It’s pretty difficult to buy weed in Texas since recreational marijuana is illegal throughout the state. What’s more, Texas also has some of the most restrictive cannabis laws in the entire country. Still, there are so many people in Houston and all over the state who manage to buy and smoke weed every day.
Now, let’s break down all of the cannabis laws in Texas and see how they affect the everyday weed-lover. We’re also going to share some of the best places to buy weed. Finally, we’re going to include some tips and tricks on how to buy weed safely and avoid getting a fine or even some jail time.
Buying Weed Online in Houston, Texas: Is It Even An Option?
For now, legalization in Texas is a pipe dream. Marijuana is only legal for medical use. Even if you’re a medical marijuana cardholder, buying weed online is not an option in Houston; you can only purchase your medicine from one of the state-licensed dispensaries, and you need to do this in person.
However, there are a few types of THC out there — and one of them is legal on a federal level thanks to recent technological breakthroughs.
A Better and Legal Alternative to Buying Weed in Houston
In 2018, the federal government legalized hemp by removing it from the list of controlled substances. Since then, hemp companies have been feverishly making new cannabinoid-based products, such as CBD oil, in various forms.
Today, there’s a new kid on the block, one that has grabbed weed users by the throat — it’s delta 8 THC.
Delta 8 vs. Delta 9 THC
Both delta 8 and delta 9 are different types of THC molecules.
Cannabis plants naturally synthesize delta 9 THC; it’s the most abundant cannabinoid in marijuana — the one that gets you high.
Delta 8 THC is a ‘byproduct’ of delta 9’s degradation. When THC degrades over time, it transforms into CBN (cannabinol) or its more stable form, delta 8 THC.
However, only a tiny amount of delta 9 converts into delta 8, so manufacturers must synthesize it using high-tech lab equipment.
Delta 8 THC can be extracted from both marijuana and hemp. Hemp-derived delta 8 products are made by extracting CBD, converting it into delta 9 THC, and then synthesizing delta 8.
The process is complicated and requires the use of several toxic chemicals, but when performed properly, it yields a legal product on a federal level.
Delta 8 THC is about twice less potent as delta 9 THC from marijuana; the high is smoother, more clear-headed, focused in the body, and less anxious.
That’s why so many people are turning from the standard weed to delta 8 THC products.
Cons of Delta 9 THC from Marijuana
Marijuana has a decent safety profile, both as a medical and recreational substance. In addition, most people can enjoy the high without the side effects such as anxiety or paranoia.
In low and moderate doses, delta 9 THC acts as a relaxant and induces a euphoric mood on top of altering the state of mind, sharpening our senses, and boosting appetite.
However, higher doses of THC may backfire at the user, triggering a few psychological side effects.
If your CB1 receptors get easily overstimulated by THC, higher doses may cause you to experience:
- Anxiety
- Paranoia
- Increased heart rate
- Dizziness
- Sedation
Pros of Buying Delta 8 THC Online
The delta 8 THC space is young and booming, with lots of new entrepreneurs entering the market. There are brands offering premium delta 8 extracts at reasonable prices. Still, there’s an equal number of companies cutting corners in every aspect, from farming to extraction and laboratory testing.
Many products sold locally are mislabeled and contain less delta 8 THC than advertised; some of them are downright dangerous with their synthetic additives or residual solvents.
It’s not easy to verify the quality of a given product in-store; you generally need to rely on the store owner’s opinion and assurances.
That’s why we prefer to shop for delta 8 THC online.
Buying delta 8 online gives you more opportunities for researching your potential vendors. You can read third-party lab reports and check user reviews on blogs, forums, and social media to get a bigger picture of the company you want to buy from.
Not only that, but online shopping also comes with other perks, such as:
Shipped Legally to Your Door in Your State
Perhaps the best thing about delta 8 THC is that it’s legal in all 50 states. So you can find delta 8 THC products locally in vape stores, head shops, organic health stores, and even gas stations.
That’s because hemp-derived delta 8 THC contains less than 0.3% of delta 9 THC, which stays in compliance with the provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill.
You can buy delta 8 products in Houston and order them from Colorado. This is something you won’t be able to do with regular weed unless the federal government decriminalizes marijuana.
Receive in 2-3 Days with the Convenience of Shopping at Home
Shopping at home is hands-down more convenient than local errands. You can compare different formulas, potencies, flavors, and prices in the comfort of your home, at any time you desire.
Cannabis companies are also known for their fast delivery times. Once you’ve made up your mind and placed your order, the package should arrive within 2–3 business days. It pays off, considering the time you’d need to spend on driving between different storefronts and wondering if the product you’ve just bought doesn’t contain dangerous toxins.
No Anxiety As Seen with Delta 9 THC
As mentioned earlier, delta 8 THC is about half as potent as delta 9 THC, meaning you’d need to take twice as much of it to experience the same intensity of high. Because of that, delta 8 THC also has a lower chance of triggering anxiety and paranoia. Most people taking delta 8 THC report feeling relaxed, anxiety-free, and slightly heavy in the body.
Lasts Longer Than Delta 9 THC from Marijuana
Speaking of the effects, delta 8 THC lasts longer than delta 9 THC from marijuana. This is interesting because the effects have a delayed onset; a delta 8 tincture can take about 1,5 hours to kick in compared to CBD oil that usually starts working after 15–20 minutes. The appetite boost from delta 8 THC is also more pronounced than what you experience after smoking or vaping weed, so be prepared to have some snacks or a hearty meal at hand.
Best Delta 8 Online Vendors
Since the market is unregulated, it’s your due diligence to conduct thorough research on any company that sells delta 8 THC out there. Factors like farming practices, extraction methods, and laboratory testing can make or break the quality of the end product, so make sure each of these points is handled according to high-quality standards.
The best delta 8 THC products come from organic hemp and are extracted without bleaches, which should be proven by a batch-specific certificate of analysis (COA).
In a rush? Here’s our recommendation on the best delta 8 online vendors after researching over 30 popular brands on the market.
Area52
Area52 is a California-rooted brand specializing in premium delta 8 THC extract. The company uses pure delta 8 THC distillate as the base for all its products. The distillate has a slightly pinkish color, which is a good sign because it indicates no bleaches were used during extraction.
Area 52’s collection includes delta 8 THC tinctures (1200 mg, vanilla flavor), gummies (25 mg each, assorted fruity flavors), and vape cartridges (900 mg, Pineapple Express). All products come with relevant and up-to-date certificates of analysis.
All these features, along with the integrity of farming, extraction, and lab testing, translate into a slightly higher product price. Still, they are totally worth it because you know you’re buying a safe product from an honest company.
Finest Labs
Finest Labs is a good choice if you’re looking for a bit less potent products. This brand covers the same product range as Area52 — tinctures, gummies, and vape carts — but in lower concentrations. For example, the delta 8 THC tincture contains 500 mg of d8; the gummies are infused with 10 mg of delta 8 per piece; and the vape cartridge comes with 25 mg of delta 8 THC in one mL, which is perfect for microdosing.
All products offered by Finest Labs are rigorously tested in an independent laboratory, with batch-specific certificates of analysis available on the company’s website.
Buying Weed Locally in Houston, Texas
Since most of us can’t apply for a medical marijuana card in Texas, we had to think outside of the box to figure out where to buy weed. So let’s take a look at some of the most popular spots in Houston to buy weed and how to do it safely.
Smoke Shops
Smoke shops in Houston are a great place to find some weed. While we can’t buy it there, we can give great recommendations about where to go. What’s more, we can get some vape pens or oils in a smoke shop.
They are the safest places to ask for weed without getting in trouble. Not only that, but people working there might know where the best places to smoke weed in Houston are. Some shops also sell smoking accessories and even souvenirs—Here’s a list of the best smoke shops in Houston.
College Campus
Since Houston is such a huge city, they have plenty of colleges and schools. Asking college kids for weed is usually a pretty safe bet because many of them know great places. In addition, they can help connect us to some reliable dealers and tell us where the best places to smoke are.
We recommend visiting the University of Houston or the Art University; since they have pretty big campuses, and finding a weed-lover, there shouldn’t be hard. Keep in mind that Texas weed is usually more powerful since it’s not really regulated.
Festivals
Houston is a pretty big city, and they have amazing festivals all year round. Dance or music festivals can be great places to meet some fellow weed-lovers. People are usually relaxed, and they can give some great recommendations or even connect us with their dealer.
Here’s a list of all of the festivals that take place in Houston over the year. Even though festivals are a great place to meet people, we wouldn’t recommend smoking there. Most music festivals tend to be crawling with cops, and they can write us a ticket on the spot.
Is Weed Legal in Houston, Texas?
Even though weed still isn’t legal in Texas, the state has a long and complicated history with it. In fact, El Paso, Texas, was the first city in the US to ban marijuana even though doctors thought it had many healing properties.
Ever since then, marijuana laws have been extremely restrictive, and progress has been slow. When the Compassionate Use Act passed in 2015, it was a landmark decision that made medical marijuana a bit more accessible. But where do things stand now?
Let’s take a quick look and see how Texas regulates medical and recreational marijuana.
Medical Marijuana
Texas has a limited program for medical marijuana patients. However, two years ago, Texas lawmakers expanded the list of qualifying conditions, further liberating the medical cannabis segment.
Who Can Buy Medical Marijuana in Houston?
While it’s true that the Compassionate Use Act was a big step in the right direction, Texas still has a long way to go. For example, with the Compassionate Act, the only people who could get access to medical marijuana were patients who have intractable epilepsy.
What’s more, the process of getting a medical marijuana card was a difficult and expensive one. But, in June 2019, Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 3703, making history once again.
They’ve now expanded the list of medical conditions and patients who can get access to medical marijuana. Some of the conditions include:
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Autism
- Terminal Cancer
- ALS
- Huntington’s Disease
- Alzheimer’s
While it’s still pretty difficult to get a medical marijuana card, this bill is a step in the right direction. We recommend checking out this article to see how to apply and get a card in Texas.
Recreational Marijuana
Even though Texans are stepping up their game for medical marijuana, smoking weed recreationally is still illegal. They’ve done a lot to decriminalize it, but they have a long way to go.
Anyone caught carrying less than two ounces could spend 180 days in jail and pay a $2,000 fine. Also, since smoking generally isn’t allowed in public spaces, it can be tricky to find a good place to smoke weed.
Can You Grow Weed in Texas?
Unless we own a licensed dispensary, growing weed anywhere in Texas is next to impossible. Not only that, but even dispensaries have to go through a long and complicated process to be able to cultivate it. Penalties for growing weed are pretty similar to those for possession.
What’s more, keep in mind that dispensaries can’t sell marijuana flowers. The only thing we can buy in a dispensary is CBD oil, and it has to contain less than 0.5% of THC. For a list of dispensaries in Houston, visit this map for more information.
Can You Smoke in Public?
No, you can’t smoke marijuana in public. Even if you are a medical marijuana user, you can only consume your medicine on private property. Getting caught lighting up in public without a medical marijuana card can get you charged with a criminal offense.
Traveling with Weed in Houston
You can only travel with weed in Houston if you’re a medical marijuana patient. Just be sure to keep your medicine in its original container and have your documentation at hand. However, you can’t take marijuana on a plane, as TSA considers marijuana an illicit substance and prohibits its transportation.
What About CBD Hemp Oil in Houston, Texas?
CBD oil, as well as all hemp-derived products, are legal in Texas. Hemp was federally legalized in 2018 when President Trump signed the amended Farm Bill into law. Since then, you can legally buy CBD oil products in all 50 states as long as they contain 0.3% of delta 9 THC or less.
Hemp-derived CBD is available virtually everywhere, from dispensaries to pharmacies to head shops, vape stores, and organic health stores. But, similar to delta 8 THC, the best deals on premium CBD products are found online.
Key Takeaways on Buying Weed in Houston, Texas
Since it’s not legal to smoke recreational weed anywhere in Texas, we recommend being careful when buying and smoking it. Also, before booking a place to stay, check if it’s smoker-friendly. Finally, try to avoid any dark and scary alleys during the night because that’s an easy way to get ripped off or even hurt.
If you’re looking for a legal alternative to delta 9 THC from marijuana, consider finding a trustworthy online delta 8 THC vendor. Delta 8 THC is (theoretically) legal on a federal level; on top of that, it doesn’t get you as high as delta 9, resulting in a less anxious and more clear-headed buzz. Delta 8 THC products are available in the standard formats for cannabis extracts, such as tinctures, edibles, or vape liquid.
Just be sure to follow the steps from our buyer’s guide and leave no stone unturned while researching your options.
