Why Selling Your Eye In Texas Is Not The Solution To Financial Woes

Many of us are experiencing tough financial times. The price of groceries is insane, and our paychecks don't seem to go nearly as far these days. It's understandable if you're considering taking drastic measures to keep the bank account in the black. However, if you're in Texas, don't get too entrepreneurial. We all have something very illegal to sell in the Lone Star State.

 What Is Texas Penal Code Section 48.02?

Tucked away in the Texas Penal Code, there's a section devoted to the selling of something that we all have. Section 48.02 is the legendary part of the Texas Penal Code that makes it illegal for you to sell your eyes in the Lone Star State. If you were thinking about life with a voluntary eyepatch, you might want to wait a second.

Section 48.02 isn't just limited to eyes. It's illegal to sell any of your organs or body parts for financial gain in Texas. So if you're looking at your bank account and trying to decide just how much you would miss a kidney, stop. You won't see a dime, and you could spend some time in jail. The punishment could be a fine of $4,000 and/or a year in jail, and you'll have a Class A misdemeanor on your record.

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A fine, some jail time, and going without ever being able to watch a 3D ever again doesn't seem worth it to me. But that's just me.

Why Is It Illegal To Sell Your Body Parts In Texas?

Why was selling your body parts so important to legislate in Texas? Section 48.02 of the Texas Penal Code originally went into effect in 1985. It makes you wonder what was happening in the Lone Star State in the early 80s. Was the human organ black market really that big of an issue? It must have been.

Section 48.02 is designed to stop the "exploitation of human body parts". I remember hearing stories growing up about people waking up in a bathtub full of ice missing a kidney. Maybe that's what inspired Section 48.02.

Not only is it illegal to sell your body parts, or body parts in general, but it's also illegal to purchase body parts in Texas. So if you were thinking of starting an eye or kidney flipping side hustle in the Lone Star State; you're once again out of luck. Times are tough, and it looks like we'll have to come up with other solutions.