Don’t Burn the Hemp Bridge: A Climate and Health Solution Rooted in Texas Soil
by
Angela Valenzuela, Ph.D.
Texas policy on hemp is at an inflection point. As the debate fixates on hemp-derived THC, it obscures the larger public-health, climate, and rural-economy stakes.
Since vetoing an all-THC ban in June, Gov. Greg Abbott has advocated a stringent regulatory framework—age limits, potency caps, testing, and enforcement—built to withstand court challenges, while Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the Senate have continued to advance near-total prohibitions such as SB 6 in the second special session (Guo, 2025; Malenfant, 2025).
Separate from that report, I am fascinated by the fact that our bodies also produce their own cannabinoids—“endocannabinoids”—that help regulate mood, stress responses, pain, and inflammation (Lu & Mackie, 2016). And yes, the classic “runner’s high” appears to be driven in part by endocannabinoid signaling (Fuss et al., 2015).
Public-health experts and many Texas stakeholders warn that prohibition doesn’t make communities safer—it makes them vulnerable. Outright bans typically displace sales into unregulated channels, where age checks, lab tests, and labels vanish; advocates instead argue for targeted rules that limit youth access and inform consumers (Simpson & Keemahill, 2025; Neill Harris, 2025)
As one Texas Tribune report noted during this year’s debates, opposition included veterans, caregivers, and older adults who stressed practical access—paired with tighter rules to curb synthetics and youth marketing (Simpson & Keemahill, 2025).
The lesson isn’t new: a century after alcohol Prohibition, reporting shows bans pushed drinking into unregulated markets—sometimes into poisoned industrial alcohol that killed thousands (Blum estimate, as cited in Dowd, 2019)—while fueling organized crime, overwhelming enforcement, and producing a surge in illegal “speakeasies” (Dowd, 2019). Speakeasies were illicit, often membership- or password-only drinking rooms hidden behind ordinary storefronts or in back rooms and basements.
Smart regulation works. Age restrictions, potency caps, child-safe packaging, and rigorous lab testing help keep intoxicating products out of kids’ hands and ensure consumers know what they’re getting. Abbott’s veto and subsequent guidance emphasized exactly this approach—enforceable rules that preserve a lawful market while protecting public safety (Guo, 2025).
Meanwhile, the environmental and economic stakes couldn’t be higher. Hemp is a fast-growing, low-input crop that fits Texas’ drought-prone conditions and diversified rotations. Beyond the farm, Central Texas builders are piloting hemp-lime “hempcrete” for lower-carbon construction, while Texas researchers are advancing drought-tolerant fiber and grain varieties—signs of a broader materials and agri-tech ecosystem with real local traction (Curtin, 2024a; Curtin, 2024b). For rural Texans, this isn’t just about climate; it’s about opportunity. Every time we threaten prohibition, we freeze investment, strand farmers, and stall innovation.
Texas doesn’t have to choose between chaos and prohibition. We can regulate intoxicating hemp products responsibly and supercharge the non-intoxicating value chain. That means processing grants, university research and development, and public procurement—pilot hemp-lime in state buildings; prioritize hemp fiber for erosion control and packaging; and support farmers who want to grow for climate, not controversy. If we care about children, climate, and communities, don’t burn the hemp bridge—build it.
References
Curtin, K. (2024a, April 12). The Austin Chronic: Former Ag Commissioner candidate Susan Hays is building a hempcrete house. The Austin Chronicle. https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/2024-04-12/the-austin-chronic-former-ag-commissioner-candidate-susan-hays-is-building-a-hempcrete-house
Curtin, K. (2024b, October 4). The Austin Chronic: Texas A&M’s hemp breeding program adds drought-resistant genetics to the national collection. The Austin Chronicle. https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/2024-10-04/the-austin-chronic-texas-aams-hemp-breeding-program-adds-drought-resistant-genetics-to-the-national-/
Guo, K. (2025, June 22). Gov. Greg Abbott vetoes THC ban, calls for regulation instead. Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/22/texas-thc-ban-bill-greg-abbott-veto-senate-bill-3/
Fuss, J., Steinle, J., Bindila, L., Auer, M. K., Kirchherr, H., Lutz, B., & Gass, P. (2015). A runner’s high depends on cannabinoid receptors in mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(42), 13105–13108. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1514996112
Malenfant, M. (2025, August 20). Have THC laws changed in Texas? Here’s a 2025 guide. Austin American-Statesman. https://www.statesman.com/news/article/thc-ban-texas-special-session-august-2025-20824050.php
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017). The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: The current state of evidence and recommendations for research. The National Academies Press. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/24625/the-health-effects-of-cannabis-and-cannabinoids-the-current-state
Neill Harris, K. (2025, August 21). A THC ban won’t make Texans safer. Better hemp laws would. Houston Chronicle. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/thc-texas-ban-hemp-laws-20826232.php
No comments:
Post a Comment