Bipartisan Tennessee Lawmakers Push For State-Level Marijuana Reform Following Trump’s Federal Rescheduling Move

*“Our marijuana laws are stuck in the dark ages–overly punitive, out of
step with our neighbors and holding our state back.”*

*By Sam Stockard, Tennessee Lookout*

Tennessee lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for new
marijuana laws following President Donald Trump’s executive order to loosen
cannabis restrictions.

Democratic Sen. London Lamar of Memphis and Republican Rep. Jeremy Faison
of Cosby in East Tennessee both said they believe the state needs reform
after the president ordered the reclassification of marijuana to Schedule
III from Schedule I on the Federal Drug Administration’s list of controlled
substances, an indication it has medicinal value but still could be abused.

Tennessee is one of 10 states that restricts medicinal and recreational
marijuana while 22 other states have legalized some form of recreational
use.

Democratic Sen. London Lamar of Memphis said Tennessee lawmakers should
take note of the federal move and pass new laws for medical use,
decriminalization or legalization.

“Our marijuana laws are stuck in the dark ages–overly punitive, out of step
with our neighbors and holding our state back,” Lamar, chairman of the
Senate Democratic Caucus, said in a statement.

The state should support medical research of cannabis for treatment of
patients who would choose it for pain medication over dangerous opioids,
she said.

Lamar added that the state also should stop wasting money incarcerating
people for marijuana violations and divert those funds to roads, schools
and healthcare.

Faison, who previously pushed passage of medical marijuana laws, said the
federal government never had a “sound justification for a naturally
occurring plant” to be classified as a Schedule I drug. That made it
comparable to heroin, LSD and Ecstasy.

Nor did the federal government have a “solid basis to dictate” cannabis
regulations to states, Faison said, adding the change brings a “safer, more
practical” approach.

“I truly hope that this fosters medical research that either debunks what
many sick Americans have testified to or provides the evidence and
foundation showing that cannabis is safer than opioids and other
man-altered substances,” said Faison, chairman of the House Republican
Caucus.

But while the federal change is drawing bipartisan backing for new laws in
Tennessee, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally said he has “no interest” in changing how
the state schedules marijuana.

McNally, an Oak Ridge Republican, pointed out that Schedule III drugs
remain tightly regulated and can be dispensed only by a pharmacist at a
doctor’s direction, usually for short-term use. He added that recommended
dosages would have to be established and new rules set up for dispensing
medical cannabis.

“While the federal change does allow easier study and testing of the drug,
I have no interest in changing how we schedule marijuana in Tennessee. In
my mind it remains a dangerous drug with little demonstrated medicinal
efficacy,” said McNally, who is also speaker of the Senate.

Tennessee lawmakers who sought to pass medical marijuana laws previously
ran into opposition from McNally, who said he couldn’t support a change
because of the federal government’s Schedule I classification of cannabis.

*This story was first published by Tennessee Lookout.*

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