Patrick’s THC Tantrum: A Prohibition Blowout
Texas is at it again. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the self-appointed sheriff of the state’s morality police, is hell-bent on eradicating THC from the Lone Star State. With the recent passage of Senate Bill 3 (SB 3), Patrick is pushing for a full-scale ban on all consumable THC products, leaving no room for compromise.
Texas vs. Texas – A Full-Blown Cannabis Civil War
Patrick isn’t just fighting to ban THC—he’s fighting his own state’s evolution on weed.
- Earlier this year, Texas lawmakers introduced House Bill 3652, which aimed to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana. It didn’t pass, but the fact that it even got serious discussion signals a shift.
- Cities like Austin, San Marcos, and Denton have already decriminalized marijuana possession, defying state law.
- Even within the Texas GOP, there’s division—conservative hardliners like Patrick want total prohibition, but a growing faction (including some Republicans) sees legal weed as inevitable.
Patrick wants to turn back the clock—but Texas isn’t the same state it was a decade ago. The battle for cannabis is already happening at the city level, and Patrick is losing.
Follow the Money – Who’s Really Behind the THC Ban?
This isn’t about “safety” or “public health.” It’s about money.
- Big Pharma doesn’t want competition. Texas legalized medical cannabis in 2015, but the program is so restrictive that fewer than 1,000 Texans have been able to enroll. Pharmaceutical lobbyists don’t want affordable, plant-based alternatives cutting into their profits.
- Private prisons and law enforcement depend on weed arrests. Texas still arrests tens of thousands of people a year for marijuana possession, mostly Black and Latino Texans. If weed becomes legal, that’s a huge chunk of “business” gone for the prison-industrial complex.
- The Texas alcohol industry is a major anti-cannabis donor. Liquor lobbyists have historically fought cannabis legalization in Texas, worried that legal weed will cut into alcohol sales.
Patrick isn’t fighting a public health battle—he’s protecting the profits of industries that thrive on prohibition.
The “THC Crisis” is Manufactured – It’s Classic Drug War Hysteria
- Texas Republicans claim that THC products are “unregulated” and “dangerous.” Reality check: Hemp-derived THC is legal at the federal level and has stricter testing than most Texas food products.
- The same politicians screaming about THC are fine with alcohol on every street corner.
- Patrick’s fearmongering about “8,000 smoke shops” sounds just like the Nixon-era scare tactics used to justify the War on Drugs.
This isn’t about protecting Texans—it’s about control. Patrick is peddling 1970s drug war propaganda in 2025.
The Losing Battle – What Comes Next?
As SB 3 heads to the Texas House for consideration, the battle lines are drawn. Patrick remains unwavering, stating, “We’re going to ban it. There is no compromise here.”
But Texas isn’t the same place it was when Patrick first took office.
- Public opinion is shifting. Polls show Texans overwhelmingly support some form of cannabis legalization.
- The courts will get involved. If SB 3 passes, expect legal challenges from business owners, medical cannabis patients, and pro-cannabis organizations.
- Activists are gearing up. Texas cannabis advocates are already mobilizing to fight this ban at the ballot box.
Patrick may win this round, but it won’t last. The question isn’t “Will Texas legalize?” The question is: How much damage will old-school prohibitionists do before it happens?
The cannabis industry in Texas isn’t going anywhere. If this ban goes through, it will be fought in the courts, at the ballot box, and on the streets.
Patrick is fighting a losing battle. Weed isn’t leaving Texas—he is.
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