Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is blocking the ordinances of five cities decriminalizing low-level marijuana possession. Those cities — Austin, Denton, Kellen, San Marcos and Elgin — each had voters approve policies that would end arrests and citations for possession of less than four ounces of marijuana.
There is often confusion about what the state laws say about marijuana and what laws are being argued.
Can marijuana be used recreationally in Texas?
In Texas and federal law, recreational use of marijuana is still illegal. Depending on how much a person is in possession of, the consequences vary.
The Texas Health and Safety Code states that possession of marijuana two ounces or less is considered a Class B misdemeanor.
Will marijuana be legal in Texas in 2024?
For now, it’s unlikely. However, recent laws have taken place to decriminalize marijuana laws in the state.
In 2019, Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1325 into law. The law allows the production, manufacture, retail sale, and inspection of industrial hemp crops and products in Texas granted that they stay at 0.3% or less delta-9 THC level. This also includes products for consumable hemp products that contain cannabidiol (CBD), as well as other edible parts of the hemp plant.