Doobie, or not doobie?
That is the question Texas lawmakers will consider during the upcoming legislative session that gets underway January 5, 2025.
Authored by State Representative Jessica Gonzalez (D-Dallas), House Bill 1208 seeks to decriminalize the use of recreational marijuana for Texans over the age of 21.
The proposed law would allow the possession, use and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. The bill would also permit adults to keep up to 10 ounces of marijuana in their home, provided its stored in a secure location.
Toking up or consuming ganga in public would remain illegal, as would puffin’ the green in a vehicle on a public road.
Puff, Puff, Pass or Hard Pass?
Several influential Texas officials such as Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton fall squarely on the side of ‘just say no,’ so the chances of the proposed legislation passing is about as likely as celebrity stoner Willie Nelson voluntarily putting the bowl down for good.
Patrick has thrown his support behind Senate Bill 3 which seeks to ban all THC products, and Paxton is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with the city of Dallas over the approval of Prop R that decriminalized possession of small amounts of the sticky-icky, making it the lowest enforcement priority for the Dallas Police Department.