Two bills are wrestling over whether Tennessee will have immediate or postponed legalization of medical marijuana. The two bills – the Tennessee Medical Cannabis Act and the proposal to establish a medical cannabis commission – pose a direct challenge to one another. The former would outright legalize medical marijuana, enacting an entirely new chapter within the Tennessee Code under Title 68: Health, Safety and Environmental Protection. If passed, Tennessee would join 36 states in legalizing cannabis for medical purposes.
The latter would pump the brakes on the momentum sought by the former. Instead, the bill would establish a commission reviewing federal and state laws on the subject, and would provide that no medical cannabis program be enacted by the state until the federal government removes marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. The commission would publish annual reports and recommendations, beginning next year and continuing indefinitely – that is, until the federal government adjusts marijuana on its controlled substances list.
The Tennessee Medical Cannabis Act was introduced by State Representative Iris Rudder (R-Winchester)Â early last month. The bill has been assigned to the Health Subcommittee for review. Its companion bill was introduced by State Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma), and will face a hearing before the Senate Government Operations Committee on Wednesday.
As reported previously by The Tennessee Star, Bowling shared that she’d been opposed to medical cannabis until she’d discovered research within the last ten years that enlightened her on the subject. She credited that change of mind to introducing legislation adopted by the General Assembly repealing the Intractable Pain Act of 2001, which gave legal standing for opioid pill mills. She stated that medical marijuana provides a safer alternative to opioids.
The medical cannabis commission bill was introduced in January by State Senator Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin). It received a companion bill at the beginning of last month, introduced by State Representative Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro). The Senate version is scheduled to appear before the Senate Government Operations Committee on Wednesday. The House version has been assigned to the Health Subcommittee.
The sponsors for both bills didn’t respond to request for comment by press time.
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Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and the Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].
There are plenty of negatives in permitting legalized weed.
Unfortunately, none of the negatives are worse than what we are facing now.
The sanctimonious anti cannabis, anti moral relativism crowd has had their way on this and it has not worked. It has wasted untold taxpayer resources and soon we will be surrounded by states siphoning off valuable sales tax revenue.
Time to put on the big boy pants and focus on what is really dangerous about it and address those issues.
We all know the “rig”. First, legalize marijuana to set up “infrastructure” (the Store), Next, legalize “recreational marijuana” that sells out of the “infrastructure” stores. As the testimonies of the folks above tell about Washington State, How about California and Colorado, they, too, started down this “slippery slope” that leads to the destruction of the souls of men. This State Sanctioned wickedness has produced misery and decay in society. DON’T DO IT. For God & Country
There is no support for legal dope in Tennessee except from those hooked on it, and dope suppliers including the Drug Cartels who have peopl3 in Tennessee,all those who want to make a dollar peddling it.! We do not want dope legalized in Tennessee ! Legislators who vote for it will not be reelected !
TN is second only to WV for narcotics abuse and overdose. TN Tylenol is Lortab/Oxycodone. Everyone and their mother is addicted to it here. Cannabis is far safer. Come work a shift at the Hospital with me and witness for yourself.
People like you need to do research, you have no clue to what you are talking about. Further more you don’t speak for everyone in Tennessee I am not hooked on any drugs and marijuana is not addictive, and I would rather take something natural for pain than take man made chemically produced meds.
I lived in Washington staye..1stvtheyblegalized for use in homes or on private property. Now its used everywhere. On the streets, on the roads, at bars and pubs. It also brought in open use of herion and meth..
Don’t do it..
I have been a bedside Registered Nurse for 22 years; ER, ICU, Radiology, Endo, Cardiology etc.. Never once have I seen anyone admitted to the hospital for acute or chronic ingestation of Cannabis. Alcohol, Tobacco, Prescription Drugs? All day long. Cannabis has been used as holistic medicine for thousands of years. Unfortunately you can’t get a patent and registered trademark on it. FY: Tennessee is second only to West Virginia for Narcotics abuse and overdose.
Used to live in Washington State , the entire place turned into one giant dope pit! Not only that, but it also brought out all the heroin and meth users! Walk downtown Seattle and youll see hard drugs being used everywhere…It follows the legalization of pot.I watched it happen. If they strictly enforced the rules on use, that might be ok, but its like a bursting dam..Theyll just start looking the other way..its impossible to enforce.
Exactly. However, the anti cannabis people are firmly entrenched in Tennessee. I think we’ll be the very last state to legalize it.
Cannoneer2 – Don’t bet your life on the legislators protecting us from this. There is too much tax money involved. Follow the money.