As Dallasites Fight to put Marijuana Decriminalization on the Ballot, the Broader Political Battle Begins

Texas nonprofit progressive organization Ground Game has already gathered thousands of signatures for a petition to adopt a ballot initiative to put marijuana decriminalization to a vote in the November election.& Decriminalization of marijuana has been a popular topic of discussion. But as the country at large has taken an increasingly moderate-to-progressive stance in recent years, legislation softening restrictions on weed in Texas has become much more likely to pass. While pursuing charges for possessing low amounts of marijuana has become a low priority for Dallas Police Department, Black and Brown Dallasites are still more likely to be arrested than white counterparts. Black folks are vastly overrepresented in statistics, making up 69% of all low-level arrests. CBD dispensary The Weed Spot has hosted in-person petition signings for the Dallas Freedom Act of 2024. Photo Credit: Sam Judy The petition for the Dallas Freedom Act, which currently has several thousand signatures of the required 35,000, has been steadily rising as organizers work to notarize and assist Dallas residents sign in-person at various events. Ground Game has also held in-person signing days at CBD shops such as Weed Spot in Deep Ellum and the Bishop Arts District. “We have a team of...