An old video of Texas state Rep. James Talarico blasting a proposed ban on THC products has resurfaced on X, reigniting debate over the state’s attempts to restrict consumable hemp products. In the clip, Talarico calls the proposal “insane,” warns it would benefit drug cartels, and invokes President Donald Trump while urging Republicans to reject it.
The resurfaced footage dates back to May 2025, when Talarico spoke on the Texas House floor during debate over Senate Bill 3. He states, “This bill is insane,” and continues that Texans “aren’t going to stop smoking weed and eating edibles because politicians in Austin say so.” He adds that users will obtain THC “from the black market, from the drug cartels,” calling the measure “a gift to the cartels.” SB 3 would have prohibited the retail sale of consumable hemp products containing THC while allowing certain non-intoxicating hemp products to remain available under additional regulations.
Talarico further described the proposal as “the nanny state at its worst” and “big government at its worst.” He also quoted President Donald Trump‘s past comments about ending unnecessary arrests over small amounts of marijuana before urging Republican colleagues to “vote no on this insane bill.”
SB 3 ultimately passed the Texas Legislature but did not become law after Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed it. Talarico’s old speech is resurfacing now as Texas begins enforcing separate restrictions affecting delta-8 and several other THC isomers.
The new restrictions are not a blanket ban on all THC products in Texas. They affect delta-8 and several other THC isomers following a legal battle over how the state classifies those substances, while qualifying hemp-derived delta-9 products remain legal within existing limits.
Texas THC Restrictions Revive Talarico’s Warning
Several commenters expressed strong agreement with Talarico’s position. One who identified as a complete teetotaler wrote that “Talarico is actually spot on here … this bill is indeed outrageous” and that “Prohibition doesn’t work, has never worked, and will never work.”
Another commenter praised Talarico’s argument as an “absolute master class in exposing Republican hypocrisy.”
Other users focused on limited-government principles and potential special interests. One noted, “I could’ve sworn that Republicans were for limited government, fiscal responsibility…”
Supporters of tighter restrictions have argued that intoxicating hemp products need greater oversight, particularly over concerns about potency, product safety and access by minors. Those concerns have remained part of the debate even as critics like Talarico argue prohibition will push consumers toward illegal markets.
Talarico’s floor speech may be more than a year old, but Texas’ latest THC restrictions have given his warning a new audience. SB 3 never became law, yet his argument that prohibition could push consumers toward illegal markets is once again at the center of the state’s fight over intoxicating hemp products.
