Texas hemp groups sue to block smokeable-ban and licensing spike

Texas hemp industry leaders have sued the state to halt new regulations from the Department of State Health Services and the Health and Human Services Commission that ban natural smokeable hemp products and sharply raise licensing fees; they argue the agencies overstepped their authority by redefining hemp and by counting total THC (including THCA) for compliance, which would ban popular products like THCA flower and pre-rolled joints and jack up fees for facilities and retailers, while state officials cite youth-safety concerns and rising cannabis-poisoning calls as justification.