On a day of municipal elections and legal alcohol consumption at Cinco De Mayo events, local marijuana reform advocates marched to the Lubbock County Courthouse.

Members of Hub City NORML marched from 18th Street and Avenue Q to the courthouse, where they gathered to take a picture with an alternative Texas flag - a marijuana leaf replacing the star.

Lubbock's first Global Marijuana March - an annual rally where numerous cities host events - drew about 15 people, including local Libertarian activist Kerry McKennon.

NORML is an organization whose mission is to move public opinion "to legalize the responsible use of marijuana by adults," according to NORML's website.

The group wanted to raise awareness Saturday and call attention to marijuana reform, said Jake Syma, communications officer for the group.

They welcome any kind of reform such as decriminalization, legalization or allowing the medicinal use of marijuana, he said.

"Any step is a good step," said Yvette Nichols, who coordinates events with NORML.

Cities don't have to wait for national or state reform, Syma said.

Lubbock should look to Harris County as a model, said Larry Walden, executive director.

In Harris County, home of Houston, first-time offenders busted on a small possession charge are offered to be placed in a pretrial intervention program, where they can do community service, but will not have a criminal record after the program, he said.

Texas stands to make economic gains from legalization, said Syma. Colorado's legalization added to that state's economy, and Texas is much larger than Colorado, he said.

Colorado raked in $700 million in 2014, according to Christopher Ingraham in the Washington Post.

All three spokespersons for NRML agreed incarceration isn't a good solution to marijuana usage, although they varied slightly on the role of rehabilitation.

"It's a health concern, not a judicial concern," Walden said.

It can be more expensive to use a rehabilitation center than house someone in jail, at least for the short term, said Nichols. But, he said, a jail record can cause harm in a person's future employability.

Not all rehab facilities are up to date, said Walden, as he's seen 1980s literature and films being used in centers.

Hub City NORML meets about once a month at Schlotzky's, said Nichols. The group is also active in community service, helping to feed people at Tent City and the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen. Those interested in marijuana reform or the Hub City NORML group can find more at: http://norml.org/tx/item/hub-city-norml

jordan.sigler@lubbockonline.com

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