Texas cops could have stopped jailing people for pot six years ago (but haven’t)

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Toke of the Town.


Some day, in the very far distant future, Texas may take a cue from Colorado and legalize marijuana. For now, it’s taking some very hesitant first steps toward decriminalization, such as a proposal last legislative session reduce possession of an ounce or less of weed from a class B to a class C misdemeanor — basically a traffic ticket.
But police and prosecutors already have an option for keeping low-level marijuana offenders out of jail. In 2007, the Texas Legislature passed a law allowing police to implement a “cite and release” policy for marijuana possession and a handful of other class A and B misdemeanors like graffiti and driving without a license. More on this absurdity from the good people at the Dallas Observer.

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