Medical Marijuana: Tennessee Proposal Would Set Limits on Number of Grow Operations, Provide Money to Schools

NASHVILLE, TN — The Republican sponsors of a proposal to allow medical marijuana in Tennessee detailed their plan Wednesday at a Capitol Hill press conference, saying the bill would strictly limit the number of grow operations in the state and clearly delineating the conditions for which pot can be prescribed.

State Sen. Steve Dickerson, a Nashville doctor, and State Rep. Jeremy Faison, the Cosby lawmaker who has made trips to Colorado to research medical marijuana, laid out the plans for their bill, which they will officially submit for consideration before the General Assembly convenes next month.

"At its heart, I really do think this is a very Republican, conservative bill," Dickerson said. "I know that's a little counter-intuitive, but it gets the government out of our lives."

The bill will set a limit of 50 grow houses statewide, with each allowed to operate an on-site dispensary and two storefront dispensaries, for a total of 150 across Tennessee. The grow houses will be required to have security, including cameras, locks and security guards. Operations will be required to be licensed by the state departments of Agriculture, Safety and Health. Medical professionals with prescribing authority would have to get a special license to prescribe pot and patients will have purchase a special $35 card to buy doctor-recommended strains of marijuana, and would be required to use marijuana in their homes only.

Revenues generated by the drug would be distributed to various state departments and law enforcement groups:

• 20 percent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for "drug intervention"
• 10 percent to the Sheriffs Association for "drug training"
• 10 percent to the Police Chief Association for "drug training"
• 20 percent to the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
• 20 percent to K-12 education
• 20 percent to the Executive Branch

The initial list of conditions for which marijuana can be prescribed includes cancer, ALS, HIV/AIDS, post-traumatic stress disorder, seizures and Alzheimer's disease. Other conditions could be added on the recommendation of the Department of Health and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

Dickerson touted the potential for legal medical marijuana to help reduce the state's opioid epidemic after a study found that more opioid prescriptions in Tennessee are written than there are Tennesseans.

"I think there are significant anecdotes and some data that substantiate the proposition that medical cannabis will have a decrease on the consumption of opiates," Dickerson said.

The bill is considered to have a better chance of passing than past proposals. Polls show a majority of Tennesseans support medical marijuana and 28 other states have already given the OK for its use medically. In addition, the bill has Republican backing. Dickerson co-sponsored a medical marijuana bill in 2015 with Rep. Ryan Williams, who is now the chairman of the House Republican Caucus. But it's not a slam dunk. House Majority Leader Glen Casada is not sold on it and Rep. William Lamberth, a prosecutor by trade, is steadfastly against any weakening of drug laws.

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