Legal marijuana sales are set to begin in Texas in July, as state lawmakers look to legalize recreational use and expand the use of medical marijuana.
The first sales will be legal in Texas from July 1, said State Sen. David Simpson, a Republican who is chairman of the state Senate’s Judiciary Committee.
The state is expected to have an estimated 1,500 to 1,600 dispensaries, said Chris Dutton, a spokeswoman for the Texas Association of Counties.
The new sales would be the first of their kind in the United States, and it is the first time the state has allowed retail sales of marijuana for recreational use, Mr. Simpson said.
Legal marijuana sales have been illegal in Texas since 2010, when voters approved a ballot measure that allowed adults to possess up to an ounce of pot.
The new law allows adults 21 and older to purchase up to six ounces of marijuana a month, which can be taxed at a 10 percent rate, and allows the sale of marijuana-infused products, including edibles and oils, to children.
A number of other states have approved recreational sales of pot, including Colorado, Washington and Alaska.
Legal pot sales will start in April.
