Texas DSHS Accepting Applications To Manufacture Or Sell Consumable Hemp Products

The Texas Department of State Health Services has launched the Consumable Hemp Program to regulate the manufacturing, processing, distribution, and retail sale of consumable hemp products. DSHS is currently accepting applications online for consumable hemp product licenses and retailer registrations.

“The program establishes a consistent regulatory framework for consumable hemp products that are manufactured or sold in Texas,” said Stephen Pahl, DSHS Associate Commissioner for Consumer Protection. “We worked with stakeholders to develop rules that provide clarity for license and registration holders.”

As of Aug. 2, a license to manufacture, process, and distribute consumable hemp products is required. The fee for an initial license, valid for one year, is $258 per facility.

Retailers currently selling consumable hemp products, including those containing cannabinoids, must register each location where the products will be sold no later than Oct. 2. The fee for initial registration, valid for one year, is $155 per location.

“I want to thank all the folks that worked on these rules and look forward to Texans leading the way in the exciting hemp industry,” said Rep. Tracy O. King, who authored House Bill 1325 in the last legislative session that allows industrial hemp crops and products in Texas.

In addition to licensing and registration functions, DSHS will conduct random testing of consumable hemp products. Products may be tested for the presence of heavy metals, harmful pathogens, pesticides, residual solvents, and the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

“With the passage of the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill, Texas was seeing an exponential influx of products derived from, or including hemp, from lipsticks to lotions, to CBD oils,” said Sen. Charles Perry, Senate sponsor of HB 1325. “These products were coming from states and countries that may not require robust testing or labeling. House Bill 1325 added some of the strongest consumer protections in the nation to ensure these products are safe for consumers. I am pleased to see that these safeguards are being implemented by DSHS to help guarantee our fellow Texans will be purchasing safe products.”

A consumable hemp product is a food, drug, device, or cosmetic that contains industrial hemp or hemp-derived cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD). These products may not contain more than 0.3 percent concentration of THC.