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The Center Square [By Kim Jarrett] –
Two Democrats have filed bills that would legalize recreational marijuana in Tennessee, a move one of the bill’s sponsors said could add millions to the state’s general fund.
House Bill 836 by Rep. Larry Miller, D-Memphis, also includes a provision for medical use for minors for 27 conditions, including cancer and chronic pain, if administered by their parents.
Tennesseans over 21 could possess up to 60 grams of marijuana flowers and 15 grams of concentrate for recreational use and grow up to 12 plants at home.
The state would levy a 15% tax on marijuana on top of the sales tax. The general fund would receive 85% of the revenue, with 10% going to the Department of Agriculture for administrative costs and 5% going to the Department of Revenue as well as administrative costs, according to the bill.
The state would review past marijuana convictions and people in jail or prison only for marijuana offenses could be released, if the bill is approved.
Recreational marijuana is legal in 25 states and 39 states allow medical use, Miller said.
“Our state has spent millions and millions of taxpayer dollars to enforce outdated cannabis laws,” Miller said. “While recent estimations show that we are potentially leaving more than $155 millions dollars annually on the table by ignoring what poll after poll shows Tennesseans overwhelmingly support.”
Legislators last considered legalization of the drug in 2021 when decriminalization was being discussed at the federal level. The fiscal note on that bill said that the state could save more than $423,000 a year housing those jailed for marijuana offices and local governments could save more than $2 million. But local government could also lose more than $460,000 in fines. The bill failed to get out of committee.
Sixty-three percent of Tennesseans who responded to the Vanderbilt Poll in December said they backed the legalization of marijuana for recreational use. The poll shows 53% of supporters were Republicans and 78% were Democrats.
“The poll also shows strong bipartisan support for the measure,” Miller said. “Therefore, it’s time we finally listen to what Tennesseans are saying and act as true public servants.”
Virginia lawmakers approved a bill this week that would create a legal marijuana market in the state. The bill had bipartisan support, but Gov. Glenn Youngkin said he would veto it, according to a report from WSET.
Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, has introduced the legislation in the Tennessee Senate.
2 Responses
Genesis 1:29
And God GOD!! said, Behold, I have given you(for your judicious responsible use) every EVERY!! herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, AND(also) every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Smoking anything is neither judicious nor responsible.
What we NEED here in the “Land of the (not so)Free” is lucifer’s prohibition ended and our GOD GIVEN herbal FREEDOM RESTORED to grow and use our own medicine. “Medical” whatever is a trap for lucifer’s pharma, “doctors” and “taxmen”.
Figures that it’s Democrats that want to sell our soul and our kids’ futures for profit to make it easier for our kids to get started and get hooked on drugs. Don’t we have enough problems to deal with without adding another? How many of you Tennesseans want to risk the life of one of your children on this, not knowing if it will be your child whose life gets ruined or ended prematurely? I lost a child, my only son, to drugs and believe me, you don’t want to go through that.