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Texas THC Challenge: Beverage – 2025

Written by Johnny Blazed on . Posted in Business, News.

The 2025 Texas THC Challenge: A New Era for Blazed Magazine

This year marks not only another round of the Texas THC Challenge, but also the beginning of a new chapter for us as Blazed Magazine. Formerly known as the Texas Hemp Reporter, our publication has evolved alongside the hemp and cannabis industry we’ve been covering for years. In 2025, the rebrand reflects our broader mission: to highlight not just hemp, but the full spectrum of cannabis culture, advocacy, and innovation.

participating brands so far – Looper • Wyatt Purp • Tejas Tonic • Wyld • Ocho • Honey Suckle • Terpy-T • Happie • Brio •

A Challenge Born from Advocacy

The THC Challenge began as a grassroots way to spotlight Texas’ hemp entrepreneurs, product makers, and activists in the face of restrictive policies. Back when we ran as the Texas Hemp Reporter, the contest helped elevate small businesses who were pioneering CBD, hemp flower, and infused product lines across the Lone Star State. Over the years, it became more than a competition—it became a community showcase of resilience and creativity.

The 2025 Edition

This year’s Challenge arrives during a tense legislative climate. With Texas lawmakers again targeting hemp-derived THC products, participants are not only competing for recognition but also standing as symbols of resistance against an industry under siege. From delta-9 gummies to innovative hemp drinks and topicals, the 2025 lineup represents the best of what Texas cannabis entrepreneurs can still create under federal legality—even as state leaders push bans and restrictions.


From Texas Hemp Reporter to Blazed Magazine

The rebrand to Blazed Magazine represents a bold new direction. We’ve grown from reporting on hemp regulations to becoming a full cultural platform, amplifying stories that matter to cannabis advocates, small businesses, and consumers nationwide. The THC Challenge is a perfect reflection of that growth: it’s not just about products anymore, but about identity, politics, and the fight for fairness in the marketplace.

Looking Ahead

As the 2025 Challenge unfolds, we celebrate the innovators who continue to push boundaries and remind lawmakers that this $8 billion industry isn’t going away. Just as Blazed Magazine has expanded beyond its origins, the THC Challenge stands as a reminder that cannabis culture in Texas is here to stay—resilient, resourceful, and blazing a trail for the future.

The Rise of THC Beverages: A Booming Market • National Landscape: Brewing Momentum

Rapid Growth, Small But Mighty
In Q1 of 2025, cannabis-infused beverages
accounted for $54.6 million in U.S. sales—
representing roughly 0.9% of all cannabis sales—but that figure reflects a 15% year-over-year jump from Q1 2024. Within the edibles segment, beverages captured 6% of sales, making them the fourth-largest category behind candy, chocolates, and pills.

Projection and Reach
Forecasts are soaring: Euromonitor estimates that hemp-derived THC drink sales in the U.S. will surpass $1 billion in 2025, with the market potentially expanding to $4 billion by 2028. Brightfield Group reported sales of $382 million in 2024, with expectations to grow to $750 million by 2029. Meanwhile, the legal cannabis beverages sector as a whole could total over $2 billion by 2026.

 

Texas: Facing Reckoning Amid Rising Demand
Economic Stakes Are High

Texas’ hemp industry is a formidable economic engine with $5.5 billion in annual revenue in 2025 $268 million in state tax revenue
53,300 jobs, with $2.1 billion in wages across retail and wholesale sectors
according to AP News, Cannabis Business Times
& Axios.

A full ban on hemp-derived THC, as proposed in Senate Bill 3, SB5 and the newley filed SB6 threatens to wipe out $7.5 billion in output and eliminate over 40,000 jobs in the lone star state.
Thankfully, Texas Governor Gregg Abbott wants lawmakers to have a sensible regullatory framework in place for the Hemp Industry here.

How to Submit for the Texas THC Challenge
BEVERAGE EDITION –

Presented by Blazed Magazine

As the Texas THC Challenge evolves under the Blazed Magazine banner, we remain committed to showcasing excellence in hemp‑derived THC products. Whether you’re a seasoned edibles innovator or a newcomer crafting micro-dose beverages, these are the official rules and guidelines to enter the 2025 Challenge:

Place a Display Ad for your Brand –
Sinlge Full Page • 3 Drinks or Less
$1000

Double Truck Ad for • Submitting more than 4 Drink flavors – $2000 (2 pages)

Categories: Sweet / Non Sweet / &  Drink Additive –

Judged on Taste, Presentation, & Efficacy

Texas Smoke Shop Owners React to New THC Legislation

Written by getblazed on . Posted in Business.

 

Lifestyle, Cannabis, Cannabis Law

Austin, TX – State legislators are considering a  ban of the sale of all consumable hemp products, leaving the cannabis industry and cannabis advocates in the State of Texas in an uproar.

New cannabis legislation threatens to dismantle a $5.5 Billion industry by bringing an end to the sale of all consumable hemp products in Texas.

This will affect over 10,000 businesses in Texas according to the latest estimates, and over 55,000 jobs will be lost.

“We haven’t abused any loopholes in legislation, because we did not write the legislation nor were we asked to help or assist in the regulations” states Ahmad Alnajjar, owner of Trippiez Smoke Shop. “Everything we have sold and produced has been federally legal with the recent federal farm bill guidelines. We want safety like the legislators do, we WANT proper regulation to ensure safety, abide by the law, and provide the right products for millions of Texans who rely on this as much as we rely on them.”

With five locations in Austin and plans to open an additional location soon, Trippiez Smoke Shop will definitely feel the burn when this legislation is enacted. Imposing fees, creating criminal offenses, and providing an administrative penalty for violations is the primary objective of the new legislation. TX SB3 is sponsored by several members of the state Senate and championed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Texas legalized hemp-derived products in 2019, but according to the Lt. Gov., retailers have abused this by selling products with a THC level of above 0.3%. CBD and CBG products are exempt provided that they are registered, plainly labeled and in resealable, child-proof containers.

“All the businesses who follow regulations are being punished for the very very few businesses who act carelessly”, protests Alnajjar.

The concerns of those owners who will not have to close their doors is significant, as well. Adjustments will have to be made such as cutting labor costs, and profit will be lost on surplus hemp-derived inventory if not sold before the allotted grace period. 


For more information, contact (512) 291-2325 or visit Trippiez online.

Trippiez #1 12636 Research Blvd b104, Austin, TX 78759

Trippiez #2 13764 Research Blvd Austin, Texas 78750

Trippiez #3 aka SOCO 6606 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78745

Trippiez #4 16238 Ranch to Market Rd. 620 Suite G, Austin, TX 78717

Trippiez #5 11699 Hero Way W, Leander, TX 78641

Cannabis Pioneer ‘The Soil King’ Praises Texans for Passionate Fight Against Hemp Ban

Written by getblazed on . Posted in Agriculture.

Patrick King, known professionally as The Soil King, made a name for himself in Northern California’s Emerald Triangle — the largest cannabis-producing region in the United States. He was part of the “215 Movement” in 1996, which legalized medical cannabis in California and paved the way for the nation’s broader legalization movement.

“I was the first micro-license given in the state of California and the first solventless rosin-producing company in California (Rosin Tech Labs),” he said.

Today, King travels the world speaking to audiences and promoting his agricultural products — a feat that landed him in Austin for the first time last October for The Taste of Texas Hemp Cup. During that visit, King said he observed something special about The Lone Star State.

“Texas shows up,” he said.

King has watched the tenacity continue in recent months, as advocates have appeared at the state capitol in droves to testify against bills that would ban all or most consumable hemp products.

“Being a pioneer myself to where cannabis is at today, it’s very, very important to show up in numbers and have the support,” King said. “When it came through in Northern California, nobody wanted to show up and do any activism. And that was a problem because there were just a few of us that would go to do all these events, that would show up at the capitol, that would actually read the bills and try to do our due diligence and report back to the community. When we asked the community to show up and help us, they wouldn’t do it.”

While some would offer monetary support, King recalls the reluctance of the community to take a public stand.

“But then when we didn’t get our way, those same people, all they did was cry and complain,” he said. “And my thing is, ‘Hey man, shut up or show up.’ And Texas shows up! That’s what happens here in Texas.”

On April 13, King returned to Austin for a meet and greet at Brite Ideas Hydroponics. He also appeared on the Texas Hemp Show, where he expressed his interest in expanding relationships in the area.

“If anybody wants to do some collabs, I want to get invested in this community,” he said. “I love you guys, I see what you’re doing, and I support you.”

Those interested in collaborating should email patrick@thesoilking.com.

During his time on The Texas Hemp Show, King discussed his passion for living soil and probiotic farming.

“When you’re dealing with probiotic farming, the same soil-born probiotic is the same microbiome as in your body,” he said. “So when you’re growing and get your soils right, you’re producing health to your body, and it’s a reciprocal relationship from earth to soul, and that’s how you get healthy.”

King boasts a “super clean” collection of farming products — including his King Kashi compost and Big Rootz Soil — which can be purchased at thesoilking.com.


For Immediate Release: CRAFT Leads the Way in Hemp Compliance as SB 3 Threatens Industry

Written by Jay Maguire on . Posted in Texas Legal & Regulatory News.

As the Texas Legislature debates SB 3—a bill that would ban all THC products—responsible hemp retailers across the state are stepping up to protect their businesses, their customers, and their communities.

For the past 18 months, Texas hemp industry advocates, business owners, policy and legal experts have worked to create a set of training modules, model store manuals, SOPs and other compliance-related business standards that can be adopted statewide to assist small businesses with building their compliance and sales capacity while pushing back against the false narratives being used to push the Prohibitionist ban agenda. The Cannabis Retailers Alliance for Texas (CRAFT) is a multi-sector industry-led effort to prove that the hemp industry is capable of self-regulation. Our members have voluntarily implemented a 21+ age policy, adopted rigorous product sourcing and testing standards, and developed a comprehensive Retailer Playbook to help businesses stay compliant in a shifting legal environment.

Our members didn’t wait for politicians to tell them what’s right,” said Jay Maguire, CRAFT co-founder and spokesperson. “Moral panics don’t start with facts—they start with fear. And that’s exactly what Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Senator Charles Perry relied on: Reefer Madness-style scare tactics and cherry-picked anecdotes. Even when the stories were true, they were outliers—not the norm. The vast majority of retailers are doing the right thing. CRAFT members voluntarily enforce a 21+ age policy and card every customer at the point of sale—just like alcohol and tobacco. That’s what responsible businesses do.”

When Lt. Governor Dan Patrick visited Happy Cactus shop in Austin last week unannounced and looking for evidence of super-high THC products, he was expecting a political “gotcha” moment. What he found instead was a professional, compliant business, stocked with compliant products and operated with trained staff following company policy, carding customers and following best practices. That’s not politics—that’s policy in action.

Key leaders in the hemp space are weighing in:

• Rhiannon Yard, owner of Hemp Gaia, says: “We teach retailers how to verify COAs match the products on their shelves and ensure lab tests were done using the correct methods at accredited labs. That’s how we protect our customers and our licenses.”

• Nick Mortillaro, owner of Lazydaze Coffeeshops, adds: “Retailers need to cut through the buzz and noise with real, evidence-based education. That’s what CRAFT provides.”

• Brian Dombrowsky, owner of Aim High Distro, says: “CRAFT helps business owners stay licensed and build trust by educating their communities about what they do.”

The public already supports this approach. Polls show that 68% of Texans favor safe, regulated access to THC—and the $8 billion Texas hemp market proves they’re voting with their wallets.

📣 To read the full press release or to join the movement, visit joincraft.org

If you’d like to learn more, speak with a CRAFT spokesperson, or schedule a visit to one of our member retailers, feel free to reach out directly.

Best regards,

Jay Maguire

CRAFT Co-founder and Spokesperson

📧 maguire@joincraft.org

📞 512-954-8054

Hemp Industry Leaders of Texas demand Law enforcement stop using questionable standards

Written by T3mPl@teAdm1n on . Posted in News.

Police Across Texas Using Faulty Testing to Raid Small Businesses Selling Legal Hemp
Hemp Industry Leaders of Texas Demand Law Enforcement Stop Using Questionable Standards

For Information: Kevin Lampe, Kurth Lampe Worldwide, 312-617-7280, kevin@kurthlampe.com

Over the past year, local police and sheriff’s departments have relied on faulty testing of legal hemp products. These departments are using analytical methods that the Texas Department of Public Safety official testified to in front of a legislative committee – that the analytical methods should be used to determine the legality of products sold in Texas.
Recently, a sheriff stated in the news media he doesn’t care about the science behind the analytical methods. These methods may provide law enforcement with fraudulent results. While these unsuspecting agencies have the best intentions to protect their neighborhoods, but they act on flawed intelligence.
“What is disappointing is that these law enforcement agencies are acting recklessly. It is as if they do not care about bonafide testing. They find a testing results that suit their purpose and then raid a small business and seize legal products,” said AJ Valador of Hemp Industry Leaders of Texas. “Our member businesses are being targeted by overzealous law enforcement. They seem more interested in creating headlines than following legal standards.”
Hemp Industry Leaders of Texas is committed to working with law enforcement agencies to provide support through training and transparency.  HILT wishes to be a resource for law enforcement.
“Hemp Industry Leaders of Texas (HILT) will aggressively support our members and just as aggressively criticize bad actors in the Texas hemp industry. As a combat veteran, I am used to being mission-driven. Our mission is to provide our community with safe and legal hemp products. We do not tolerate illegal or shady activity in our industry,” added Valador.
“The members of HILT are committed to maintaining and developing a Texas hemp industry that is responsible and ethical. We share a common goal of offering products that provide natural, effective alternatives to traditional products, helping individuals manage chronic pain, reduce inflammation, alleviate stress and anxiety, and improve sleep quality,” said Nick Mortillaro, HILT Austin Chapter President and Managing Partner of Lazydaze Coffeeshops.Academic experts in the field of chemical testing are troubled by how hemp is tested in the United States. One scientist has reached the following conclusion.

“In my professional opinion, testing hemp-derived cannabinoids in the US has been an ongoing problem due to the high variability between labs combined with the lack of uniform protocols and procedures amongst these testing facilities. With no federal oversight regulating the labs, “lab shopping” has become very common in the hemp industry. Thus, certificates of analysis may vary greatly depending on the lab that was used and may not be a reliable source for law enforcement to use when products are seized.” wrote Dr Andrea Homes in a legal affidavit filed in the lawsuit against the Allen, Texas Police department.
Dr. Holmes continued, “The hemp industry should be able to rely on certificates of analysis provided to manufacturers by federally certified and regulated testing facilities, which will serve legally to protect all parties such as to product wholesalers, retailers, and consumers.”
Dr. Holmes is a recognized expert in the chemical testing of hemp products. She is a tenured university professor of chemistry with a background in synthetic organic chemistry, biomedical research, and analytical testing. She has considerable experience with hemp manufacturing and analytical testing.

The raids have not survived lawsuits brought by Hemp Industry Leaders of Texas (HILT) and its legal counsel, David Sergi. HILT has been holding law enforcement accountable for its actions.
“Many recent raids have used testing procedures as the basis for search warrants. The raids generate news coverage, consumers are afraid to patronize small businesses, and the business is hurt, and the owner’s reputation is damaged,” according to Sergi. “Yet, none of the cases have been tried or a conviction secured.”
Sergi is litigating cases in Allen and Waco, Texas, where law enforcement has used analytical testing to accuse local store owners of selling illegal products that were reported to contain more than the legal limit of delta9-THC. Recently, the city of Post, Texas, and ​​the Garza County Sheriff’s Office settled a lawsuit for $80,000 after local police used questionable testing as a basis for the raid.
HILT calls on law enforcement and the local community to protect these local businesses and the people they serve. Many citizens, veterans, and seniors depend on compliant hemp to help them each day with discomfort, mood, and rest. Let’s stand up for their rights to purchase legal products that improve their health and wellness.-30-

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