Legalization of Marijuana in Texas: Pros and Cons

Introduction

Marijuana or cannabis is the most commonly abused drug in the United States, and its uses have been increasing in recent years despite the strict rules that the government has imposed over the substance (Hickenlooper 244). The uses of bhang are common among youthful people who apply it for several reasons particularly to stimulate their brain. The drug is prohibited as a result of the adverse effects that it has on the users. Marijuana is highly addictive, and it has a significant influence on the social and economic life of the users (Barton 448). Marijuana is mainly the dried leaves that have been extracted from the cannabis indica plant and used in different forms. The most prevalent way in which the drug is abused is by smoking in hand-rolled cigarettes or pipes. The drug is also mixed with edibles as cookies and people eat it as food. Various studies have elicited divergent opinions among people concerning the importance of the drug particularly for medicinal purposes (Caulkins, Lee, and Kasunic 22). There have been claims by researchers that bhang has primary medical uses when used responsibly. As a result of the revelations concerning the applications of bhang in medicine, debates about the need to legalize the substance to maximize its benefits have intensified within the recent past. Some states like Texas have already considered the move to legalize weed for different uses. The central theme of the research paper will be about the legalization of marijuana in Texas. To achieve the objective for research purposes, the article will address the legalization process, the benefits, and costs of legalizing cannabis in Texas.

Marijuana in Texas

Texas was for a long time among states that had the lowest number of people who use marijuana because of the strict rules that had been attached to the use of the drug. However, recent years have been characterized by an augmentation in the number of Texans who use and support the usage of bhang. In reference to a poll conducted by the University of Texas, resistance to the usage of bhang has dropped dramatically in Texas, and many people seem to be comfortable. Since the issue has also become a major concern for political and legal purposes in the state, the need for legalization of weed has also gained momentum within recent years. According to the opinion polls, about 83 percent of people in Texas support different uses of the drug and the figure is expected to raise mainly due to the emergence of claims that weed has significant medicinal uses.

Studies concerning the ratification of bhang usage in Texas indicate that more than half of the registered voters within the state believe that the drug should be allowed for various uses. The Texas Tribune Poll led by the University of Texas revealed that 53 percent of people in Texas support utilization of bhang id different amounts with a majority of the respondents supporting usage in small quantities regardless of the purposes of usage. Around 31 percent of the poll respondents were specific by suggesting that weed should only be permitted for medical functions. Only 16 percent of the people in Texas were against the legalization of the drug by suggesting that cannabis should be treated as an illegal substance at any circumstance. Party affiliations in Texas also affect the debate concerning the legalization of bhang where two-thirds of Democrats support the application of marijuana for a wide range of uses while only 39 percent back the calls to decriminalize cannabis. Age is also a fundamental aspect of the discussion about the legalization of bhang. A majority of the youthful people in Texas hold the opinion that marijuana should not be categorized under illicit drugs. As shown by the graph below, most of the people above the age of 65 years are against the change to decriminalize weed; nonetheless, the youthful Texans form the majority of the population which makes the opinion of the elderly individuals insignificant (Pacula, Jacobson, and Maksabedian 977).

Attitudes regarding the use of marijuana have also played a significant role in swaying people’s views about the drug. A majority of the people that are entirely against the ratification of cannabis have negative perceptions particularly about its potential effects on the mental health of users as well as to the society. Most people associate the current social challenges like school dropouts, and the use of weed mainly inspires criminal acts.

In spite of the long-time resistance for medical marijuana in Texas, the state made changes that decriminalized the use of bhang for treatment of different conditions. The graph shows that the number of people supporting legalization of weed across different states is on the rise. The Compassionate Use Act was created to regulate the amount of weed that people should consume for medical purposes. Most people especially those against the legalization of marijuana for health purposes have described the act as useless because it is not effective in limiting the amount of consumed bhang since many users exceed the required threshold. Many believe that the act has created room for abuse of the illicit drug since there is no clear framework to ensure that users do not exceed the safety level of marijuana. The act also specifies the circumstances under which a person should use pot for medical purposes (Pacula 33). According to the clause, patients are only eligible for medical marijuana when they get recommendations from at least two doctors proposing medicinal cannabis. The patients are also supposed to be entered into a state-wide registry before embarking on consumption of marijuana for medical purposes. Despite such measures, a section of Texans believes that the act is not useful to make sure that marijuana is consumed responsibly.

On the other hand, some people still think that there is no need for such strict rules and that the usages of cannabis should be increased. There was an attempt by the Texas state legislature to pass a bill that would decriminalize small amounts of weed. The proposal received bipartisan support, but the Texas Freedom Caucus prevented the law from being approved. Despite such forces, the recent polls about people’s opinions on the legalization of cannabis indicate that the plan to allow usage of bhang for specific purposes is inevitable since most people support it.

Legal Issues

The debate concerning freedom to use marijuana for different purposes presents a platform for legal battles between factions that advocate for the autonomy to use hemp for important purposes particularly for medicinal uses and others that are against any proposal creates a room which will allow decriminalization of weed (Forrester 82). The legal issues surrounding the legalization of bhang aim at clarifying the circumstances under which the usage of the drug should be allowed as well as the amount that is considered legally correct and medically safe for use. The current laws that are used to handle cases related to the handling of pot have been amended within the recent past to make it less culpable to possess a certain amount of weed. Prior to the implementation of the legal changes, the quantity of bhang that people were found with did not play a role in determining the penalty (Conklin, Diop, and Li 18). The changes in the legal system that took effect from 2017 specify the amount of bhang that is accepted and a punishment that is influenced by the amount of marijuana in possession. The proposed legal changes suggest that being found in possession of fewer than 4 ounces of marijuana will be treated with lesser penalties compared to the time before such changes were proposed.

Data shows that a majority of Democrats and young people support the legal changes to allow usage of weed. More than 50% of the people supporting legalization of marijuana are affiliated to Democratic Party. Texas legislature is taking several steps that inch towards making significant reforms on the past legislative changes particularly 2015 and 2017 and create buoyancy amongst cannabis reform advocates concerning what needs to be considered in future legislation. Since 2017, there have been several bills that sought to ensure that marijuana is legalized for people of Texas to capitalize on the benefits of the drug especially in the management of pain among patients suffering from certain conditions. Despite that the bills have flopped severally to be approved through voting, there are sufficient indications that pot will be decriminalized (Pacula, Jacobson, and Maksabedian 979). The Texas legislature is becoming more open to reform the marijuana law which is expected to make the use of the drug within Texas a less offense or a no offense particularly when its users adhere to the available policies that have been formulated to regulate its uses.

The comprehensive medical marijuana bill is one of the significant steps that has been made in forming the legal structure that will govern the uses of pot within the state. House Bill 2107 passed out of committee with 78 co-sponsors, which exceeds half of the Texas House but did not manage to clear the final hurdle of being planned for voting on the House floor. The past steps that have been made give indications that very soon there will be a clear framework over which the use of hemp will be covered. The near success of the HB 2107 in combination with the Compassionate Use Act that was formulated in 2005 which permits Texans with certain health conditions, for instance, intractable epilepsy to apply low THC cannabidiol oil (Babor et al. 13). The changes are signals of the willingness of the legislators to convert marijuana into a medicinal substance that will be availed for people who needs it within Texas. Currently, some businesses in Texas have been licensed to supply medicinal pot, and the plant is being grown legally in Texas.

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Two pending bills are still waiting for approval to change the classification of weed from being viewed as a harmful substance into something valuable. One of the laws that are on the table aims to decriminalize possession of small amounts of bhang while the other is designed to make utilization of marijuana in managing specific health conditions legal. The proposals have been gaining momentum within the recent months mainly because of the massive support from lobby groups and elected leaders. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, over 66,000 people were arrested in 2016 in Texas for having different quantities of pot. The implementation of the bill that legalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana will help in reducing such figures because many people are believed to have been arrested for possessing amounts that are within the recommended amounts. The plans to expand the application of the Compassionate Use Law aims at ensuring that the drug will have more uses rather than the current limited applications. At the moment, the act only permits the use of marijuana for people diagnosed with intractable epilepsy (Hall and Lynskey 1771). Only such people are allowed to use bhang that has low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol ingredient; however, there are plans to amend the law to incorporate more uses of pot. The bill will play a significant role, in changing the law to include other groups of patients like people who have cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism, chronic pain, Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions that need the effects of marijuana. The massive support that the bills are receiving from the Texans, and a majority of the Republican Party members gives hope that the acts will be approved to expand the uses of marijuana.

House Bill 63 and Senate Bill 156 intend to allow possessing a maximum of one ounce of cannabis and are change the criminal penalties that are currently used to punish people found in possession of the substance. The new sentence will replace the current one with a 250 USD or less which falls under Class B misdemeanor. According to the new proposals, people found in possession of three or more times will be liable for a fine of 500 USD or below under the Class C misdemeanor. The proposals, however, will not lessen criminal penalties for possession of large amounts of cannabis. Other bills that will have fundamental impacts on the legalization of marijuana in Texas include the House Bill 209 or Senate Bill 90, House Bill 551, and Senate Bill 116. The bills will have significant influences on the usages of hemp in the state because they will permit industrial production and research on weed within Texas (Williams, Van Ours, and Grossman 1211).

Pros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana in Texas

The discussions concerning whether marijuana should be legalized in Texas or not are mainly influenced by the purported advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of pot. The supporters of the bill cite several reasons that justify why weed is essential medically and economically. On the other hand, the group that is against the idea of ratifying cannabis in Texas base their concerns on the social and health challenges that the drug is capable of causing. As such, there are mixed opinions regarding granting autonomy to people who want to use pot for different purposes.

Several studies have proved the medicinal and economic benefits of marijuana and have recommended its legalization to capitalize on the purported benefits. The decriminalization of pot by Texas will give the state an opportunity to enjoy the full benefits. The widely cited advantages of marijuana are related to its medicinal functions. Research has identified weed as the most effective substance that can be used in the management of chronic pains caused by different illnesses like cancer. Besides, it is also useful in managing diseases that affect the mental health of a person. Despite the limited uses of cannabis and cannabinoids for medical purposes, it has been proved to be very effectual in the treatment of life-threatening diseases. Studies have also revealed that smoking pot helps to improve the functioning of the lungs. Bhang is also effective in treating depression because it has effects that help to improve mood. Multiple studies are also ongoing to uncover the full benefits that marijuana might have regarding the management of health conditions when it is used responsibly. Legalization of bhang will enable Texans to capitalize on the benefits of the drug majorly in managing chronic pain.

Decriminalization of marijuana in Texas will have significant economic benefits to Texans. Largescale production and usage of pot will raise a considerable amount of revenue for the state government. A 2017 report by the New Frontier Data; a marijuana data analytics estimated that legalization of weed will result in the generation of more than 130 billion USD in aggregate federal tax revenue. The money will help in developing the state after being channeled to different development projects like construction and development of essential amenities. Job creation is one of the direct benefits that will emanate from eliminating the restrictions attributed to using pot. The change that will promote freedom in the usage of hemp will create millions of jobs for the jobless Texans since the industry will provide an opportunity for farmers, processors, and suppliers. The fact that weed is currently recognized as a medical substance implies that taking advantage of being among pioneer states to process and supply medicinal marijuana will give Texas an opportunity to increase its revenue generation.

Marijuana-related offenses are among the most common causes of arrests and prosecution in Texas. Decriminalization of marijuana will help the state to save vast amounts of money used as law-enforcement expenses. Other than creating ways to generate revenue, ratification of cannabis usage will also help the state government to keep a substantial amount of money that would be spent on enforcing laws meant to regulate the use of marijuana. A report by the American Civil Liberties Union in 2013 suggested that the US uses around 3.6 billion USD annually for federal marijuana enforcement (Williams, Van Ours, and Grossman 1206). The figure implies that states will benefit directly from saving a considerable amount of money.

The associated disadvantages inspire campaigns against the legalization of marijuana. The addictive nature of the drug presents a major challenge for states that plan to legalize it. Marijuana is highly addictive because the mental system starts to depend exclusively on it to function well. The addiction to cannabis is demonstrated by how hard it is for users to stop using it — stopping bhang results in withdrawal symptoms like anxiety and irritability (Shi, Cummins, and Zhu 91). Because the body depends wholly on the drug to function well, addicts will start spending all their monies on purchasing marijuana since there will be restrictions in its usage and it might lead to poverty and other social challenges.

Cannabis is associated with violence and other behaviors like criminal activities. Decriminalization of weed under certain circumstances will create room for the abuse of the drug which will lead to increased incidents of violence and illegal activities. Marijuana has adverse mental health problems on its users, and its ratification Texas will put many people at risk of developing the psychological difficulties that compromise their ability to think and behave healthily (Hall and Lynskey 1769). A major disadvantage attributed to the medicinal use of cannabis and cannabinoids which has triggered the debates to legalize it is that most of the purported medical benefits are still under research and some of the applications are exaggerated.

Conclusion

The discussion about legalizing cannabis for diverse uses has gained momentum in Texas within recent years. Various bills have been proposed to change laws that affect the use of pot and the circumstances under which its possession and use becomes culpable. The rate at which the issue of decriminalizing bhang is gaining massive support in Texas indicates that the drug will soon have extensive uses rather than its contemporary limitations. Marijuana has both positive and negative effects, and the legalization process is highly dependent on the consideration of the pros and cons. Medicinal applications of weed is a common and major reason offered to justify the need to allow its uses. Besides, marijuana has several benefits to the economy if legalized. Apart from generating revenue and the creation of jobs for Texans, validation will also help in reducing the costs incurred through law enforcement processes used to regulate the abuse of weed. The state will benefit through the generation of money via different sources, mainly selling processed products from pot. Decriminalization is also associated with various shortfalls that threaten its authorization in Texas. Weed causes serious social problems like violence, criminal activities, and increasing susceptibility to abusing other dangerous drugs. Also, most of the purported medical benefits are still treated as assumptions because they are still under investigation and some of them could be embroidered.

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