By now, the news has gotten out that Missouri and Maryland became the 20^th and 21^st states to legalize the recreational adult use of Marijuana. North Dakota, South Dakota, and Arkansas all saw their legalization election measures not pass.

The midterm elections in the U.S. were historical for 2022 and shocking for many on more than a few fronts. On top of it all were the unanticipated Senate and House results. Also, there were an interesting number of significant ballot measures passed on everything from abortion rights to cannabis legalization.

There were numerous significant, even if lesser known, ballot measures that passed, and each helped to end the exclusion and criminalization of Marijuana in the U.S.

There were five cities in Texas that voted to minimize punishing Marijuana possession. In Texas, recreational marijuana is illegal, with the drug itself being highly criminalized. The five cities — Denton, Elgin, Harker Heights, Killeen, and San Marcos — all voted for ballot measures that “largely prohibit local police officers from either arresting or citing people for Class A or Class B marijuana misdemeanors,” which was reported by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). With this passed measure, this is a huge triumph for these cities, in particular for Texas, as this win creates a confusing Marijuana policy structure.