A Recent Poll Reveals that 82% of Texans Support the Legalization of Medical Marijuana!
According to a poll issued on Thursday by the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston, a majority of Texans believe that medical marijuana should be allowed in the state.
According to the survey, the vast majority (82%) of Texans are in favor of the state legislature legalizing medical marijuana. Additionally, 56% of the population is in favor of using cannabis for medical purposes.
Findings were similar when breaking down the results by gender, race, or political party: 85% of Latinx, 83% of Black, and 80% of white Texans surveyed support it; 83% of women and 80% of males are in favor; 93% of Democrats, 79% of independents, and 73% of Republicans support it.
Also, 81% of Texans support making a minor marijuana possession offense punishable by a fine no more severe than a traffic citation. In addition, 49% of respondents “strongly support” the decriminalization of marijuana in their state.
Even while 66% of Texans think legalization would be good for government income, many are worried that it will lead to more marijuana usage among young people.
Forty percent think that legalization would lead to more use of marijuana by those under the age of 21, fifteen percent think it would lead to less usage by those under 21, and forty-five percent think it would have no effect.
Thirty percent said legalization would make people more inclined to use other illegal substances, while thirty percent said it would make people less likely to do so, and forty percent said it would have no effect.
The survey was taken between January 9th and 19th.
There has been a rise in support for using marijuana for medical purposes. It has been legalized for medical use in 37 states and the District of Columbia, as reported by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller spoke out in favor of medical marijuana legalization last summer.
However, it will be an uphill battle again this session.
Possession of up to 2 ounces is currently a Class B misdemeanor in Texas, punishable by up to 180 days in prison and a fine of up to $2,000. More than 2 ounces carries a potential sentence of up to a year in prison, and 4 ounces constitutes a felony. Previous efforts to reduce criminal penalties in Texas have failed in the state legislature.
The Compassionate Use Program in Texas legalizes the medical use of cannabis and related drugs for Texans. The regulation was initially established in 2015 and was quite restricted, allowing for only minute amounts of THC (the psychoactive component of marijuana). A legislative expansion occurred a few years later.
Many supporters of the program are holding their breath in the hopes that expansion legislation will be passed by the legislature this year. At present, the program is restricted to Texans who have epilepsy, seizure disorders, MS, spasticity, ALS, autism, terminal cancer, or an incurable neurological condition.
The Texas Department of Public Safety oversees the Compassionate Use Program; currently, only three shops hold licenses to sell medical marijuana in the state.
