Legalizing Medical Marijuana in Tennessee
Tennessee voters overwhelmingly support medical marijuana legalization, and Tennessee lawmakers are working hard to make it happen! Several pieces of legislation are currently under consideration.
A bipartisan bill to study licensing and regulation of medical marijuana in the state is the latest—which is a signal that Tennessee is serious about taking on the responsibility of medical marijuana legalization.
Under this bill, the Tennessee Department of Health will study the licensing of cannabis for medical use, which would be regulated by the state’s department of health and medical licensing boards.
The bill joins a list of existing marijuana proposals in the state regarding medical use and decriminalization. The Tennessee Medical Cannabis Act, for example, would legalize medical cannabis and has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Earlier in March 2021, the Tennessee Medical Cannabis Act was moving forward. This bill would legalize and regulate medical marijuana, allowing licensed providers to cultivate marijuana, transport marijuana, and sell marijuana to dispensaries.
What are the qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in Tennessee?
If this bill is passed, the qualifying medical conditions will be as follows:
Cancer
Glaucoma
Epilepsy
HIV/AIDS
Crohn's disease
Multiple sclerosis
Opioid addiction
Renal failure
Severe nausea or chronic pain
Any medical condition producing cachexia, persistent muscle spasm, or seizures
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Chronic radiculopathy
Severe psoriasis
Post-laminectomy syndrome
Psoriatic arthritis
Cerebral palsy
Cystic fibrosis
Complex pain syndrome, including trigeminal neuralgia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Parkinson's disease
End-of-life pain management or palliative care
Traumatic brain injury
Tourette syndrome
Autism spectrum disorder
Fibromyalgia
Sickle cell anemia
The following conditions if the patient is younger than eighteen (18) years of age:
Osteogenesis imperfecta; and
Muscular dystrophy
Terminal conditions; and
Any additional conditions approved by the commission pursuant to rulemaking
This bill has been brought to the Senate Judiciary Committee, so we are hopeful that it will be passed soon. We will keep our website updated as new information comes out, and we can’t wait to see you for an evaluation to get your Tennessee marijuana card soon!
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