October 3, 2025 - The Texas Department of State Health Services is announcing the adoption of emergency rules that prohibit licensed and registered sellers of consumable hemp products from selling them to anyone under age 21. The rules, approved by Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Cecile Erwin Young, are effective immediately and can be found in the Texas Register at Rule §300.701 and Rule §300.702.
The emergency rules are DSHS’s first step in implementing Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order GA-56 to protect children from hemp and hemp-derived products. The rules define a minor as a person under 21 years of age, require consumable hemp sellers to verify purchasers have a valid ID that shows they are at least 21 years old, and provide for penalties including the revocation of a license or registration for violations.
The emergency rules may remain in effect for up to 120 days with the possibility of one 60-day extension. At the same time, DSHS has begun the process of proposing permanent rules to implement the age requirement and other aspects of the Governor’s executive order. As part of that process, the public will have an opportunity to provide comments on proposed rules at a public hearing to be scheduled once those rules are published.
