Texas Marijuana Reform Bills Filed For Upcoming Session

I keep seeing posts online enthusiastic over the potential of this issue coming up in the legislature, a belief shared by a lot of optimistic folks. Given what's going on in Colorado they're thinking that this might have a shot especially considering there's a large budget hole which needs to be filled and a new source of revenue could do the trick. Certainly, an additional tax on a recently-legalized product would add money to the state coffers.

Yet will the legislators even consider allowing these bills to the floor? Considering the over-arching influence of some of our more conservative institutions, I say no.  Teachers and preachers, cops and docs, militant moms and doting dads, I can't see large coalitions of these types of voters rolling over and playing dead at the prospect of the youth of our community having a ready access to this substance.  Medical application is an entirely different discussion but even then I still believe there would be resistance given the cultural difference between those for and against legalization.

Also, will the spirits lobby, one of the most organized  Industry groups in the nation, simply look the other way? No they won't. They use their time and energies to fight any potential encroachment on to their territory.

I'll continue to monitor the situation but holding my breath is not part of it.