The city is considering marijuana decriminalization, but voters will make the choice
A municipal initiative intended to decriminalize cannabis possession has recently been certified by officials in San Antonio, TX. As a result, residents will be able to express their position through a vote to be held on May 6.
After working hard, advocates who make up the group called Ground Game Texas were able to collect more than 37,000 signatures from municipal voters, enough to get the measure on the local ballot. Should the initiative receive the green light, local law enforcement would no longer have the authority to make low-level cannabis-related arrests.
Part of the document also states that police may not “consider the odor of marijuana or hemp as probable cause for any search or seizure.” The recent certification comes after other major Lone Star State cities such as Austin, San Marcos and Killeen also gave the thumbs up to similar ballot measures.
Andy Segovia, San Antonio’s city attorney, indicated that his office would likely refuse to enact the ordinance even if it were to gain sufficient voter support. He made it clear that local authorities do not have the legal authority to limit the enforcement of state drug laws.
“While these local advancements are important in mitigating harm on citizens and reprioritizing law enforcement time, they result in a patchwork of differing marijuana enforcement policies based on location,” said NORML’s State Policy Manager Jax James, who also serves as the Executive Director of Texas NORML. “It is time for lawmakers to take steps to enact statewide reforms that address Texas’ failed policy of cannabis prohibition.”