Intense controversy has followed the docile cannabis plant for over a hundred years, with almost little to no justifiable cause behind the unfair antagonism. Despite the severe lack of evidence, government legislation has grown increasingly tough on the possession of marijuana. The Lone Star State, known for its rigidity in upholding the law, is one of the worst places to get caught with grass; having two ounces or less can land you in the slammer for 180 days and a fine of up to $2000, even if it’s your first time.
The El Paso Chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) has been working to bring reform to Texas. Josh Dagda, Communications Director for El Paso NORML, keeps an open avenue of communication between marijuana reform lobbyists and El Paso’s elected officials like Representative Marisa Marquez, Senator Jose Rodriguez and Congressman Beto O’Rourke.
“Our politicians, more than any other politicians in Texas, are most supportive of reform because they have seen firsthand the violence that drugs have brought to the Borderlands.” Dagda says. The violence in Mexico stems from a drug war fueled by cartels fighting over the prized border territory & the last government tally listed over 45,000 deaths.
Once the colonists came to the New World from England, it was decreed by King James I that each colonist should grow 100 hemp plants for export. Hemp was used to pay taxes and in 1776 and pamphlets were distributed among the colonies that sought to establish hemp as America’s trademark product.
The rise of the Industrial Revolution would have turned cannabis into America’s most valuable cash crop, but it all came to an abrupt end with the passing of the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, HR 6305. The act was rife with controversy, racism and underhanded dealings between the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and industrial giants DuPont and Hearst, of who would stand to lose a considerable sum of their fortunes should marijuana had been allowed to proliferate.
With New Mexico, Colorado, California and Nevada all having made some changes in the way they treat users of marijuana, all eyes are on Texas to change its legislation. Representative Harold Dutton of Houston will bring HB 184 to the 2015 Texas legislature session, a bill that would lessen the penalties for possession of less than 2 oz. of cannabis. Another politician, Representative Elliott Naishtat from Austin will be pushing his conservative medical marijuana law in 2015. His bill, HB 594, would create a defense for patients using cannabis but would still give judges the choice to dismiss a possession charge or continue to prosecute.
“It’s not just a war on drugs, it’s a war on youth,” Dagda says, “many of these people being charged are young adults that are getting busted with a joint or maybe a few grams of pot; the current legislation is ruining their lives. These people might have applied for a scholarship or a grant to attend college to change their lives, but with a charge like possession on their record, they can’t.”
“1.5 million people are in jail on drug charges and over half of those people (750,000+) are there for marijuana related charges,” Dagda says, “90% of those 1.5 million people are in jail for possession alone, the other 10% are dealers, drug lords and the like.”
However the story plays out for Texas in 2015, the elephant in the room is that Federal legislation has not wavered on its stance towards cannabis legislation. In 2013, 18 members of Congress signed and delivered a letter to President Obama that urged him to remove marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. El Paso’s US Representative Beto O’Rourke was one of the Congressmen who signed the letter in support and also co-sponsored the ‘Ending Marijuana Prohibition Act’ bill written by Representative Jared Polis of Colorado, which would remove the DEA’s authority over states that have legalized cannabis.
If you support the reform of cannabis laws, you can become a part of Texas legislature history with El Paso NORML by attending their meetings and becoming a member. The chapter is involved with the community in a multitude of ways by lobbying to politicians, establishing community gardens, highway cleanups and educating the public about the benefits of cannabis.
El Paso NORML Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epnorml
Texas NORML: http://texasnorml.org/
Texas Cannabis Report: http://txcann.com/
PHOTOS BY: LUKE WIDAS
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