A court decision has struck down a city of Austin ordinance that decriminalized small amounts of marijuana. The 15th Court of Appeals found that the ordinance is preempted by state law and therefore cannot be enforced.

Similar measures had been gaining popularity in recent years, appearing on the ballots in Austin, San Marcos, Dallas and other Texas cities.

A state appeals court ruled that Austin’s voter-approved ordinance obstructed the enforcement of state drug laws. The court rejected a similar ordinance in San Marcos last week.