Texas Marijuana Activists Set Sights on Next Legislative Session

Texas Marijuana Policy Project representative, Heather Fazio, said, “Activists have two main goals heading into the next session [in 2017]: expanding medical marijuana and lowering criminal penalties for simple possession.”

Fazio stated that activists wish to see the Texas medical marijuana program to be expanded. Treating conditions like cancer and PTSD may be considered if expansion does happen, reports the San Antonio Current.

Fazio further commented that, “There are families uprooting from Texas, where they want to live, because they can’t treat their children here. We think we can convince the Legislature that that shouldn’t be happening.”

Currently in Texas, simple marijuana possession could give a person life in prison, based upon the weight of the item. What can happen is that edibles are weighed at their baked or prepared weight, and not just for the amount of marijuana in the product.

The proposed changes for simple possession would reduce fines to $100 with zero jail time for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana.

Fazio concluded her comments with, “We want to take away the threat of arrest, jail time, and most importantly that criminal record that comes along with a simple possession charge.”