Several cannabis reform measures were presented this year, but only one, HB 1535, was ultimately adopted by the assembly. Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed the bill into law. The new legislation will go effective on September 1, 2021.
In Texas, can you go to jail for possessing one gram of marijuana?
Is marijuana lawful under Texas law? The brief response is no. Possession of less than 2 ounces of a controlled substance can result in imprisonment for up to 180 days. In other words, a modest bit of marijuana can shorten your life by six months.
What states have legalized marijuana?
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington have legalized the recreational use of marijuana for adults.
- In all of these locales, medicinal marijuana is also permitted.
- State officials in Oklahoma waited too long to validate petition signatures for a November ballot question allowing recreational marijuana use.
- In September, the state’s highest court decided unanimously that the question must soon appear on the ballot.
Additionally, recreational cannabis is legal in the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.