March 20, 2025
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 | Yasmeen Khalifa, Audience Engagement Producer |
Photo by: Melissa Phillip (Houston Chronicle)
How Dan Patrick's pledge to ban THC in Texas could shutter an $8B industry
If you feel like cannabis is everywhere, you're not alone.
Smoke shops have become a ubiquitous part of strip malls in cities and suburbs alike, with stores often openly advertising intoxicating products even as the state still criminalizes marijuana.
Lawmakers in Austin are considering a proposal to pull all consumable THC products off the shelves, a top priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick this session. Legislators say the largely unregulated market in Texas has gone too far, and that intoxicating products should have never flooded the market.
But retailers and farmers say a ban would have devastating consequences for what some estimate to be an $8 billion industry that ranges from smokeshops to high-end restaurants serving THC-infused cocktails.
As the market has expanded, the terms used to describe the myriad products available — marijuana, hemp, THC, delta-9 — have become more complex. Here's the definitive weed dictionary for Texas, as well as a searchable map of the more than 1,500 retail hemp shops in Houston.
For more on how Patrick's promise to ban THC could play out in the state, read Matt Zdun, Tanya Babbar and Isaac Yu's full story here.
📰 Top Stories
- MASSIVE WILDFIRE: Firefighters were battling an estimated 1,300-acre wildfire at the Sam Houston National Forest on Wednesday, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. The fire was 10% contained as of 7 p.m. Wednesday. Track the fire here.
- EDUCATION ROUNDUP: Houston-area schools could lose vital research and testing as the Trump administration pushes to gut the Department of Education. Also, Texas may expand a program that rewards high-performing teachers with the Teacher Incentive Allotment.
- CRIME CORNER: Houston-area insurance lawyer and Harris County Department of Education trustee Eric Dick was arrested after allegedly assaulting his spouse. Plus, a Houston-area woman who was one of the earliest members of Death Row Records filed a lawsuit against the label, Suge Knight and Snoop Dogg.
- $1.6M HOME OWNED BY UFC FIGHTER FOR SALE: A home in Towne Lake that was once owned by UFC fighter Derrick Lewis just hit the market at $1.6 million. It includes a movie theater and furniture that once belonged to Lewis, including an in-home gym.
- THE END OF TEXAS' CLEAN ENERGY GROWTH? Texas could lose the most clean energy investment and jobs of any state if the Texas Legislature and the U.S. Congress turn against the industry, advocates say.
🐎 Rodeo Roundup
For more of the latest Houston Rodeo news, sign up for our Rodeo Roundup newsletter.
- TONIGHT'S CONCERT: Cody Jinks will keep it country for his second RodeoHouston appearance tonight. But he likes to rock a little, too.
- HOW MUCH FOOD CAN YOU GET FOR $50? Are you still hungry for RodeoHouston food? As we head into the final weekend of the rodeo, we wanted to share some of our favorite bites, as well as a roadmap for how much money you should expect to spend.
🍜 Food News
- NEARBY STRAWBERRY PICKING: Strawberry season is in full swing in Texas, where three Houston-area farms have graciously opened their gates for the public to pick their own. The season lasts through May, followed by blackberry and blueberry season.
- RARE UYGHUR FARE: Turan Uyghur Kitchen's menu specializes in hand-pulled noodles served with chile-flecked chicken, dumplings, grilled skewers of meat and more, writes restaurant critic Bao Ong.
- TRUMP BURGER'S LATEST LOCATION: Trump Burger is opening its largest location yet in Kemah on Friday with a Trump impersonator and alcohol. The restaurant is also slated to open in Houston this month, followed by another in Cypress in the next few months.
- AN EGG-FORTUNATE SITUATION: While egg prices have dropped some since last month, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is warning prices could start climbing yet again.
- 'FINE-CASUAL' RESTAURANT OPENING: Ex-Goodnight Hospitality executive pastry chef Shawn Gawle, who has Michelin credentials, is opening his first restaurant in the Heights. Camaraderie highlights contemporary American food prepared with French techniques.
🧠 Point of View
Photo by: Yasmeen Khalifa
Doctors in Texas have withheld lifesaving abortions out of fear of prosecution, writes the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board. A bipartisan bill on medical exemptions would give them the clarity they need.
📅 Events at the Chronicle
Photo by: Houston Chronicle Staff
EVENT: Meet Katy Mayor Dusty Thiele and Mayor Pro Tem Chris Harris
Join the Chronicle's private Zoom with Katy Mayor William "Dusty" Thiele and Mayor Pro-Tem Chris Harris on Thursday, April 3 at 12 p.m. to discuss the city's growth and exciting new developments.
☝️ One Last Word
It's a new era for the Astros.
Well, kind of. The Astros unveiled their new City Connect uniforms that will replace the Space City uniforms they wore the past three seasons. Like the team's original City Connect gear, the new version again leans into the space theme.
See what they look like here. Personally, I think they look pretty cool.
Puzzle of the Day: Really Bad Chess
Try to win in the lowest number of moves to score the highest amount of points. Don't let them put your king into checkmate.
Play now
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