Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.121 · Subchapter D. OFFENSES AND PENALTIES
OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF MARIHUANA.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) Except as authorized by this chapter, a person commits an offense if the person knowingly or intentionally possesses a usable quantity of marihuana.
(b) An offense under Subsection (a) is:
(1) a Class B misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana possessed is two ounces or less;
(2) a Class A misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana possessed is four ounces or less but more than two ounces;
(3) a state jail felony if the amount of marihuana possessed is five pounds or less but more than four ounces;
(4) a felony of the third degree if the amount of marihuana possessed is 50 pounds or less but more than 5 pounds;
(5) a felony of the second degree if the amount of marihuana possessed is 2,000 pounds or less but more than 50 pounds; and
(6) a felony of the first degree punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life or for a term of not more than 99 years or less than 5 years, and a fine not to exceed $50,000, if the amount of marihuana possessed is more than 2,000 pounds.
(c) It is a defense to prosecution for an offense punishable under Subsection (b)(1) or (2) that the actor:
(1) was the first person to request emergency medical assistance in response to the possible overdose of another person and:
(A) made the request for medical assistance during an ongoing medical emergency;
(B) remained on the scene until the medical assistance arrived; and
(C) cooperated with medical assistance and law enforcement personnel; or
(2) was the victim of a possible overdose for which emergency medical assistance was requested, by the actor or by another person, during an ongoing medical emergency.
(d) The defense to prosecution provided by Subsection (c) is not available if:
(1) at the time the request for emergency medical assistance was made:
(A) a peace officer was in the process of arresting the actor or executing a search warrant describing the actor or the place from which the request for medical assistance was made; or
(B) the actor is committing another offense, other than an offense punishable under Section 481.115(b), 481.1151(b)(1), 481.116(b), 481.1161(b)(1) or (2), 481.117(b), or 481.118(b), or an offense under Section 481.119(b), 481.125(a), 483.041(a), or 485.031(a);
(2) the actor has been previously convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication community supervision for an offense under this chapter or Chapter 483 or 485;
(3) the actor was acquitted in a previous proceeding in which the actor successfully established the defense under that subsection or Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c); or
(4) at any time during the 18-month period preceding the date of the commission of the instant offense, the actor requested emergency medical assistance in response to the possible overdose of the actor or another person.
(e) The defense to prosecution provided by Subsection (c) does not preclude the admission of evidence obtained by law enforcement resulting from the request for emergency medical assistance if that evidence pertains to an offense for which the defense described by Subsection (c) is not available.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 2.02, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.
Amended by:
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969), Sec. 25.105, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 808 (H.B. 1694), Sec. 9, eff. September 1, 2021.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 910 (H.B. 6), Sec. 16, eff. September 1, 2023.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.481.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 289361a9b7333f52f48a26252a0e2f805d3efd93fff389f512f240cb4b1585a3
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Health and Safety Code
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.115OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF SUBSTANCE IN PENALTY GROUP 1 OR 1-B.Printed as Section 481.115(b), 481.1151(b)(1), 481.116(b), 481.1161(b)(1) | Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.1151OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF SUBSTANCE IN PENALTY GROUP 1-A.Printed as Section 481.115(b), 481.1151(b)(1), 481.116(b), 481.1161(b)(1) | Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.116OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF SUBSTANCE IN PENALTY GROUP 2.Printed as Section 481.115(b), 481.1151(b)(1), 481.116(b), 481.1161(b)(1) | Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.1161OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF SUBSTANCE IN PENALTY GROUP 2-A.Printed as Section 481.115(b), 481.1151(b)(1), 481.116(b), 481.1161(b)(1) | Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.117OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF SUBSTANCE IN PENALTY GROUP 3.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.118OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF SUBSTANCE IN PENALTY GROUP 4.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.119OFFENSE: MANUFACTURE, DELIVERY, OR POSSESSION OF MISCELLANEOUS SUBSTANCES.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c) | Section 481.119(b), 481.125(a), 483.041(a), or 485.031(a)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.125OFFENSE: POSSESSION OR DELIVERY OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c) | Section 481.119(b), 481.125(a), 483.041(a), or 485.031(a)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code ch. 483DANGEROUS DRUGSPrinted as Chapter 483
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 483.041POSSESSION OF DANGEROUS DRUG.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c) | Section 481.119(b), 481.125(a), 483.041(a), or 485.031(a)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 485.031POSSESSION AND USE.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c) | Section 481.119(b), 481.125(a), 483.041(a), or 485.031(a)
Cited by 18 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.121. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Code of Criminal Procedure
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 14.06MUST TAKE OFFENDER BEFORE MAGISTRATE.Printed as Section 481.121, Health and Safety Code
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 42A.514COMMUNITY SUPERVISION FOR CERTAIN ALCOHOL OR DRUG RELATED OFFENSES.Printed as Section 481.115, 481.1151, 481.116, 481.1161, 481.117, 481.118, or 481.121, Health and Safety Code
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 42A.551PLACEMENT ON COMMUNITY SUPERVISION; EXECUTION OF SENTENCE.Printed as Section 481.115(b), 481.1151(b)(1), 481.116(b), 481.1161(b)(3), 481.121(b)(3), or 481.129(g)(1), Health and Safety Code | Section 481.121(b)(3), Health and Safety Code
Family Code
- Tex. Fam. Code § 53.03DEFERRED PROSECUTION.Printed as Section 481.115, 481.1151, 481.116, 481.1161, 481.117, 481.118, or 481.121, Health and Safety Code
- Tex. Fam. Code § 54.047ALCOHOL OR DRUG RELATED OFFENSE.Printed as Section 481.115, 481.1151, 481.116, 481.1161, 481.117, 481.118, or 481.121, Health and Safety Code
Health and Safety Code
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.111EXEMPTIONS.Printed as Section 481.113, 481.116, 481.1161, 481.121, or 481.125 | Sections 481.120, 481.121, 481.122, and 481.125
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.115OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF SUBSTANCE IN PENALTY GROUP 1 OR 1-B.Printed as Section 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.121(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.1151OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF SUBSTANCE IN PENALTY GROUP 1-A.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.121(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.116OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF SUBSTANCE IN PENALTY GROUP 2.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.121(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.1161OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF SUBSTANCE IN PENALTY GROUP 2-A.Printed as Section 481.115(b), 481.1151(b)(1), 481.116(b), 481.117(b), 481.118(b), or 481.121(b)(1) | Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.121(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.117OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF SUBSTANCE IN PENALTY GROUP 3.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.121(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.118OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF SUBSTANCE IN PENALTY GROUP 4.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.119(c), 481.121(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.119OFFENSE: MANUFACTURE, DELIVERY, OR POSSESSION OF MISCELLANEOUS SUBSTANCES.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.121(c), 481.125(g), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.125OFFENSE: POSSESSION OR DELIVERY OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.121(c), 483.041(e), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.126OFFENSE: ILLEGAL BARTER, EXPENDITURE, OR INVESTMENT.Printed as Section 481.121(a) | Section 481.121(b)(5)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.134DRUG-FREE ZONES.Printed as Section 481.112(b), 481.1121(b)(1), 481.113(b), 481.114(b), 481.115(b), 481.1151(b)(1), 481.116(b), 481.1161(b)(3), 481.120(b)(3), or 481.121(b)(3) | Section 481.117(b), 481.119(a), 481.120(b)(2), or 481.121(b)(2) | Section 481.118(b), 481.119(b), 481.120(b)(1), or 481.121(b)(1)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 483.041POSSESSION OF DANGEROUS DRUG.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.121(c), 481.125(g), or 485.031(c)
- Tex. Health & Safety Code § 485.031POSSESSION AND USE.Printed as Section 481.115(g), 481.1151(c), 481.116(f), 481.1161(c), 481.117(f), 481.118(f), 481.119(c), 481.121(c), 481.125(g), or 483.041(e)
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.