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Is Texas Ready To Legalize Marijuana In 2021?
In a recent report, Texas has taken action in creating a bill that would decriminalize marijuana possession in the state. As well there would be an additional proposal to lessen the punishment for possessing cannabis concentrates. Both of these proposals came out of the key House committee this past week. This news is the most current advancements that have happened. Which has come after a week where state lawmakers in Texas have thought about various forms of cannabis reform bills.
However notably the most important piece of marijuana legislation to move out of committee would allow for the possession of 28 grams or an ounce of cannabis to be a class C misdemeanor. This would carry a thin line but no severe worry of going to jail. Yet the entire House of Representatives passed a cannabis decriminalization bill in 2019. However, at the time it did not advance in the Senate that session. As of now, the House Criminal Jurisprudence Commit
Texas lawmakers unanimously voted for a medical cannabis expansion bill in the Public Health House Committee on Wednesday, reports Marijuana Moment.
With the Committee’s passage, the bill is now moved to the Calendars Committee to be scheduled for a vote by the House of Representatives.
The medical cannabis bill, HB 1535, sponsored by Chairwoman Stephanie Klick, proposes adding PTSD (for veterans only), cancer, and chronic pain to the list of health conditions that qualify patients for treatment with medical cannabis. It would also enable the Department of State Health Services to add other conditions through administrative rulemaking, while creating “institutional review boards” focused on helping medical cannabis research.
A majority of Texas voters polled say they're in favor of the legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational purposes. Over two dozen bills have been introduced by both Democrats and Republicans in the current Texas legislative session. Is the tide about to change when it comes to legalization of cannabis?
Advocates Hope Texas Will Ease Medical Marijuana Restrictions By Sami Sparber, The Texas Tribune and Aria Jones, The Texas Tribune | January 7, 2021
Five years after Texas legalized medical marijuana for people with debilitating illnesses, advocates and industry experts say the state’s strict rules, red tape and burdensome barriers to entry have left the program largely inaccessible to those it was intended to help.
But with a new legislative session gaveling in this month, some Texas lawmakers see an opportunity to fix the state’s medical cannabis program known as the Compassionate Use Program by further expanding eligibility and loosening some restrictions so Texas’ laws more closely resemble those of other states that allow the treatment.