Texas Bill Would Nullify Marijuana Prohibition, Save State Almost a Quarter-Billion Dollars

House Bill 2165 (HB2165) is the bill for Texas' legalization of marijuana, or in better terms, it would make marijuana just as legal as any vegetable or plant grown in your garden. Texas isn't worried about federal interference as Colorado has seen little to none when it comes to the marijuana industry. Estimates currently show a savings of over $20 million in the first year of legalization alone.

“I don’t believe that when God made marijuana he made a mistake that government needs to fix,” Rep. Simpson said in a TribTalk op/ed that was published shortly after his legislation was introduced.

The fiscal note for the bill was released on April 8. It discusses various areas where the state would save significant funds by passing the bill.  This includes the thousands of people in the “criminal or juvenile justice system” each year, and a “reduced workload in local criminal courts and some reduction in expenses.”