San Antonio officials are preparing to assess the potential benefits of legalizing cannabis after a Tuesday election shifted Texas politics toward a more THC‑friendly stance, according to KSAT.
Mark Bordas, executive director of the Texas Hemp Business Council, told KSAT the industry is riding a “good day for hemp” following the defeat of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who lost his reelection bid to Democrat Vikki Goodwin by six points. Goodwin’s campaign highlighted cannabis, hemp and THC legalization as key priorities, and Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa posted a video promising Texans a right to vote on the future of THC.
Governor Greg Abbott previously signed a ban on THC vapes but vetoed a broader THC prohibition championed by Patrick. Despite ongoing state regulator crackdowns, Bordas said the new political landscape could restore many THC‑derived products to store shelves, estimating roughly seven out of ten items could return, though he cautioned that “there’s no such thing as a 10 out of 10 in our industry.”
In the city, Councilman Jalen McKee‑Rodriguez (District 2) filed an official request for San Antonio to study the economic impact and opportunities of cannabis legalization. He told KSAT the request was part of a broader plan to make a case to state legislators that legalization would benefit both the city and Texas. “Regardless of what happened on Tuesday, this was going to be a part of my plan,” McKee‑Rodriguez said, adding that there is “bipartisan interest from Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike.”
The Trump administration’s stance adds further optimism, Bordas noted. He said, “Given where the President Trump administration is, I can’t see them trying to enforce a federal ban on intoxicating hemp products, and I don’t see our governor or lieutenant governor doing so either.”
A federal ban on intoxicating hemp products is slated to take effect in December, creating a deadline for industry stakeholders and lawmakers. The city’s study, once completed, could inform how San Antonio positions itself in any future state or federal legislative action.
What’s next: San Antonio will review Councilman McKee‑Rodriguez’s request and develop a timeline for the economic impact study. Meanwhile, the hemp industry watches the December federal deadline closely, hoping the Trump administration will keep the door open for THC‑derived hemp products.
Sources: ksat.com
