impact on Texas farmers. That hearing, he says, could lead to better rules and regulations for the industry, including age restrictions, which don’t currently exist.
“I’m against recreational marijuana. But I do support expanding medicinal uses. If it can help somebody, let’s help them,” said Miller. “I just want to make sure we don’t go too far and limit the medical, true medical use of this compound.”
Miller also told us that he’s not only still working with the transition team for President-elect Donald Trump, but he’s been offered some jobs in the new administration.
He hasn’t taken any… yet.
“We’re still in negotiations on that,” he said.