Eat More Vegetables

Does this make us look fat? Dallas trails much of nation in overall well-being

By most accounts, Dallas is a pretty fine place to live, work and play. But Gallup is bursting our big hair bubble with its Well-Being Index, which ranks the metropolitan area of Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington as No. 57 out of 189 places in America.

The Well-Being Index measures rates of diabetes, obesity, frequency of exercise and produce consumption, city optimism, and uninsured residents to create an overall well-being score on a scale of 100.

In a report released on March 26, Lincoln, Nebraska, took top honors for 2012 with an overall score of 72.8. Boulder, Colorado; Honolulu, Hawaii; Ann Arbor, Michigan; and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, California, also cracked the top 10. Austin-Round Rock scored the highest of all Texas areas, coming in at No. 33 with an overall score of 68.9.

Dallas scored 67.9 with 9.5 percent of residents suffering from diabetes and 26.7 percent from obesity. Twenty-four percent of residents lack health insurance. On the plus side, more than 50 percent of DFW-area residents exercise and eat produce frequently, and 68 percent are optimistic about their city.

Dallas has improved in most categories since 2010, including overall well-being, city optimism and frequent exercise. Obesity, however, rose slightly from 25.8 percent of residents in 2010 to 26.7 percent in 2012.

Houston ranks No. 75 on the list with an overall well-being score of 67.6. But Austin, Dallas and Houston all enjoy a higher-than-average rate of well-being. The national average score on the index is 66.7.

unspecified

Weed News

Texas Rep. Jessica González of Dallas files bill to legalize marijuana

Redheaded Blackbelt

undefined

Texas Rep. Jessica González of Dallas has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

politics marijuana