Tennessee Lawmakers Hear Medical Marijuana Testimony

NASHVILLE, TN — Parents of children with epilepsy and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder were among those who extolled the potential benefits of medical marijuana to a State House committee Tuesday.

While medical marijuana legislation has been introduced several times in the past, this year's proposal is crafted by two Republicans: Rep. Jeremy Faison of Cosby, a rural conservative, and Sen. Steve Dickerson, a Nashville doctor seen as one of the more moderate Republican legislators. Observers believe this year's version may have a better chance than any other in the past, particularly after Tennessee legalized prescription cannabis oil in 2015. For updates on the General Assembly and other local news that affects you, find and subscribe to your local Middle Tennessee Patch.

On Tuesday, the parents of 10-year-old Cameron Bush testified that medical marijuana may be his best chance at a quality life and California Marine Corps veteran Roberto Pickering said that medical marijuana has been more effective than any other prescription he's tried to alleviate the symptoms of PTSD.

"It's the right thing to do for veterans,” Pickering said, according to Fox 17. “Providing options other than prescription pills or opioids.”

The Faison-Dickerson bill allows for 50 grow houses statewide, with each allowed to run one on-site dispensary and two storefront dispensaries. It has strict requirements for security and licensing for those facilities. The bill would also require doctors to get a special marijuana prescribing card and a limit on which ailments can be treated with marijuana.

At a December press conference, Dickerson said the proposal was conservative.

"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."

Polls show that a majority of Tennesseans support medical marijuana.

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