The war on drugs has been ongoing for decades. While it’s true that some substances are undeniably dangerous and life-destroying, the stance on cannabis has gradually softened in many parts of the United States. However, Texas continues to take a hardline approach, insisting that marijuana is entirely harmful and that no one should use it under any circumstances. With new laws further criminalizing the possession of cannabis, many Texans who rely on it to manage chronic pain have found themselves in distress, and in some cases, in legal trouble. Among them is the mother of Reddit user crazy_dev_studios, who recently shared their story in the r/texas subreddit.
Their 45-year-old mother, a lifelong Texan living with fibromyalgia, was charged with a felony after police found a small amount of weed in her car. Described by the user as a hardworking, tax-paying citizen who doesn’t drink, doesn’t cause trouble, and has lived in the state her entire life, she had simply been visiting a state park with her boyfriend to enjoy the scenery. Their driving pattern, going back and forth, apparently raised suspicion, and they were stopped by officers.
After detecting the smell of marijuana, police searched the car and discovered about an ounce of weed along with a vape. Despite using cannabis purely to manage her chronic condition, she now faces the crushing weight of Texas‘s outdated drug laws.
In their post, crazy_dev_studios voiced frustration and heartbreak over the situation, criticizing a system that penalizes people like their mother while often letting violent or white-collar criminals walk free. As their mother cried in the other room, the user shared how the incident shattered their sense of pride in being a Texan.
“This state is not free,” they wrote. “We have grown men in office afraid of a plant.” Though they don’t use cannabis themselves, the user expressed strong support for legalization, having seen firsthand how much it helped their mother and others suffering from chronic illness.
Many Redditors expressed sympathy for the Texas mother and voiced their disagreement with the state’s harsh stance on cannabis. One user commented, “Fifty years of the drug war and nothing to show for it but ruined lives. Hopefully the county your mom lives in has a diversion program.” Several users hoped she would get a good lawyer who could reduce the felony charge to a misdemeanor and preserve her clean record.
Others criticized the lawmakers behind Texas’s strict cannabis laws. One user remarked, “I was going to bring back some gummies from Arizona, but knowing I had to go through the checkpoint near Pecos, I decided against it. It’s so stupid. What frustrates me the most is that the people making these laws are my age and were getting high themselves back in the ’70s in high school.”
