Texas Governor Greg Abbott vetos bill banning THC in wake of Ricky Williams statement

Texas legend Ricky Williams previously called for governor Greg Abbott to veto a bill banning THC. Well, the former Longhorns running back got his wish as Abbott scrapped the bill late Sunday night.

“In a 4-page veto statement, Gov. Abbott says SB 3 (the THC ban) would have been tied up in court for years, adding that it ‘criminalizes what Congress expressly legalized and puts federal and state law on a collision course,’” Bayliss Wagner of the Statesman wrote on Twitter. You can see the full statement below.

The move called out by Williams basically saved the hemp industry throughout the state of Texas. Abbott argued that the bill would have caused farmers to choose between that which is legal under federal law and that which would have become illegal under state law. He also explained that the law would have triggered a legal that “would never go into effect” due to valid constitutional challenges.

In a 4-page veto statement, Gov. Abbott says SB 3 (the THC ban) would have been tied up in court for years, adding that it “criminalizes what Congress expressly legalized and puts federal and state law on a collision course” #txlege https://t.co/4kLkzw0x77 pic.twitter.com/3CuYJFsoA7

— Bayliss Wagner (@baylisswagner) June 23, 2025

Williams initially put out a statement in opposition of the bill. It seemed like his message got across.

“Prohibition doesn’t protect people — it puts them in danger,” Williams captioned the post on social media. “@projectchampion420 urges @governorabbott to veto #SB3 before it strips veterans, patients, and small businesses of legal access to hemp products. Texas can’t fumble this.

“Today, I’m not here so much as an athlete but as someone who knows firsthand how beneficial this plant can be. Helped me manage injuries, deal with pain and especially deal with the most intense emotional ups and downs of my life. And now it’s helping veterans manage PTSD, helping people with chronic pain, and offering Texans a safer alternative to opioids,” said Williams in his video. “But, Senate Bill 3, also known as SB3, threatens to take all of that away. This bill would ban all hemp-direct products that are already federally legal. It would hurt farmers, families, and people that are using this amazing plant. I’m calling on my friend, Greg Abbott, to please veto this bill and stand with the veterans, the farmers, and the families who know that there’s a better way forward.”

Williams played for the Texas Longhorns from 1995-1998, leaving as the school’s all-time leading rusher with 6,279 yards and 72 touchdowns while putting up a total of 7,206 yards from scrimmage with 75 scores. That would, as an upperclassman, earn him honors as a two-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and All-American, as well as being the winner of the Heisman Trophy in his senior year in 1998.

Williams would go on to be the No. 5 pick in the 1999 NFL Draft, spending 13 seasons in the league playing for New Orleans, Miami, and Baltimore. Due to the nature of this move, it’s worth noting multiple suspensions he had as a professional for violations of the league’s substance-abuse policy, specifically missing all of the seasons in 2004 and 2006 while with the Dolphins.

Sam Gillenwater contributed to this report