Last month the Texas Republican party came out in support of loosening their strict
anti-marijuana laws.
While they didn't come anywhere near the progressive policies seen in states like California and Colorado. The Texas GOP did, however, approve an expansion of medical marijuana access and suggest that they weren't opposed to industrial hemp.
But the most exciting development was their general support for decriminalization which they included in their official party platform. This is groundbreaking! Texas has maintained some of the nation's toughest marijuana laws despite other states moving to loosen theirs. But the times are changing. The public wants fair, sensible legislation not arbitrary non-fact-based laws.
And in general Texans, like most Americans are in support of marijuana legalization. In fact, a recent poll found that 53 percent of the state's voters would legalize pot either in small amounts (30 percent) or any amount (23 percent). Another 31 percent would legalize marijuana only for medical purposes.
Common sense drug policies will make Texas a more just place to live especially since,
while use rates for marijuana are around the same between blacks and whites, blacks are nearly 3.5 times as likely to be arrested. Like in other states, legalization, among other benefits, would have the effect of reducing crime and social costs — the war against drugs and marijuana specifically has been thoroughly lost but governments continue to spend a vast amount of resources annually trying to gain a foothold and helping the state to raise valuable tax revenue —
Colorado, for example, between January 2014 and July 2017 raised half a billion dollars.
Texas politicians should take note that opinions are changing and Texans want logical marijuana policy. Sign the petition and encourage the Texas Legislature to legalize marijuana.Photo credit: Cannabis Culture
