By Rita Cook
Correspondent
Texas Metro News
AUSTIN – While Texas’ controversial THC bills discussed during the legislative session this year did not successfully pass as Republican lawmakers and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick were so adamant about, Texas Governor Greg Abbott did direct the Texas Department of Public Safety to increase hemp enforcement last week.
He specifically directed the tougher enforcement actions against vape and smoke shops not in compliance with state laws and regulations.
“Texas will protect children from dangerous hemp products,” said Governor Abbott. “Today, I directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to increase surveillance and enforcement of any vape and smoke shop violating Texas law. Texas will prioritize protecting our children.”
Governor Abbott gave the direction for DPS’ Criminal Investigations Division (CID) to “conduct targeted operations to identify vape and smoke shops of concern, then work with state, local, and federal partners, to perform inspections to determine legal violations.”
He also directed DPS CID Special Agents to leverage findings from these inspections to conduct undercover operations to identify unlawful activity, as well as initiate further criminal investigations.
The DPS Crime Lab will conduct testing on any seized products from these investigations and CID Special Agents will follow up the investigations and bring charges against employees and shop ownership in violation of Texas law.
DPS will also leverage all federal and local law enforcement partnerships to further these investigations.
Abbott issued an executive order in September allowing for the Texas Department of State Health Services, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, and DPS to take immediate action to protect Texas children from hemp-derived products, while respecting federal law and protecting the liberties of responsible adults.
Patrick, released a statement at that time regarding THC in Texas commenting on his disagreement with Abbott’s decision not to sign the THC bill into law.
“This is not a personal fight with the governor. It is a disagreement on extremely important policy. We worked together well this session and will in the future. On this issue, we disagree.”
He said he believed Abbott’s executive order sent a signal to the THC industry that they have a state seal of approval on the current THC market.
“This is huge for our industry, coming from a full out ban and making it to this executive order completely legitimizes our industry and shows that we are here to stay,” Patrick said.
The Lt. Governor maintains the same people selling THC products to kids and teens for the last four years in many locations across Texas will continue to do so under Abbott’s executive order without a ban.
“They are the ones who purposefully built their stores close to schools to target our kids,” he said. “They have always claimed only to sell to people age 21 and up, but we know that is a lie. Almost every THC product they have on the shelf today is still illegal, often grossly mislabeled with ingredients unknown to the buyer.”
However, Abbott’s THC executive order not only prevents sales to minors, but it also prevents sales near schools, churches and other “sensitive locations” and stores are not allowed to operate within 1,000 feet of these facilities.
Patrick pointed out “We have age limits on alcohol and cigarettes, but we know that does not stop kids from getting them either.”
He maintains the difference is that THC is more potent and can cause “irreversible damage to a young person’s mind.”
That has been argued however and https://drugabuse.com/blog/marijuana-vs-alcohol/ researched and indicted “In most cases, drinking alcohol is not life-threatening. However, when people consume too much alcohol, it can be fatal. The CDC reports that nearly 88,000 alcohol-related overdose deaths occur each year. While, in comparison the number of deaths caused by marijuana is almost zero.
They reported a study found that a fatal dose of TCH, the potent chemical in marijuana, would be between 15 and 70 grams, roughly 238 and 1,113 joints with half a gram of marijuana smoked in a day to overdose on marijuana. The site also noted regarding increased crime rates “When it comes to what substance will put someone at risk for getting hurt or hurting others, alcohol is considered to cause the most harm not THC.”
Rita Cook is a world traveler and writer/editor who specializes in writing on travel, auto, crime and politics. A correspondent for Texas Metro News, she has published 11 books and has also produced low-budget films.
