NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Despite extremely high support, cannabis is still outlawed in Tennessee.
“The federal government still classifies it as a Schedule I, which makes it illegal to dispense or to write a prescription for marijuana.”
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That fact has kept Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) from changing his opinions. He said he’d at least consider the move if the schedule were to change.
“It solves a lot of problems and a doctor could prescribe that,” McNally said. “I think it should be prescribed by a physician.”
Currently, cannabis is on the same schedule as heroin, LSD, and peyote, and the federal government cannot study it. If it were to move down to Schedule II or III, that would change.
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For context, fentanyl is a Schedule II drug.
Not all Republicans are against legalizing cannabis, at least for medical purposes.
“We’ve cuffed and stuffed people now since the 70s to the tune of trillions and trillions of dollars, and my question is: What have we got for that?” House Republican Caucus Chair Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby) said.
He didn’t explicitly say he’s in favor of opening up restrictions, but Faison did argue he’d like to see fewer arrests around drugs and more intervention and rehabilitation.
“If you’re willing to do crystal meth, if you’re willing to put that in your body, do we really think putting you behind bars for (11 months, 29 days) is going to help you?” he said. “We’ve proven it’s not. You’re hurt, you’re broken. You need help.”
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Democratic leadership believes most lawmakers in Tennessee want cannabis legalized in some capacity. But with it being an election year, it’s highly unlikely.
“There are only a handful – I can probably count on one hand – how many people in this legislature are blocking legalized cannabis,” House Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) said.
Any cannabis bill must go through the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, and Republicans on it have blocked legislation every single year.
“It may take them retiring or getting defeated,” Clemmons said, laughing.
McNally decides who makes up each committee in the Senate. Unless he mixes up the Judiciary, cannabis reform seems doomed to fail again.
“I just think politics are going to seep in and that poor committee is not going to be able to do what they know is the right thing to do,” House Minority Leader Karen Camper (D-Memphis) said.
Source: https://t-tees.com
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