Houston Voters Approve Lowest-Priority Marijuana Policy

Houston residents approved a measure making misdemeanor marijuana possession the city's lowest enforcement priority for police.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Law Enforcement

Houston Voters Approve Lowest-Priority Marijuana Policy

Live Poll

Should cities limit police arrests for minor marijuana possession?

Houston voters approved a measure 72-28 making misdemeanor marijuana possession the lowest possible enforcement priority for local police. The measure was placed on the ballot by the City Council after activists with Ground Game Texas submitted nearly 40,000 signatures.

Why it matters

The measure aims to carefully allocate scarce city resources and reduce the risk of discriminatory enforcement practices. It directs the city to support diversion options such as treatment referrals or community service as alternatives to arrest.

The measure passed by a 72-28 margin after nearly 40,000 signatures were submitted to place it on the ballot. State Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued to block similar local cannabis decriminalization laws in several Texas cities.

The players

Ground Game Texas

Ground Game Texas is an advocacy organization whose activists collected nearly 40,000 signatures to place the measure on the Houston ballot.

Ken Paxton

Ken Paxton is the Texas Attorney General who has sued to block enactment of local cannabis decriminalization laws in several Texas cities.

The details

The measure is part of the Houston Freedom Act, which also bans no-knock warrants in the city. Officers may still seize any substance they have probable cause to believe is marijuana, and the city must audit five years of misdemeanor marijuana enforcement with demographic breakdowns.

Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Houston voters approve the measure by a 72-28 margin.

Legal Context

Houston joins Austin, Denton, Elgin, Harker Heights, Killeen, and San Marcos in adopting voter-approved cannabis decriminalization measures. The state attorney general's lawsuits against these local laws set up a legal conflict over municipal authority in Texas.

Houston residents may see changes in how police handle misdemeanor marijuana possession arrests as the city implements the policy. The city must produce annual reports on enforcement outcomes for cannabis possession.

The takeaway

Voters in Houston have signaled support for shifting police resources away from low-level marijuana offenses. How the city implements the audit and reporting requirements will show whether enforcement changes match the measure's goals.