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More than a dozen marijuana bills filed in Texas

Marijuana advocates are focusing their energy on two issues in particular: medical marijuana and eliminating criminal penalties for Texans caught with small amounts of the drug.

More than a dozen marijuana bills have already been filed on day one of the Texas legislative session.

Marijuana advocates are focusing their energy on two issues in particular. The first has to do with medical marijuana.

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In 2015, Texas passed the Compassionate Use Act, which legalized the use of low-THC cannabis oil to treat epilepsy.

The new proposals would significantly expand the list of qualifying medical conditions to include illnesses like cancer, autism, chronic pain and PTSD.

The other bill would eliminate criminal penalties for Texans caught with small amounts of the drug. Instead of a criminal penalty, offenders would pay a fine. The Harris County District Attorney has taken the same approach to marijuana law enforcement.

This is the third time the same lawmaker has sponsored the bill to decriminalize pot.

Because 33 states have now adopted medical marijuana programs and 10 have legalized some form of recreational use, marijuana advocates are more hopeful than ever 2019 could be their year in the Lone Star State.

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