Despite over 60 percent of Texas voters supporting marijuana legalization, advocates continue to face an uphill battle in the legislature. In response, activists in Texas are now expanding their efforts to focusing on implementing reforms at the local level.
Texas NORML and other advocates had sought to further amend the bill to include eligibility for chronic pain patients and to raise the THC to five percent. House lawmakers agreed to the additional changes, but members of the Senate ultimately removed those provisions.
House Bill 1535 allows physicians to recommend medical cannabis to patients with PTSD and all forms of cancer. The measure also raise the cap on THC from 0.5 to one percent.
Medical cannabis expansion legislation is on its way to the governor’s desk, and other updates from the 2021 legislative session.
House lawmakers approved two bills so far, with a third anticipated later this week.
Sixty-one percent of respondents said that they “replaced” prescription opioids and/or benzodiazepines with medical cannabis – a finding that is consistent with several other studies.
According to statewide polling data, 62 percent of Texas residents are in favor of legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana.
“APD will no longer cite or arrest individuals with sufficient identification for Class A or Class B misdemeanor ‘possession of marijuana’ offenses.”