Texas bill would legalize recreational marijuana
While Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick wants to ban all THC products in Texas, other lawmakers are looking to make recreational marijuana legal in the state.
State Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas) filed House Bill 1208 for the upcoming legislative session before Patrick came out against THC products.
The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults would also be allowed to keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.
Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.
Packaging for cannabis products would be required to be in child-resistant packaging that would be clearly labeled, and not easily confused for candy.
The bill also lays out plans for the production and sale of recreational marijuana.
Under the plan, businesses looking to grow, transport, test or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products.
If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.
The Texas legislative session will begin on Jan. 14, 2025.
Marijuana in Texas
Recreational marijuana is illegal in Texas, but voters in some Texas municipalities have supported its decriminalization.
This November, voters in Dallas, Lockhart and Bastrop approved ballot measures to legalize the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana with arrests or citations.
Voters in Denton, Austin, Elgin and Killeen previously supported similar measures.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed lawsuits against several of the cities, saying the measures conflict with state law.
Medical cannabis is legal in Texas, though it is limited. The Texas Compassionate Use Program allows certain physicians to prescribe low-THC cannabis to Texans with an approved list of conditions. Some of the conditions include epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder.
READ MORE: Recreational marijuana is illegal in Texas, so why are THC products on store shelves?
An agriculture bill passed in 2019 allowed hemp products with low levels of THC to be sold in the Lone Star State.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has called for the so-called hemp loophole to be closed in the next legislative session.