Texas will become the first state for the launch of a new kind of delivery service from the parent company of Edible Arrangements. Starting Friday, Edibles.com is delivering THC products across the Lone Star State. Edibles.com is launching while it’s still legal to sell hemp-derived THC in T exas—but that could change soon. A bill to ban products containing any form of THC, including those derived from hemp, has passed the state Senate and is heading to the House. For now, Edibles.com and similar businesses remain legal under current law, creating a window for this new service to operate. “The hemp industry is evolving rapidly, but consumers still face challenges with perception, education, and accessibility,” said Somia Farid Silber, CEO of Edible Brands. It comes as a legal fight plays out in Austin to ban hemp. On Wednesday, the Texas Senate overwhelmingly passed the bill making it illegal to sell products containing THC. The so-called hemp ban was a priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Representatives from law enforcement departments across the state joined Patrick at a press conference Wednesday. Allen Police Chief Steve Dye said since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill and 2019 state legislation relaxing rules on the sale of THC, officers have found retailers abusing the policies. “Undercover police investigations have found THC consumables that test up to 78 percent THC concentration, which is many times more than the naturally grown marijuana of the past, which was less than 5 percent THC,” said Dye. Edibles.com didn’t immediately respond to NBC 5’s request for comment on the legislation, but it did say in a release that it has plans to quickly expand into legal markets across the Southeast, including Florida and Georgia. Products will also soon be available for nationwide shipping where legally permitted. Local businesses, like Rowlett’s Endo Dispensary and Wellness, say they have more to lose should the ban pass. “There would not be a viable option for any of us to stay open,” said owner Mike Brown. Brown said there’s nothing currently on his shelves that he’d be able to sell. He fears customers who’ve chosen to shop with him as an alternative for pain management and the treatment of other diseases and disorders would be forced into the black market. “When someone establishes a business and they have a livelihood, families to feed, when you tell them that you’re going to put them out of business entirely without giving them an opportunity to work with you, they will constantly innovate, push back and develop new things that will get you high, which is what led us here,” he said. Brown is urging Texas lawmakers to take a more moderate approach. “I push for regulation. Let all of us who want to be in this business pay a fee. Let’s go on record. Let’s document who we are and let’s have some regulation but let’s not make rash decisions,” said Brown. The Texas House is expected to take up its own hemp legislation, which calls for more oversight rather than a full ban. ...read more read less