Most Texans support legalizing pot, but Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says no

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is unmoved by a brand new ballot revealing {that a} majority of Texans support legalizing marijuana for medical and leisure use.

Abbott mentioned Tuesday that his place has not modified past what he’s proposed previously — lowering the legal penalty for marijuana possession to a Class C misdemeanor, but not legalizing the drug.

But in accordance with a Dallas Morning News-University of Texas at Tyler ballot launched Sunday, an awesome proportion of registered Texas voters — 91% of Democrats, 85% of independents and 74% of Republicans, combining for 83% complete — again the thought of legalizing marijuana for medical use within the state, one thing the Legislature has repeatedly expanded, together with as not too long ago as final yr.

When it involves leisure use, which is authorized in 18 different states, together with neighboring New Mexico, Texans are a bit extra hesitant.

The News-UT Tyler ballot, which surveyed 1,232 registered voters between May 2-10 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 proportion factors, discovered that 60% of respondents support legalizing marijuana for leisure use.

Former El Paso congressman Beto O’Rourke, Abbott’s rival on this November’s race for governor, helps the entire legalization of marijuana.

Abbott gained’t go that far, but he mentioned Tuesday he understands adjustments in marijuana legal guidelines are wanted.

“We don’t need to be stockpiling in our jails and prisons will people who are arrested for minor possession allegations,” Abbott mentioned after a roundtable dialogue with enterprise leaders in North Richland Hills. “We would be keeping those jails for dangerous criminals who deserve to be behind bars.”

The governor is perhaps on strong floor along with his GOP base. According to the ballot, simply 42% of Republicans support legalizing marijuana for leisure use, in contrast with a majority of Democrats and independents, 76% and 64%, respectively.

Victor Cogburn, a Republican from Stephenville who responded to The News-UT-Tyler ballot, is a retired lieutenant of correctional officers who labored for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for 26 years and says opposes legalization throughout the board.

“It is a drug,” he mentioned. “That’s dope. That’s dope, that is the way I look at it. No, it should not be legalized.”

O’Rourke, who trailed Abbott within the governor’s race by 7 proportion factors within the ballot, says legalizing marijuana is the appropriate factor to do from a legal justice perspective. The Democrat added that it could create a billion-dollar taxable business for Texas.

While marijuana stays unlawful underneath federal regulation, states have been engaged in efforts to legalize or decriminalize it for the final decade. According to a CBS News ballot, two-thirds of Americans need leisure marijuana use to be authorized underneath federal regulation and in their very own state.

In 2018, Oklahoma voters authorised legalizing marijuana for medicinal use, and this yr, they’ll vote on full legalization.

Howard Rogers, a Republican from Deer Park, southeast of Houston, who responded to The News/UT-Tyler ballot, mentioned he doesn’t smoke marijuana, but he helps legalizing it for each medical and leisure use.

“It’s your own business, what you do,” he mentioned. “It’s just like drinking [alcohol], I drink. … It’s everybody’s business what they do at their own home.”

What are the marijuana legal guidelines in Texas?

In Texas, eligible residents have been in a position to entry low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) hashish for medical functions by the state’s compassionate use program was authorised in 2015. By regulation, this program is proscribed to Texans with epilepsy, seizure issues, a number of sclerosis, spasticity, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism, terminal most cancers and incurable neurodegenerative ailments.

The Legislature expanded this system to incorporate all types of PTSD and most cancers final yr.

Despite the current enlargement of authorized medical use, although, it’s nonetheless unlawful to own marijuana within the Lone Star State.

Possession of as much as 2 ounces is a Class B misdemeanor and punishable by as much as 180 days in jail and a superb of as much as $2,000. Possession of greater than 2 ounces may lead to as much as a yr in jail, and greater than 4 ounces is a felony.

Though if motion within the state’s capital is any indication, that would ultimately change. Earlier this month, Austin residents voted overwhelmingly for a proposition forbidding law enforcement officials from ticketing and arresting individuals on low-level marijuana offenses, successfully decriminalizing the possession of small quantities of weed.

In Dallas, District Attorney John Creuzot introduced in 2019 that his workplace would decline to prosecute most misdemeanor circumstances of first-time marijuana possession. Last yr, the Plano police chief mentioned they might not arrest individuals caught with 2 ounces of marijuana or much less.

And Delta-8 continues to be briefly authorized after a Travis County choose granted an injunction towards the state’s choice to categorise the favored hashish extract as a Schedule I drug, which made it unlawful.

Software developer John Beltran, an unbiased voter who responded to The News/UT-Tyler ballot and lives exterior Pflugerville in Travis County, mentioned he’s by no means used marijuana, but from the research he’s seen, legalizing marijuana may benefit native communities and governments.

“It shows that [marijuana] reduces the need for the use of opioids, in those communities where it’s legal, even when it’s just for medicinal use,” Beltran mentioned. “Recreational use, where it’s regulated and you don’t buy it off the street … and being able to be taxed, to fund social programs or whatever the local governments decide, would make a lot more sense than just letting it be bought from, you know, any random person.”

Gromer Jeffers Jr. reported from North Richland Hills, and Emily Caldwell reported from Washington.

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