December 31, 2014 2:53 PM

Medical marijuana fight looms in Texas

Recent comments from some Republican leaders suggest the political dynamics of the issue are changing

Encouraged by recent comments from some Republicans, Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy has launched a campaign to try to pass a bipartisan medical marijuana bill in the upcoming session of the Texas Legislature.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, 97 percent of marijuana arrests in Texas between 2001 and 2010 were for possession, rather than delivery or distribution of the substance. Low-level offenders take up beds better used for those committing more serious crimes, say some advocates of both the liberal and conservative persuasion. And the fact arrest numbers for marijuana possession keep rising indicates a misdemeanor charge is not a deterrent.

In past sessions, Reps. Eliott Naishtat, D-Austin, and Harold Dutton, D-Houston, have filed bills to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, turning a criminal misdemeanor into a civil citation that will not be a permanent part of someone’s criminal record.

By Kimberly Reeves