New cannabis bills introduced in Tennessee receives opposition from advocates

It
is always unfortunate to see big business trying to monopolize something
organic like medical cannabis, however, it is no surprise that exactly that
seems to be happening in the state of Tennessee. When the Republican version of
the legislation for medical cannabis in Tennessee made it to the floor of the
Tennessee House of Representatives on Tuesday, March 31 in the forms of House
Bill 1284 and Senate Bill 1248, it was pointed out by some of the most
respected MMJ activists in the state as bad legislation. These bills are ultimately
unsupportable.

A
Tennessee farmer and well-respected epidemiologist, MMJ Advocate Bernie Ellis
believes the bill would not be helpful to both patients and growers in the
state of Tennessee. Instead, the proposed bill would allow only the wealthy the
opportunity to grow, manufacture and sell medical cannabis in the state. Even
more detrimental, patients would face restricted access, which includes but is
not limited to forcing MMJ patients to surrender their driver’s license during
their entire treatment period. In light of these issues, Ellis stated in an
interview with The Leaf-Chronicle that,
“Patients must go through pre-approval process that would delay access for an unknown
length of time.” When patients are in desperate need for their medication,
there is no extra time to wait.

Providers
who wish to bring safe cannabis access to their communities are facing serious
financial burdens in order to get into the business. Ellis shared his concern
for potential providers and growers if this legislation passes, “Only six
providers to be chosen, they must be capable of throwing away $50,000 just for
the right to apply, and, if chosen, must be able to have $1 million in escrow
at all times. For, pray tell, what?”

In
addition to this extreme monetary requirement, potential providers are also
required to hold a $5 million performance bond in addition to many other steep
requirements that will disallow capable growers and suppliers from engaging in
the legal cannabis industry.

Ellis
wasn’t the only advocate speaking out against HB-1284 and SB-1248, Nashville’s
Representative Sherry Jones was also quick to show her lack of support for the
bills. Jones was the proud sponsor of last year’s proposed MMJ legislation that
was hoped to help struggling small farmers in the state who have found
themselves in financial restraints from lost tobacco farming. Although Jones is
known as a huge supporter for passing medical cannabis legislation in the
state, she couldn’t back up these, because they only benefit the wealthy. As
reported in The Leaf-Chronicle, Jones
said, “I want something to pass. I really do, but this is set up for
people who are already processing marijuana or who are millionaires.”

Representative
Jones seemed disappointed in the bill for its exclusiveness to the rich, however,
she also is concerned about patients. She has been receiving phone calls and
messages from people who are hoping this is finally it, the bill Tennessee’s
medical cannabis advocates have been waiting for. Unfortunately, she sees how
patients will also receive the short end of the stick if this passes through
legislation. “I think of the people texting me and calling me, wondering
if this was it, and then they get this. How can they give up their driver’s
licenses with everything else they’re going through if they’re a cancer patient
or suffering some other severe illness? There’s no sense in this stipulation.
This is bad legislation.”