Tag Archives: marijuana

News flash: Dan Patrick does not support loosening marijuana laws

Posted on May 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

In other news, summer is hot and it sometimes floods in Houston. With less than two weeks left in Texas’ legislative session, medical marijuana advocates are ratcheting up pressure on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who they say is blocking an … Continue reading →

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Once again, bills to allow more gambling in Texas are dead

Posted on May 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Same as it ever was. A high-profile push by the gaming empire Las Vegas Sands to bring casinos to Texas appears doomed at the state Capitol as this year’s legislative session begins to wind down. Monday was the deadline for … Continue reading →

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The Texas cannabis industry sure is optimistic

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I remain more skeptical, at least of their short-term capacity. “I suspect if you grabbed a random person on the street and asked them if cannabis was legal in Texas, they would probably look at you like you’re crazy and … Continue reading →

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HempLicenseGate

Posted on May 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The headline on this Trib story is “Top political aide to Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller arrested in alleged scheme to take money in exchange for hemp licenses”, and I have no idea how to make it any pithier than … Continue reading →

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Houston police reform items announced

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a start. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Thursday unveiled a sweeping effort to reform policing in Houston by banning no-knock warrants for non-violent offenses, restructuring the police oversight board, publicly releasing body camera footage when officers injure or kill residents, … Continue reading →

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UH Hobby School poll: Popular things are popular

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

That’t the main takeaway here. More than two-thirds of Texans support raising some new taxes and using the state’s rainy day fund to patch budget shortfalls from the pandemic, according to a new survey by the University of Houston’s Hobby … Continue reading →

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Here’s the official budget forecast

Posted on January 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

“Could be worse” remains the watchword. Texas lawmakers will enter the legislative session this week with an estimated $112.5 billion available to allocate for general purpose spending in the next two-year state budget, a number that’s down slightly from the … Continue reading →

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Time for our biennial hope for better pot laws

Posted on January 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t get your hopes too high. (Sorry, not sorry.) Five years after Texas legalized medical marijuana for people with debilitating illnesses, advocates and industry experts say the state’s strict rules, red tape and burdensome barriers to entry have left the … Continue reading →

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One possible path for police reform in the Lege

Posted on December 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Keep an eye on this. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, which oversees licensing of the state’s 102,000 police officers and jailers, could be in for a major overhaul, state officials hinted Monday morning. “This is the time to get … Continue reading →

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Why can’t we get our jail population down?

Posted on December 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I found this story from Thanksgiving weekend frustrating. Harris County’s efforts to reduce its jail population have flatlined, despite more than $7.5 million aimed at alleviating systemic burdens so that the county could attempt to reduce its inmates by a … Continue reading →

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State budget situation not quite as awful as feared

Posted on December 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Still bad, but could be worse. Despite “historic declines,” state lawmakers will have more money to work with in the upcoming legislative session than Comptroller Glenn Hegar expected over the summer, he said Monday. But Hegar did not outline specifics … Continue reading →

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There’s a raft of pro-pot bills that have been filed so far

Posted on November 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

And one formidable obstacle to them all, in the form of Lt. Gov. Dan “One Million Dollars!” Patrick. Texas lawmakers set a record with over 60 marijuana-related bills in 2019 — and this year, they’ve already introduced 11 measures that … Continue reading →

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Looking ahead to 2022

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing with the brain dumps, which are my post-election tradition. This is a collection of thoughts about the next big election, in 2022. As I said earlier, I take no position on the question of what effect the disparity in … Continue reading →

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Hemp lawsuit

Posted on August 13, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. New rules prohibiting the retail sale and distribution of “smokable” hemp products are unconstitutional, companies argue in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Travis County. When Texas legalized hemp last year, the legislation explicitly outlawed manufacturing … Continue reading →

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Let’s talk “meaningful reform”

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Chief Acevedo brought it up, so let’s go there. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo’s voice cracked several times and his eyes welled as he railed against the death of George Floyd beneath a policeman’s knee and implored protesters to demonstrate … Continue reading →

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It’s even harder to prosecute pot cases now

Posted on March 8, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Such a shame. What if lawmakers writing one of the most consequential laws to come out of last year’s legislative session, legalizing hemp in Texas, forgot to include a small, but crucial detail that could get your marijuana possession charges … Continue reading →

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The Observer overviews the DA primary

Posted on February 15, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

You’ve had a chance to listen to my interviews with DA candidates, now read this story for more on this important primary. When Kim Ogg first ran for Harris County district attorney, she had a simple pitch for criminal justice … Continue reading →

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Marijuana arrests stay down

Posted on January 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We really should view this as the new normal, and not a problem to be “fixed”. It’s been more than six months since Texas lawmakers legalized hemp and unintentionally disrupted marijuana prosecution across the state. Since then, the number of … Continue reading →

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Did the Lege sort of decriminalize marijuana?

Posted on July 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Well, sort of. Because of a new state law, prosecutors across Texas have dropped hundreds of low-level marijuana charges and have indicated they won’t pursue new ones without further testing. But the law didn’t decriminalize small amounts of marijuana for … Continue reading →

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Senate approves one medical marijuana bill

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

A pleasant surprise. Marijuana advocates were handed an unlikely victory Wednesday after the Texas Senate advanced a bill greatly expanding the list of debilitating medical conditions that can legally be treated by cannabis oil in the state. Although the upper … Continue reading →

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House passes two bills to expand medical marijuana use

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Bill Number One: The Texas House on Monday advanced a bill that would expand the list of debilitating conditions that allow Texans to legally use medical cannabis. House Bill 1365 would add Alzheimer’s, Crohn’s disease, muscular dystrophy, post-traumatic stress disorder, … Continue reading →

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House votes to ease up a bit on pot

Posted on May 1, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a small step forward, but it’s a step forward. After a brief discussion, the Texas House gave preliminary approval Monday to a bill that would reduce the penalties for low-level possession of marijuana — a move lauded as a … Continue reading →

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Senior stoners

Posted on April 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Makes a lot of sense, really. Most states now have legal medical marijuana, and 10 of them, including California, allow anyone 21 or older to use pot recreationally. The federal government still outlaws the drug even as acceptance increases. The … Continue reading →

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Marijuana diversions

Posted on April 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Good progress so far. What can we do to build on it? The Harris County District Attorney’s Office estimated on Friday that it’s saved $35 million and arrested 14,000 fewer people since the start of a program to divert low-level … Continue reading →

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How legal pot affects Texas

Posted on January 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It has many effects. In just two weeks in October, the legal landscape for marijuana use in North America changed dramatically. First, Canada opened sales of legalized pot for recreational use, and then Mexico’s high court delivered a definitive ruling … Continue reading →

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No cannabis for you

Posted on December 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck getting your hands on medical marijuana in Texas. It’s been about a year since the first legally grown marijuana plants were harvested in Texas for their medicinal oils. But since then, fewer than 600 patients have seen any … Continue reading →

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It’s bill-filing season

Posted on November 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Here are some highlights from Day One: House Bill 49, by Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, would get rid of daylight saving time in Texas. Some lawmakers have tried to do this in past sessions. House Bill 63, by Rep. … Continue reading →

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Have a Coke and a toke

Posted on September 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Dude. Aurora Cannabis Inc. led pot stocks higher after Coca-Cola Co. said it’s eyeing the cannabis drinks market, becoming the latest beverage company to tap into surging demand for marijuana products as traditional sales slow. Coca-Cola says it’s monitoring the … Continue reading →

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Pot versus Pete

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I love this story. Marijuana reform activists have created a new super PAC aimed exclusively at defeating Texas Republican Rep. Pete Sessions, the House Rules Committee chairman who has blocked cannabis reform legislation from reaching the House floor. Marijuana Policy … Continue reading →

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Beto and Ted

Posted on May 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

¡Dale! U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, has invited U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to participate in six debates with O’Rourke across Texas, two of them in Spanish, during their U.S. Senate race. O’Rourke campaign manager Jody Casey made the … Continue reading →

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Medical marijuana is now available in Texas

Posted on February 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

To a very limited number of people, and only under a very strict set of circumstances. Modern medicine has helped Laura Campbell’s 27-year-old daughter, Sierra, fight off many of her persistent seizures. At her peak, Sierra suffered from more than … Continue reading →

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A little concern trolling from the WSJ

Posted on November 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is a story that tries to stir up concerns about all those Democratic Congressional candidates spending money and energy running against each other in the primaries. I flagged it mostly because of the CD07 content at the end. In … Continue reading →

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More pre-trial diversion

Posted on October 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

DA Kim Ogg moves forward on more campaign promises. During a press conference Tuesday, Ogg laid out in broad strokes the policy recommendations written by the committees and emphasized that she is seeking participation from experts and Houston’s leaders. “We … Continue reading →

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More medical marijuana requested

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This was a pre-Harvey story. Medical cannabis companies and investors are calling on Gov. Greg Abbott’s office and the Department of Public Safety to approve more dispensary licenses beyond the three given provisional approval in May. In a pair of … Continue reading →

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