CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — New regulations for the Texas THC industry, imposed by an executive order from Gov. Greg Abbott, went into effect Wednesday, bringing both clarity and continued challenges for local businesses.
Dallas Robbins, the owner of High Tides, described the past year as "very stressful" due to the legislative uncertainty surrounding hemp-derived products.
"It's been just a lot of sleepless nights," Robbins told KRIS 6 News. "Thinking about what to do with our building, we have leases, we have so many things invested in here, we have kids, a mortgage, it's like 'I don't know what we would do.'"
The new rules provide some stability, with age restrictions now officially mandated.
"As of right now, what is set in stone is there is age-gating," Robbins said. "So you must be 21 or older to purchase any of these products."
This was a practice Robbins said his business and the industry at large were already following. "As an industry we were self-regulating, we were already doing 21 or older," he noted, adding that the formal rule "helps legitimize our business."
Other guidelines included in the executive order Sales near schools, churches and other sensitive locations are not allowed.
Stores are also not allowed to operate within 1,000 feet of those facilities. Any stores that fail to comply risk losing their licenses.
Robbins added the new regulations have made customers, including older adults and veterans seeking alternatives to pharmaceuticals, feel more comfortable. "A lot of people are curious, a lot of people are learning more about CBD products," Robbins said.
Robbins also addressed public misconceptions about his products, emphasizing their natural origins and rigorous testing.
"It's hemp, it's a hemp product, you know, it grows from the ground," he said. "We have to get certificates of analysis on everything... everything within most of these stores are tested through third-party labs to verify exactly what is in each product."
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