Report: Houston Cannabis Arrests Up Nearly 1200% Under Current Mayor
- Arrest rates for misdemeanor cannabis possession in Houston have increased nearly 1,200% under Mayor John Whitmire, with an average of 440 arrests per year compared to about 35 per year from 2021-2023.
- A new initiative on the November ballot, backed by the advocacy group Ground Game Texas, seeks to make cannabis possession the lowest enforcement priority for Houston police.
- Ground Game Texas executive director Catina Voellinger said the surge in arrests strengthens the argument for changing cannabis enforcement policies.
- If approved, Houston would join other Texas cities like Austin, Dallas, and Killeen in implementing local cannabis enforcement reforms.
Arrest rates for misdemeanor cannabis possession have spiked nearly 1,200% under Mayor John Whitmire (D), according to a Houston Public Media report.
Data from a public records request revealed that under Mayor Whitmire, Houston police have arrested on average 440 people per year for low-level cannabis possession. Meanwhile, there were only about 35 misdemeanor cannabis arrests per year from 2021-2023.
The revelation comes as Houston voters are set to consider an initiative that would make cannabis possession the lowest possible enforcement priority for local police. Submitted by the advocacy group Ground Game Texas, the petition qualified for November’s ballot with over 40,000 signatures.
Catina Voellinger, executive director for Ground Game Texas, told Houston Public Media that the recent spike in cannabis arrests “just makes the case even stronger of why we need these policies.”
Meanwhile, Whitmire said last month that the enforcement of low-level cannabis possession is not a priority.
If voters approve the initiative, Houston would join several other Texas cities with local cannabis enforcement reforms, including Austin, Dallas, and Killeen.