Texas Scorecard Presents Conflicting THC ban Poll
The debate over cannabis and hemp-derived products in Texas has intensified, with polling data fueling competing narratives. A Baselice & Associates poll, cited by conservative outlet Texas Scorecard, claims 62% of Republican primary voters support a complete ban on THC products, bolstering arguments for shutting down the unregulated hemp industry. Advocates of this stance, pushing to outlaw synthetic THC, frame it as a public safety necessity to address unregulated sales and youth access.
However, the Baselice poll’s impartiality is under fire due to financial connections. Records show Texans for Dan Patrick, a PAC backing Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, paid Baselice & Associates over $755,000+ for polling and services. Critics question the poll’s objectivity, especially since earlier Baselice surveys from March 2025 revealed 68% of Texas voters favored strict THC regulation over a ban, with only 20% supporting prohibition. Dan Patrick’s endorsement of Mike Baselice as his “preferred pollster” further casts doubt on the independence of polls aligning with anti-THC legislation.
In contrast, public sentiment always leans toward reform. A February 2025 University of Houston Hobby School poll found 62% of Texans support legalizing recreational marijuana, with 79% backing medical marijuana. The survey, based on a representative sample, showed bipartisan support: 71% of Democrats and 53% of Republicans favored recreational legalization, while 69% supported decriminalizing personal possession. These results suggest Texans prefer liberalization and regulation over outright bans.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, a key proponent of a total THC ban, has championed bills like Senate Bill 3 to prohibit consumable THC products. Critics argue his efforts prioritize special interests, noting significant campaign contributions from the alcohol industry, including Jon Nau of Silver Eagle Distributors, a major beer wholesaler. The alcohol lobby, among Patrick’s top donors, has faced a 15% sales drop since Texas legalized low-THC hemp products via SB 22 in 2023. Representative James Talarico has accused Patrick of diverting focus from critical issues like flood mitigation to push the THC ban, protecting alcohol industry donors from hemp competition.
Patrick’s office defends the ban as a safeguard against cartel influence and youth access, dismissing pro-regulation polls as industry-driven “phony” surveys. Yet, Governor Greg Abbott’s veto of SB 3in June 2025, coupled with his call for stricter regulations, exposes a Republican Party divide. Some conservatives criticize the ban as government overreach, while veterans’ groups, including the national VFW, oppose it, citing THC’s benefits for PTSD treatment.
As Texas navigates shifting attitudes toward cannabis, conflicting polls and financial ties proves the influence of special interests. With voters in one Baselice poll favoring regulation and university of Houston alongside independent surveys showing strong support for legalization, the push for a total THC ban seems increasingly disconnected from Texan preferences, potentially driven more by donor interests than public demand.