Tennessee legislature compromises on low-THC medical cannabis oilPosted by MMP News AuthorOn May 4, 2021

After narrowly failing to pass a wider-ranging medical cannabis decriminalization bill, advocates for the legislation have struck an agreement with opponents in the Tennessee legislature for a watered down version.

The bill flew through six specially called House committees and a Senate committee Tuesday, one of the final days of the legislative session, after members from both chambers who were for and against an earlier measure reached a deal.

It narrowly passed the Senate on a vote of 20-12, with some members who voted against arguing the legislation did not go far enough. Others remained strictly opposed to any form of marijuana legalization. The House is expected to take up the bill on Wednesday.

The legislature is creating a commission — the nine members of which will be appointed by the House and Senate speakers and Gov. Bill Lee — to study the legalization of medical marijuana ahead of the federal government reclassifying marijuana on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s drug schedule.

After narrowly failing to pass a wider-ranging medical cannabis decriminalization bill, advocates for the legislation have struck an agreement with opponents in the Tennessee legislature for a watered down version.

The bill flew through six specially called House committees and a Senate committee Tuesday, one of the final days of the legislative session, after members from both chambers who were for and against an earlier measure reached a deal.

It narrowly passed the Senate on a vote of 20-12, with some members who voted against arguing the legislation did not go far enough. Others remained strictly opposed to any form of marijuana legalization. The House is expected to take up the bill on Wednesday.

The legislature is creating a commission — the nine members of which will be appointed by the House and Senate speakers and Gov. Bill Lee — to study the legalization of medical marijuana ahead of the federal government reclassifying marijuana on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s drug schedule.