Texas hemp business leaders applaud Trump’s executive order rescheduling cannabis

The Texas Hemp Business Council, which represents the burgeoning state industry built around THC-containing products, welcomed President Donald Trump’s executive order for federal officials to reschedule cannabis.

“Hemp-derived cannabinoid products have been safely used by millions of American adults, including U.S. veterans, since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill,” the group said in a statement. “That law unlocked research, product innovation, and real-world consumer use that policy makers should be strengthening, not tearing down.”

On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order calling for cannabis to be rescheduled as a Schedule III substance. The move acknowledges that weed has medicinal properties and opens the door for federally backed research, clinical trials and pharmaceutical regulation of the plant.

Advocates, including the Texas Hemp Business Council, touted the move as a step toward federal legalization. Some called it the biggest shift in marijuana policy since President Richard Nixon declared the “war on drugs” in the 1970s.

Even so, experts told News 4 SA that the reclassification won’t immediately affect the legal availability of THC-containing products in Texas or nationwide.

Trump’s order to reschedule cannabis doesn’t take effect immediately, but rather starts the rescheduling process through administrative action under existing law. Meanwhile, a THC ban approved by the Republican controlled U.S. Congress is set to take effect in November 2026, which would outlaw the sale of such products in Texas.

If the federal rescheduling occurs prior to the federal THC ban takes effect, it would create a conflict between the two. However, experts said its so far unclear how that might be resolved at the federal level.

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed

Related Stories

THC ban stalls out down the homestretch of Texas special legislative session

High priority bills that propose banning THC have not moved through the Texas House, as the current overtime session could conclude in the coming days.

THC-related poison control calls tripled in Texas after hemp became legal. Experts say there’s more to the story.

Experts say poison control data don’t specify which calls are related to hemp versus more dangerous K2, but show that most THC poisonings cause minor side effects.

Fresh off defeating state THC ban, Texas hemp industry faces wipeout under federal deal to end shutdown

The issue roiled Texas politics earlier this year when Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a ban on THC products spearheaded by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

​