Joe Rogan Says ‘Crazy’ THC Laws Cost Republicans Texas - Newsweek

Podcaster Joe Rogan has blamed Texas' “crazy” THC laws in part for the GOP drubbing in the state's midterm elections earlier this month.

“Texas f***** up. They passed some crazy laws banning THC products and it's probably cost them the election,” he said on his podcast on Wednesday.

“It's legal in Colorado. It's legal in New York now. It's legal everywhere. Texas is a** backwards when it comes to weed and it cost them the election. Part of what cost them the election.”

Rogan’s comments came after Democrats swept every statewide race in Texas in last week’s midterm elections, with Democrat James Talarico winning the Senate race and Gina Hinojosa ousting three-term incumbent Governor Greg Abbott.

Democrat Vikki Goodwin also triumphed over Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who has long fought the legalization of marijuana in the state and championed the state’s ban on THC products.

A ban on delta-8 and other hemp-derived THC products took effect in Texas on July 31. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive compound in cannabis responsible for producing a high.

During a news conference last year, Patrick told Texas voters to oust him if they weren’t happy with his efforts to ban THC products.

His remarks came at a news conference in June 2025, after Abbott vetoed a bill he had championed that would have banned all THC consumables in the state.

”I'm not going to legalize marijuana in Texas,” Patrick said. “And if people want to vote me out of office for that, so be it.”

Patrick made banning THC products a top legislative priority last year.

And Goodwin, the Texas state representative who ousted him, had regularly highlighted her opposition to the ban on the campaign trail.

She told KUT News in October that Patrick’s stance was a gift for Democrats.

"It didn't seem like a very good political move when so many people are buying these products,” Goodwin said. “And how is it so different than alcohol?"

Texas has some of the strictest marijuana laws in the country, prohibiting all recreational use and providing a limited medical marijuana program.

Texas has also banned several hemp-derived THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, products after the state Supreme Court earlier this year allowed the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to reclassify all hemp-derived THC, except for low-dose delta-9 THC, as a schedule I drug.

That came after the Texas Legislature last year approved a bill that would have been one of the most restrictive THC bans in the country. The law would have made it a misdemeanor to own, manufacture or sell consumable THC products.

Republicans had criticized the products as dangerous due to a lack of federal oversight in how the goods are manufactured and fears that they were consistently getting in the hands of children.

But critics argued it allows people who cannot access marijuana through the state’s medical marijuana program to acquire goods that can provide a similar relief, while others pointed to the thousands of jobs and millions in revenue the industry brings each year.

Abbott ultimately vetoed the bill, but asked the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and DSHS to increase regulations on the industry instead.

The DSHS released regulations on consumable hemp-derived THC products including child-resistant packaging, a significant increase in licensing fees, new labeling, testing, and bookkeeping requirements. The rules also codify the legal purchasing age to 21, which went into effect last year as an emergency directive.

Several bills to legalize marijuana and reform cannabis policies in Texas have been prefiled ahead of the 2027 legislative session.

House Representative Joe Moody, a Democrat, has introduced House Bill 369, while John Bucy, another Democratic state lawmaker, has introduced House Bill 362, both also known as the Texas Regulation of Cannabis Act.

The bills propose allowing adults aged 21 and older to legally possess and use marijuana.

The bills also seek to put an end to arrests for the possession of marijuana, allowing the transport of up to two ounces of cannabis with no more than 15 grams consisting of cannabis concentrate.

They would also allow the cultivation of cannabis at home, with adults legally able to grow up to 12 cannabis plants for personal use.

State Representative Mihaela Plesa, a Democrat, introduced House Bill 330, which would allow patients to obtain medical cannabis for certain medical conditions including epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and conditions that cause menstrual cramps.

Democrats won the governor’s office and the Texas House in last week’s elections, but Republicans maintain control of the Texas Senate. That means both parties will have to work together to pass legislation in the next session of the Texas Legislature, which begins January 12.

Update 11/12/26, 4:40 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.