A new medical marijuana bill will be proposed in the 2019 legislative session. Its co-sponsor believes the bill has a better chance of passing than in years past.
State Senator Dr. Steve Dickerson has co-sponsored five medical marijuana bills in the Tennessee legislature. He says this new bill has a better chance at passing, in part because of Governor-Elect Bill Lee.
Lee has expressed some concern about medical marijuana but also, appears to be open to the prospect.
The new bill would legalize various forms of non-smokable medical marijuana, including those you ingest or vaporize. There would be versions with and without THC.
There would also be specifications for who could have access to medical marijuana and when and how they would be able to get it.
Dickerson also believes that the drug could help combat the opioid crisis. He became interested in medical marijuana when some of his patients said it worked better than opioids.
Dickerson said he if and co-sponsor Bryan Terry do not pass the bill next year, they will bring it back for 2020.