In 2023, the question of whether cannabis is legal in Texas remains a highly debated issue. Despite numerous states across the United States legalizing cannabis in recent years, Texas has remained cautious. Currently, cannabis use and sales are still prohibited in Texas, but there have been some recent discussions and developments suggesting that this attitude may change.
According to Texas government documents, cannabis is illegal. In 2019, Texas passed a bill legalizing the use of cannabis for treating rare diseases. However, the practical implementation of this bill has been very limited, with only a few patients legally allowed to use cannabis. Furthermore, the bill still prohibits individuals from growing, manufacturing, or selling cannabis.
Recently, there have been discussions within the Texas government exploring the possibility of legalizing cannabis. Politicians, doctors, and entrepreneurs have all been calling on the state government to consider the benefits of legalizing cannabis, such as increasing tax revenue, reducing incarceration rates, promoting medical research, and creating job opportunities. Additionally, as attitudes towards cannabis continue to shift globally, the political climate in Texas is also changing, making the possibility of cannabis legalization increasingly likely.
While cannabis use and sales are still prohibited in Texas, there is a possibility that this may change. Political, economic, and social factors are all pushing Texas to reconsider the issue of cannabis legalization. Therefore, it is important to closely monitor developments within the Texas government to stay up-to-date on this issue.
Table of the years when marijuana was legalized in the United States
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State | Recreational | Year legalized (Rec) | Medical | Year legalized (Med) |
California | Yes | 2016 | Yes | 1996 |
Alaska | Yes | 2014 | Yes | 1998 |
Nevada | Yes | 2016 | Yes | 1998 |
Oregon | Yes | 2014 | Yes | 1998 |
Washington | Yes | 2012 | Yes | 1998 |
Maine | Yes | 2016 | Yes | 1999 |
Colorado | Yes | 2012 | Yes | 2000 |
Hawaii | No | Yes | 2000 | |
Montana | Yes | 2020 | Yes | 2004 |
Vermont | Yes | 2020 | Yes | 2004 |
Rhode Island | Yes | 2022 | Yes | 2006 |
New Mexico | Yes | 2021 | Yes | 2007 |
Michigan | Yes | 2018 | Yes | 2008 |
Arizona | Yes | 2020 | Yes | 2010 |
New Jersey | Yes | 2020 | Yes | 2010 |
Delaware | Yes | 2023 | Yes | 2011 |
Connecticut | Yes | 2021 | Yes | 2012 |
Massachusetts | Yes | 2016 | Yes | 2012 |
Illinois | Yes | 2019 | Yes | 2013 |
Maryland | Yes | 2022 | Yes | 2013 |
New Hampshire | No | Yes | 2013 | |
Minnesota | No | Yes | 2014 | |
New York | Yes | 2021 | Yes | 2014 |
Georgia | No | Yes | 2015 | |
Louisiana | No | Yes | 2015 | |
Arkansas | No | Yes | 2016 | |
Florida | No | Yes | 2016 | |
North Dakota | No | Yes | 2016 | |
Ohio | No | Yes | 2016 | |
Pennsylvania | No | Yes | 2016 | |
Iowa | No | Yes | 2017 | |
West Virginia | No | Yes | 2017 | |
Missouri | Yes | 2022 | Yes | 2018 |
Oklahoma | No | Yes | 2018 | |
Utah | No | Yes | 2018 | |
Mississippi | No | Yes | 2022 | |
South Dakota | No | Yes | 2020 | |
Virginia | Yes | 2021 | Yes | 2020 |
Alabama | No | Yes | 2021 | |
Idaho | No | No | ||
Indiana | No | No | ||
Kansas | No | No | ||
Kentucky | No | Yes | 2023 | |
Nebraska | No | No | ||
North Carolina | No | No | ||
South Carolina | No | No | ||
Tennessee | No | No | ||
Texas | No | No | ||
Wisconsin | No | No | ||
Wyoming | No | No | ||
District of Columbia | Yes | 2015 | Yes | 2011 |
The above does not include states that have only legalized CBD oil.