Some Texas hemp shops are encouraging customers to register to vote and are displaying voter guides, according to a report from Houston Public Media. Most of the guides favor Democrats, the report said. Much of the industry's anger is aimed at Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who made banning intoxicating hemp products a top priority last year. Patrick has said the products pose health risks and that the state cannot adequately regulate thousands of retailers. Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed the broad ban.
Patrick said at a June 2025 news conference that he would not legalize marijuana and that voters could remove him from office over it. State Rep. Vikki Goodwin of Austin, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, said she opposed the ban. She has said she supports rules for hemp similar to those for alcohol, including age limits and packaging and marketing rules.
Rules adopted in March by state health regulators effectively banned sales of most smokable hemp products, and raised business fees by up to 4,000%, the report said. Goodwin said the restrictions went too far. Estella Castro, owner of Austinite Cannabis Co., said she has closed two stores and is relying on the November election. Sarah Todd, executive director of the Texas Cannabis Policy Center, called Goodwin an ally of the industry.