 Texas is not a very cannabis friendly state, as far as state legislation goes, but there is clearly a need and interest by citizens.
In the last year, the number of medical marijuana patients has quadrupled in Texas! And some cities, such as the capitol of Austin, have passed legislation decriminalizing possession within their jurisdictions, with petitions to put that to vote ready in several more cities as well. But for the vast majority of Texans, getting cannabis locally is a problem. Recreational adult use is illegal in the state. Medical Marijuana use is legal, but with an incredibly low 1% THC cap, patients aren’t getting much relief. In fact, because of the numerous limitations in Texas, news sources like MJBizDaily won’t even classify the state as a full-fledged medical marijuana market. Clearly there is a disparity between the people who want access to cannabis, and the legislators in power. Advocates say that the biggest obstacle has been current Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who has used his power to kill all marijuana reform measures. The Texas Governor Greg Abbott has also not helped the situation. In the recent months he has reiterated his stance that he does not support cannabis legalization, and he only supports reducing the criminal penalty for marijuana possession. For cannabis users in Texas, this fall, the way you vote could change all that! In the meantime, medical marijuana businesses are coming up with creative ways to serve customers and position themselves for a less restrictive market in the future. For example, current regulations allow an operator to store inventory at only one location. So as a response, some licensed retailers have opened “pop up” locations, where they will drive products to a location across the state for easier access for consumers to pick up their medication, and then drivers will return any unsold products back to their ‘one’ location for night storage, thereby keeping within the law. Lisa Sewell, director of operations for Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy, a coalition working to reform marijuana laws in the state, spoke of the small but positive changes that have been made, and “it does show a pattern of increasing access. It does move forward, and that’s what’s important.” Sewell said their legislative goals for 2023 include: • Removing the THC cap or at least increasing it from 1%. • Adding chronic pain as a qualifying condition. • Allowing doctors to recommend medical cannabis as an alternative to opioids. • MMJ operators also want the ability to store inventory in more than one location. Comments are closed.
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