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Texas Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico is calling out state leaders over Texas’s move to restrict hemp-derived THC products while keeping recreational marijuana illegal, labeling the policy “insane” and a prime example of corporate corruption. Appearing on The Breakfast Club, Talarico argued that powerful industries like “Big Beer” and “Big Tobacco” pushed for the ban on Delta-8 and Delta-10 to protect their own profits against safer, less addictive alternatives. Under the state’s reclassification, possessing these products is treated as a Schedule I felony carrying up to two years in prison.
Talarico pointed out that Texas built a booming hemp industry that provides relief to veterans with PTSD, seniors, and young adults. He warned that criminalizing cannabis won’t stop Texans from using edibles or flower—it will simply force consumers away from local small businesses and straight to black market drug cartels, punishing everyday citizens who are just looking for a bit of peace.
The crackdown is currently facing a federal lawsuit from hemp companies, setting up a sharp contrast between Talarico and his opponent, state Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), who strongly opposes cannabis reform. Talarico maintained that government should focus on making life easier for working people rather than driving up economic and legal hardships.
CONTEXT NOTE: Texas may be getting the coverage, but Tennessee is running the exact same governmental playbook. With strict total 0.3% THC caps, a THCA ban, and no legal cannabis on the horizon, reputable Tennessee hemp shops face the exact same squeeze—it just isn’t making national news.
This is a summary.
Please read the original article: Texas Banning Cannabis Is An ‘Insane’ Form Of Corruption That Benefits Big Beer, Big Tobacco And Drug Cartels, Talarico Says.
Original article written by . Published on August 7, 2026 by Marijuana Moment.
