Terminally ill patients are a small step closer to being able to use medical marijuana in Tennessee. Instead of giving legislation a negative mark, on Wednesday a bill was stamped “neutral”.
The House Government Operations Committee, which considered the bill, only has power to review the bill. A negative rating is the worst recommendation it could give.
Nashville Democrat Gary Odom fought off the negative rating sought by Republicans on the committee. His colleague Jeanne Richardson of Memphis is the bill’s sponsor. She says it will bring relief to people who suffer from diseases, such as late-stage cancer.
“It is a compassionate bill, it is a fair bill. We structured it very tightly so that there won’t be the abuses that have occurred in states like California.”
The bill would allow doctors to prescribe medical marijuana. It now goes to the Public Health Subcommittee. Richardson says she hopes Democrats and Republicans will look at her proposal objectively.
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Richardson says that according to the latest Gallup Poll, 88 percent of Americans think medical cannabis is a good idea.
“I believe those political figures who do not understand that there is such an overwhelming support for medical cannabis are not in touch at all with what the public thinks, and I believe they need to rethink their position.”
Richardson says she will ask that the bill be heard in the House Public Health Subcommittee meeting, next Wednesday [March 24].
The bill is HB2562 Richardson/SB2511 Marrero, medical marijuana
Information about the Tennessee Marijuana Policy Project is here. The website is in favor of more liberalized marijuana policies.
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