AUSTIN, Texas — Greg Autry, the founder and CEO of Sweet Sensi – which sells CBD products, says he founded his business on wellness and helping people. His hope is to fulfill that mission in Texas.
“If we find out someone has cancer, if we find out that a kid has epilepsy, they’re not paying for anything here,” Autry said. “We’ve given away thousands of bags of gummies, and that’s over with if SB 3 passes.”
Lt. Gov Dan Patrick, who supports a ban on products containing THC products and pushed for SB 3’s passage in the Texas Senate, stressed why he believes they are harmful.
“This is serious business,” Patrick said. “This is not Dan’s folly, this is not Dan’s priority, this is to save an entire generation [from] being hooked on drugs.”
“That’s heartbreaking, especially when we were told by Dan Patrick that we were killing children,” Autry responded.
Anthony Vazquez, the co-owner of Dooby’s which also sells THC products, noticed that his sales went up 20% following the passage of Senate Bill 3 in both chambers.
“People are genuinely scared of what’s going to happen in the long run,” Vazquez said.
“Online, we’ve had people buy as much as $5,000 worth of products, trying to stock up,” Autry said.
With more scrutiny placed on the products these vendors have poured their lives into, Vazquez worries about the possibility of closing up shop.
“The thought that this one bill could potentially stop me from celebrating my 10-year anniversary is terrifying,” Vazquez said.
Autry is prepared to pivot and turn the business into a bar that will be owned by a different corporation.
“Our employees are our family to us. So that’s why we’re turning this into a bar,” Autry said. “We don’t want to be a bar. We want to be a wellness company.”
If the governor does not sign or veto Senate Bill 3 by Sunday’s veto deadline, the law would go into effect on Sept. 1.
