A Pipe Dream in Texas: Will Cannabis Legalization Ever See the Light of Day?

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Texas, we have a bill—but don’t hold your breath. Representative Jessica González has filed legislation to legalize recreational marijuana across the state, setting the stage for yet another uphill battle when the new legislative session begins next month. If passed (and that’s a Texas-sized “if”), the bill would allow adults over 21 to carry 2.5 ounces for personal use and keep up to 10 ounces at home—as long as it’s locked up tight. Smoking in public would still be a no-go.

Sounds reasonable enough, right? Well, here’s the problem: This effort comes at the exact moment Lt. Governor Dan Patrick doubles down on his push to ban all THC products in Texas. It’s cannabis progress versus prohibitionist regression—an absurd and baffling paradox that’s become all too familiar in the Lone Star State.

Let’s be honest—Texas has seen this movie before.

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The Ghosts of Cannabis Bills Past

The last several legislative sessions were littered with cannabis proposals that never made it out of committee, let alone to the governor’s desk. Decriminalization expanded medical access—you name it. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, with his outsized influence over the state Senate, has personally squashed every single attempt. It’s like Sisyphus pushing a boulder, except the boulder smells like skunk and Dan Patrick keeps kicking it back down the hill.

The Money Texas Keeps Leaving on the Table

What makes this resistance even more maddening is the cold, hard cash other states are raking in from legalization. In 2021 alone, Colorado collected over $423 million in cannabis tax revenue—funding schools, infrastructure, and community services. California? Billions. Michigan, Massachusetts, and even the deep-red state of Missouri are cashing checks that could have Texas lawmakers drooling.

If Texas legalized marijuana tomorrow, conservative projections suggest the state could generate an estimated $1.1 billion annually in tax revenue. That money would go toward education, roads, and healthcare, all without raising a single cent in taxes on hard-working Texans.

Meanwhile, prohibition keeps enriching cartels, clogging the courts with petty possession cases, and draining state resources. Smart fiscal policy? Forget it—Texas would rather double down on outdated ideology.

Public Opinion Is Miles Ahead of Texas Politicians

Here’s the kicker: Texans want this. Poll after poll shows that nearly 70% of Texas voters support legalizing marijuana in some form, with younger Republican voters tipping the scales in favor. Even those who don’t partake can see the regulation’s economic and social benefits.

But Texas’ political machinery doesn’t run on public opinion—it runs on stubborn, old-guard gatekeeping. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s crusade to ban THC products flies in the face of his own constituents’ will. Why? Because, in Texas, clinging to outdated fearmongering still wins elections.

The Real Winners and Losers of Prohibition

While lawmakers play moral tug-of-war, the consequences fall on everyday Texans. Nearly 22,000 Texans were arrested for marijuana possession in 2022 alone—disproportionately Black and Hispanic individuals. Legalization isn’t just about freedom or economics; it’s about justice. Prohibition ruins lives, while regulated cannabis markets create jobs, fund schools, and eliminate the black market.

And for those keeping score: Marijuana hasn’t killed anyone. Alcohol kills 140,000 Americans a year. Texas is fine selling whiskey on every corner, but a little weed? Suddenly, the moral panic kicks in.

A Pipe Dream?

So where does that leave Rep. González’s bill? In the same place as every cannabis bill before it—dangling by a thread in a political climate that refuses to budge. Texas Republicans dominate the legislature, and as long as Dan Patrick pulls the strings, legalization is going nowhere fast.

But this isn’t just about one bill. It’s about the growing rift between Texas politicians and Texas voters. Change will come—just maybe not in this session.

What do you think? Do you see Texas lighting up anytime soon, or is this just another pipe dream? Sound off, Texans: Are we ready for change, or are we stuck in the past?

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