Tennessee’s Medical Cannabis Task Force Pushes Back
The first meeting of Tennessee’s medical cannabis task force was held last week and sentiments are divided.
The task force—requested by two Republican legislators—consists of a panel of state representatives charged with investigating medical cannabis. The panel both addressed and listened to testimonies from law enforcement, the Tennessee Department of Health and various experts. There are at least two further meetings scheduled for later in the year and the committee is hoping to use their findings when proposing a new medical cannabis bill.
“What we are doing is giving this a full public airing and we are getting both sides of the issue presented,” said Sen. Steve Dickerson, a co-chair on the task force, in a statement for WKRN. Rep. Jeremy Faison, fellow co-chair on the task force, stayed true to this sentiment and spoke candidly when addressing state law enforcement about their apprehension toward medical cannabis.
“Whether you like it or not marijuana is coming to America,” said Faison referencing tired anti-cannabis rhetoric and the growing number of states where cannabis is legal. “I feel like it’s the same arguments that we’ve heard historically . . . when it comes just to the strict use of the medical grade cannabis, it’s a great benefit all the way around for the state.”
However, top Tennessee Department of Health officials weren’t as confident. Agreeing on certain medical benefits, the officials acknowledged that current understanding of cannabis’ effects are limited. “We believe the individual benefits of marijuana in the popular thinking have often been overstated and overestimated,” said Tennessee Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Reagan in a statement for WKRN. “We do believe that marijuana has medical benefit. We believe there are patients who will benefit.”
Unsatisfied with the Department of Health assessments, many members of the panel referenced the parents of children suffering from severe epilepsy and other debilitating illnesses—and the changes they’ve witnessed after using cannabis based medicine. “They have gone to Colorado,” said cannabis advocate Sherry Jones in a statement for WKRN. “They have used the cannabis oil and they have cut those seizures down to where they have lives now—we should not be against that.”
Rep. Faison told Newschannel5 the next meeting will be take place in October. He is hoping to have further testimony from residents that have experienced firsthand benefits from medical cannabis.
