TABC Sets Age Gate for Hemp-Derived THC, Enforcement Begins October

25 September 2025

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) has enacted emergency rules banning the sale of consumable hemp products containing THC to individuals under 21. The regulations, adopted Tuesday in response to Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order (GA-56) earlier this month, require mandatory age verification and impose automatic license cancellations for violations. Enforcement begins October 1.

The rules take effect immediately and will last up to 180 days while TABC develops permanent regulations. “This emergency adoption is necessary to help prevent minors from accessing and using consumable hemp products,” the agency said in its notice.

Currently, the regulations apply only to businesses licensed by TABC, such as liquor stores, convenience stores, groceries, bars, and restaurants. Hemp-specific retailers, such as smoke shops, fall under the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), which has yet to adopt comparable restrictions. Advocates warn this gap could leave many youth-access points unregulated.

Industry voices, praised the new rules as overdue, noting that Texas’s original hemp law, House Bill 1325, passed in 2019, contained no age limits. Cannabis reform groups welcomed the step but expressed concern over automatic license cancellations, arguing that fines or suspensions might provide a more balanced enforcement approach.

Public health advocates ask for additional safeguards, including proximity limits to schools and treatment facilities, stronger marketing restrictions, and clearer labeling. TABC has signaled it will review online sales, packaging standards, and enforcement resources in the coming months.

The move comes as Texas continues to expand its medical marijuana program. The Department of Public Safety has announced plans to issue 12 new dispensary licenses by 2026, up from three, and is drafting rules to broaden qualifying conditions and establish new security and compliance standards for licensed operators.