A new Texas ban on THC vapes is transforming how residents and students access cannabis products across the state. Governor Greg Abbott recently signed Senate Bill 2024, which took effect on September 1, prohibiting the sale of any vape products containing THC. The Texas ban is already changing both student usage patterns and local business operations in Waco, creating ripple effects throughout the wider cannabis products industry.
At Bosque Smoke Shop, THC vape sales previously represented a large portion of business, but Sales Representative Amanda LaValley says the new law has left both the store and its customers searching for alternative cannabis products. “We can no longer sell any vapes that contain any amount of THC,” LaValley explained. “We used to sell a whole lot of them to all various ages, even elderly people who were dependent on it for chronic diseases. Now they do not have access, but we can’t do anything for them under the Texas ban.”
Some customers are switching to flower or pre-rolls, but LaValley predicts that sales will decline, noting that their shelves of alternative cannabis products are starting to empty out. “Not a lot of people want to deal with the smell or the hassle of those products,” she said. “We are definitely starting to see the decrease caused by the Texas ban.”
LaValley said their shop already had a policy of carding everyone who entered, so the adjustment to selling other cannabis products has been minor.
For Baylor students, the Texas ban could transform campus culture. Coppell freshman Neha Nagarapu believes the restrictions will make THC vapes and other cannabis products harder to get, which could reduce usage. “With less access, it will definitely be harder to get, which then leads to fewer people doing it, so I think it will be good overall for students’ health,” she said.
Upperclassmen like Colorado Springs senior Nick Abrego support the Texas ban, saying it will help peers hold each other accountable and minimize vaping. While students anticipate fewer opportunities to access THC vapes, local smoke shops are already experiencing declines in sales of their remaining cannabis products.
As the Texas ban takes effect, its impact on Baylor’s campus culture and Waco businesses will continue to unfold. For now, both students and retailers are adjusting to a new legal landscape that restricts THC vapes and reshapes the market for cannabis products across Texas.
