Painkills2, this one is for you! Lol!
According to High Times and The Guardian, El Paso law makers are pushing to legalize marijuana due to its proximity to Ciudad, Juárez. Ciudad, Juárez is about a 30-45 minute drive away.
The Guardian reported 44,000 pounds of marijuana were seized from the El Paso area last year. El Pasoans told The Guardian legalizing weed would harm the cartels’ income and take away a lot of their power.
“The cartels are bigger and stronger than they’ve ever been and what have we really done that’s thwarted their efforts? Nothing,” Justin Underwood, an El Paso attorney, told the Guardian. “I am of the opinion that human beings are going to do drugs, period. Human beings are going to drink alcohol. I accept these things as facts and as long as you have a demand you will always have a supply, no matter what.”
“I don’t know that it would reduce crime in El Paso, which is already the safest city in America—but it would help to reduce cartel crime in Mexico,” U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, explained. “Today, Mexican cartels enjoy billions of dollars in profits from U.S. drug sales, profits that go to hire young men and women, to buy politicians, police and judges, and allow some to commit crime with impunity.”
El Paso faces an uphill battle in the conservative state. Despite 11 cannabis-related bills that were introduced this year in the Texas legislature, the only one to pass was a restrictive bill legalizing certain cannabis oils to treat severe epilepsy.
Check it out, El Paso made High Times and The Guardian!
http://www.hightimes.com/read/texas-town-pushes-marijuana-legalization-combat-cartel-traffic
Life of an El Paso Woman 
Damn! I know there’s another El Paso besides here and Colorado. I think it’s in Illinois?
LikeLiked by 1 person
El Paso County, the second largest, with Denver on top. Just saw an article about them requesting disaster relief from FEMA. 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
So there’s an El Paso in Colorado too?
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re right, Mexican weed isn’t as good as from here. it’s a step in the right direction anyway. The reason they might consider it comes down to $ of course. Idk like the story said it’s conservative throughout here. Yeah they’ve been trying to get it legalized for sometime here. I think I’m excited because we were mentioned in High Times. Lol.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m sorry to say that legalizing cannabis in El Paso will not make too big of a dent in cartel business. Since 4 states have legalized and over 25 have medical cannabis laws, the cartels have already switched over to selling other drugs, like cheap heroin. (Everybody knows that Mexican bud is not as good as U.S.-grown.)
The benefits will be seen in less money spent on incarceration, an increase in taxes collected for the city, a decrease in alcohol use, and a decrease in the suicide rate.
http://www.krdo.com/news/suicide-rate-remains-high-in-el-paso-county/26872608
I’ve already read about people in Texas trying to find ways to get bud in New Mexico and Colorado, so there would also be a decrease in cross-border traffic of bud. But I think states like Texas will be some of the last to legalize, which is why I left.
Still… it’s exciting that the issue is in the news! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person