Tennessee Republicans to Introduce Medical Marijuana Legislation

NASHVILLE, TN — Two Tennessee Republican lawmakers plan to sponsor medical marijuana legislation when the General Assembly gavels back in next month.

State Sen. Steve Dickerson of Nashville and State Rep. Jeremy Faison of Cosby will announce the details of their proposal at a press conference at the Capitol next Wednesday.

Support for medical marijuana has grown in both parties in recent years. In 2015, the legislature passed a law allowing for medical use of cannabis oil for people suffering from seizures with a doctor's recommendation.

In October, Faison went on what he called a "fact-finding mission" to Colorado to learn more about medical marijuana, after some families who pushed for the cannabis oil legislation said that the THC in the oil was not enough to alleviate their symptoms.

Faison was especially encouraged by the benefits he saw marijuana to veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Realizing the medicines the FDA's approved and given them for many aren't working,” Faison told WBIR at the time. “When I see these problems, I'm thinking there has got to be more, but let’s do some research.”

Faison also emphasized the benefits to the state's farmers, admitting that his thinking on marijuana has changed as he researched the benefits of medicinal pot.

"I thought marijuana use was basically for potheads and over the last few years I have evolved, and this is what I've come to believe, this plant is really God’s hope,” said Faison. "Just because someone might pervert the use of this, doesn’t make me scared to give it to someone who could use it. I see the benefits greatly outweigh the negative."

Dickerson, an anesthesiologist and interventional pain management doctor, indicated he would push for medical marijuana after winning re-election in November.

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