Tennessee Legislature Votes to Halt Decriminalization of Cannabis

The Tennessee legislature recently passed a bill that prohibits cities within the state from decriminalizing cannabis possession.

House Bill 173, which was introduced earlier this month, would eliminate policies in cities like Nashville and Memphis that grant law enforcement officers the power to determine what actions, if any,  should be taken for the possession of small amounts of cannabis. The bill was introduced by Rep. William Lamberth who stated that he hoped to avoid turning the state into, “a hodgepodge of criminal laws throughout our state that no judge or individual would be able to understand or explain.”

With its passage in the State Senate, the measure now moves to Governor Bill Haslam’s desk for approval.  Haslam has been outspoken about his distaste for cannabis decriminalization.

“I think we have enough of an issue around substance abuse now,” he said. “You can debate whether it’s a gateway drug and all this. I’m not the expert. But I just don’t think its a helpful step for our society given the struggles we have right now with substance abuse.”

This measure appears to go against what the residents of Tennessee want. A recent poll by Vanderbilt discovered that 85 percent of those polled were in favor of some form of cannabis legalization.

Sen. Lee Harris, a Memphis Democrat, tried to dissuade her colleagues from passing the measure. She pointed out that it will simply lead to more individuals arrested and incarcerated on cannabis charges. Another Senator, Mark White, stated that he felt the bill would continue an unfair system for young people, who may not have the same resources to combat a cannabis-related charge.

“So I think these local ordinances could put the same thing in play, where we have those who are poor and minorities getting the state fine and 11 months 29 days and those that are more affluent being let off the hook,” White said. “That’s the way it works a lot of times in our society.”