In Texas, one arrest for possession of marijuana costs the taxpayer $2,000, takes the police officer off the street for about three hours, and fills a space in an already overcrowded jail system for at least one night. However, once House Bill 2391 goes into effect on September 1st, you'll no longer get immediately carted off to jail—it's now up to the officer's discretion to cite individuals found in possession of four ounces (a quarter-pound) or less of marijuana.

In Texas, marijuana possession charges account for about 7% of all arrests. HB 2391 is estimated to save the state's five largest cities over $1 million per year.

Published as a money-saving effort more than anything else, HB 2391 doesn't just cover marijuana—it essentially leaves the door wide open for all sorts of drunken fun, lightening the load on several other misdemeanor offenses like driving with an invalid license, leaving graffiti, and indulging in criminal mischief where the damage is less than $500.

In a state where 5% of the adult population is under some sort of criminal justice supervision, many are hailing this as a step toward concentrating on more serious offenses, making some room in Texas prisons and taking the strain off the boys in blue. Surprisingly enough, this bill was unanimously voted through the Texas legislature (authored by a Republican, Jerry Madden), signed by Governor Rick Perry (back on June 15), and backed by almost all major police forces in the state.

Word of advice: if you're going to San Antonio, you might want to leave your stash at home, as they're not keen on observing this new law.

For more on the official bill, take a long draw of that hash pipe and click here.