Could you please point me in the direction of the marijuana aisle, please?

Although it could be some years before we start seeing major retail chains, like Walmart, selling marijuana in the United States, this concept will likely become part of the central vein of big business once the federal government finally ends its ban on the drug. There is even a possibility that some retailers could get in at some basic level before Congress legalizes nationwide, and it looks like Whole Foods Market might be one of the first to jump into the game.

With the growing list of states that allow legal marijuana use and the many 2020 presidential hopefuls supporting marijuana legalization nationwide, avid smokers and occasional tokers alike are wondering where they’ll be able to legally purchase their pot.

After a failed attempt to pass a law expanding medical marijuana access in 2017, Texas state representative Eddie Lucio III has proposed a fresh attempt at growing access to cannabis to Texans with qualifying medical conditions.

Musician Willie Nelson just rolled out CBD-infused coffee to his cannabis line Willie's Reserve. The coffee is part of Nelson's new line of CBD products called Willie’s Remedy.

The organic, whole bean, CBD-infused coffee contains 5 milligrams of cannabidiol per 8-ounce cup.

“It’s two of my favorites, together in the perfect combination,” Nelson said of his new addition. “Like coffee, cannabis is a plant that works for me.”

Hemp is high in cannabidiol (CBD) and has only trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive compound of the cannabis plant that creates the high.

The Dallas-based high-fashion retailer Neiman Marcus is the latest in a line of established luxury brands taking the plunge into the cannabis beauty trend, writes Calvin Hughes. 
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CBD is quickly becoming one of the biggest trends in upscale beauty products. The non-intoxicating cannabis extract can now be found in just about any skin-care product you can think of and is often marketed for its ability to relieve stress and pain without getting you high. Now shoppers can find CBD-infused cosmetics at luxury department store chain Neiman Marcus.

Even without legal marijuana, Texas continues to attract cannabis-related businesses. But the latest addition, NX Uranium Inc., has an odd twist.

The Baton Rouge, La.-based uranium mining company replaced its executives and is moving to Addison to operate a marijuana dispensary business in southern Oregon. The announcement, which was made last week, provided few details about the company's transformation and relocation.

When the Texas legislature goes into session on Jan. 8, the legalization of medical marijuana is certain to be a hot-button issue.

Noting that it is already legal in 33 states and the District of Columbia, Sen. Jose Menendez says the time has come for Texas to make its use legal here.

“Why are we making people either criminals or forcing them to leave the state of Texas?” Menendez asked. “In every state that surrounds Texas, you can access medical marijuana.”

The only exception in Texas is the Texas Compassionate Use Program, or “T-CUP,” which allows only patients with intractable epilepsy to receive low doses of medical marijuana.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is urging Congress to legalize industrial hemp.

The effort is one of the many provisions contained within the U.S. Farm Bill, and Miller believes it could greatly benefit Texas farmers.

“It’s more of an alternative crop. It gives the farmers one more tool to make their financial decisions. It would be great for crop rotation,” Miller said.

Miller said because of its low THC content, you can’t get high from hemp and the bill would not allow for commercial marijuana to be grown in Texas.

State Rep. Joe Moody, a Democrat from El Paso, introduced a bill on Monday to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana in the Texas House of Representatives. The measure, House Bill 63, was submitted by Moody on the first day of the pre-filing period for the 2019 legislative session.

If passed, “a person who knowingly or intentionally possesses a usable quantity of marihuana [sic] in an amount that is one ounce or less does not commit an offense but is liable to the state for a civil penalty not to exceed $250,” according to the text of the bill.

Marijuana and drug legalization is turning into a red-hot issue in Texas’s red-hot U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger Congressman Beto O’Rourke.

A piece on the Marijuana Moment website by Kyle Jaeger sketches out how pot (and other drug) legalization is increasingly shaping the race.

O’Rourke has made marijuana legalization a major plank in his campaign platform. He wants to end marijuana prohibition at the federal level. He also supports expunging the criminal records of people who have been convicted of non-violent marijuana offenses.