In Texas, most types of THC are illegal. Marijuana certainly has not been legalized for recreational use. It’s a violation of state law for someone to possess marijuana products, grow plants themselves or purchase or sell marijuana.
However, in nearby New Mexico and Colorado, recreational marijuana is fully legal. People can simply buy it at dispensaries the same way someone would go to a party store and buy a case of beer or a bottle of wine.
Some Texas residents, then, may be tempted to drive across the border. Once they enter a legal state, as long as they’re 21 years old, they can purchase marijuana products. Does this mean that it’s then legal for them to return home to Texas?
This violates two laws
This is illegal at the state level. Just because marijuana products are legal in New Mexico doesn’t change the fact that they’re illegal in Texas. So, someone who purchased them on the other side of the border and then returned home with those products would still be violating Texas state laws, regardless of the original legality of their purchase.
The second law that this violates is at the federal level. Crossing state lines with marijuana products is illegal because marijuana remains banned at the federal level.
Facing drug charges
Issues like this can lead to drug charges, even for those who may have thought that they made a perfectly legal purchase. As marijuana laws shift and change across the country, it’s very important for people to understand their rights and all of their defense options if they are facing such charges.