7 July 30 - August 5, 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Zarin Gracey, Maxie Johnson, Lori Blair, Kathy Stewart, Bill Roth and Paul Ridley — did not file July 15 reports. That’s a real shame, because we were getting on a roll here. That and the whole “accountability” thing too, we suppose. That brings us to the head honcho him- self. Yes, even the mayor is required to file a July 15 expense report. Mayor Eric Johnson loves a steakhouse. We’re talking Bob’s, Capital Grille, Dakota’s — you name it. On at least eight occasions, Johnson took a “meeting with interested parties” at a fine-dining establishment, and the bill typically came out to around $230. (One trip to Bob’s topped $300.) Who ex- actly is “interested” in the mayor is unclear, but we’d certainly be interested in a nice steak if he’s footing the bill. ▼ CANNABIS THC-YA LATER DELTA 8, OTHER THC PRODUCTS TO BE BANNED IN TEXAS STARTING JULY 31 BY AUSTIN WOOD N ew restrictions on THC products will take effect in Texas soon after a ruling by the Texas Supreme Court. Debates over the sale of THC products in Texas have raged for the better part of the last decade as more and more businesses sell them. The state has implemented regula- tions business owners have said are “an at- tempt to ban the industry,” while Dan Patrick-led Republicans appear poised to take another shot at the burgeoning sector next legislative session. On July 31, products containing delta-8, delta-10, delta-6, and THCP will be banned in Texas. The new regulations were origi- nally adopted by state officials in 2021 to ef- fectively ban THC products not containing THC-9. Hemp industry leaders fought the restrictions in court and obtained an injunc- tion from an Austin judge shortly after they were adopted. In May, however, the Texas State Supreme Court upheld the rules and the state’s ability to enforce them, clearing the way for their implementation at the end of the month. The new rules come into effect at a time when the state is placing more and more re- strictions on hemp products in Texas. A new law went into effect in 2025 banning the sale of vapes con- taining intoxicating cann- abinoid products, while updated regulations from the Texas Department of State Health Services banned most smokable hemp products ear- lier this year. The updated 2026 rules also increase yearly fees for retailers from $150 to $5,000 per location, with man- ufacturers required to pay $10,000 annually. New rules The debate over THC prod- ucts in Texas largely goes back to Gov. Greg Abbott’s signing of a 2019 bill, House Bill 1325. Un- der the legislation, the sale and production of products con- taining 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight became legal in Texas. House Bill 1325 was au- thored to align the state with federal statutes legalizing in- dustrial hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill. There are more than 9,100 stores licensed to sell consumable hemp in Texas, according to previous re- porting by KUT Austin. Since the bill was passed, products con- taining intoxicating cannabinoids such as delta-8, delta-10, delta-6 and THCP have been sold with increasing frequency in Texas. These cannabinoids largely fell outside the scope of HB 1325, which is part of why the state amended the regulations in 2021. Delta-9 and delta-8 are both intoxicating cannabinoids found in hemp products. While delta-9 THC is the primary psychoactive compound found in cannabis, delta-8 is found in much lower levels and is typically synthe- sized for retail sale. Under HB 1325, the state differentiates between legal hemp based on delta-9 THC content, leaving delta-8 and other cannabinoids in a grey legal area. The definitions enacted by DHSS in 2021, now set to take effect at the end of July, close the loop- hole by banning delta-8 and intoxicating cannabinoids other than delta-9 THC. After July 31, all hemp products sold in Texas will have to be made with delta-9 levels compliant with state regulations. The prod- ucts available for sale will largely be limited to topical and ingestible products, according to prior reporting by The Dallas Morning News, with edibles, gummies and beverages con- taining no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC by dry weight set to remain legal. All other products, including smokable hemp flower and those containing delta-8, delta-10, delta-6 and THCP, will be banned starting July 31. The Texas Hemp Business Council, which represents a number of industry pro- fessionals and business owners, said in a re- lease that it does not plan to pursue further legal action against the state over its delta-8 restrictions. The advocacy group is advising businesses to clear their stocks of non-com- pliant THC products. All roads lead to Austin Industry advocates and business owners have warned that the restrictions are exces- sive, especially compared to laws governing the liquor industry in Texas. However, relief from state lawmakers appears to be far from guaranteed. A group of conservative Texas Republi- cans has made THC regulation a leading pri- ority. Led by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has said that “a ban is the only way to truly pro- tect kids from accessing these products,” their efforts culminated in the passing of SB 3 in 2025. Under the bill, virtually all THC products in the state would have been banned. However, after considerable back- lash from the industry and some in his own party, Gov. Abbott ultimately vetoed the bill and instead called for further regulations. Patrick and his fellow lawmakers still seem set on enacting further restrictions in the next legislative session, which begins in January. In his March list of priorities for Senate committees, Patrick charged the Senate Health and Human Services with studying “the impact of THC on increased health care costs, mental health emergency detentions, and the risk of being diagnosed with a THC-induced psychotic disorder.” Sen. Charles Perry, who authored SB 3, has said that he plans to introduce similar legislation in the next session. At a Health and Human Services committee meeting earlier this month, Perry said, “There’s nothing good in this stuff.” “I’m at my breaking point from a con- science level,” Perry told the committee. “I don’t know as a society how we can allow this stuff to perpetuate itself in the name of profit.” Adobe Stock Some types of THC edibles will be outlawed in Texas beginning this week.
