NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Opponents of the newest effort to legalize medical marijuana cited a Colorado group devoted to stopping legalization in different states.
Regardless of efforts to discredit the advantages of medical marijuana legalization, the newest invoice within the state handed by means of its first committee, Tuesday.
HB 2641 would enable individuals with sure situations to get medicine from different states. At present in Tennessee these individuals can get hold of a weak hashish oil that incorporates as much as .9% THC.
Nevertheless, for the sickest sufferers, a stronger model is most well-liked.
Rep. Bryan Terry, a Murfreesboro Republican and physician, introduced the invoice.
“Some sufferers want greater than the .9% oil. So long as they’ve a written certification that they’ve a type of ailments and so they get into the registry, if they arrive again and so they’re in possession of it, beneath 300mg, they are not going to be prosecuted,” stated Rep. Terry.
Medical marijuana legalization has been an effort yearly for the higher a part of a decade. Annually the measures fail after hours of debate from individuals for and towards the concept.
Legislation enforcement, together with representatives from the TBI, talk about their fears of elevated drug trafficking or DUI and site visitors associated deaths.
Opponents usually reference information from the Rocky Mountain Excessive Depth Drug Trafficking Space, a federally funded group that presents Colorado’s legalization of marijuana in a detrimental gentle. They cite elevated site visitors deaths and DUIs linked to hashish up to now decade. Although, in that very same time interval the inhabitants of the state elevated by 750,000.
One speaker stated she was a former investigator for the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division. Jan Beyer stated that by means of her expertise she had by no means met somebody who benefited medically from the plant.
“They could say that; I’ve not seen it in my expertise with speaking to the neighborhood,” stated Beyer. “I’ve not talked to anybody who has stated it actually benefited.”
Testimony from the TBI introduced some sharp criticism from two lawmakers on the well being subcommittee, Tuesday.
“We have seen 41 documented non-severe overdoses within the state of Tennessee or extreme medical reactions requiring that affected person or these sufferers to be transported to the hospital,” stated Tommy Farmer, particular agent with the TBI.
The TBI went on to say they felt permitting medical marijuana into the state was opening up a harmful avenue to approve different medicine, resembling LSD or Psilocybin mushrooms.
Rep. Darren Jernigan of Outdated Hickory stated regulation enforcement was lacking the purpose.
“Our intent is to not go leisure and all people has medication and unfold all around the state,” stated Jernigan. “Opioids is way worse. A lot worse. The intent for that is for people who find themselves struggling.”
