CaseyJones
01-22-2014, 11:05 PM
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/22/tennessee-marijuana_n_4645549.html?utm_hp_ref=politics
Tennessee could become the 21st state in the country to legalize medical marijuana.
A bill introduced last week by state Rep. Sherry Jones (D-Nashville) would set up a regulatory framework to allow people suffering from certain diseases to use marijuana to treat their symptoms, as long as their doctor says the benefits of using cannabis outweigh the health risks.
"This is about compassion. It's about giving people better health care, giving them a better quality of life," Jones told The Huffington Post over the phone on Wednesday, acknowledging that there was a lack of understanding among Tennessee's Republican lawmakers about medical cannabis. "They think it's all blowing smoke in baby's faces, I guess. They don't understand there are other ways to use marijuana, like tinctures and lotions."
HB 1385, also known as the Koozer-Kuhn Medical Cannabis Act, would make it legal for patients suffering from conditions like cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and Alzheimer's disease to use cannabis for medical purposes. The bill also allows for "any other medical condition" to be treated with marijuana as long as a doctor prescribes it and the state health department approves it.
Tennessee could become the 21st state in the country to legalize medical marijuana.
A bill introduced last week by state Rep. Sherry Jones (D-Nashville) would set up a regulatory framework to allow people suffering from certain diseases to use marijuana to treat their symptoms, as long as their doctor says the benefits of using cannabis outweigh the health risks.
"This is about compassion. It's about giving people better health care, giving them a better quality of life," Jones told The Huffington Post over the phone on Wednesday, acknowledging that there was a lack of understanding among Tennessee's Republican lawmakers about medical cannabis. "They think it's all blowing smoke in baby's faces, I guess. They don't understand there are other ways to use marijuana, like tinctures and lotions."
HB 1385, also known as the Koozer-Kuhn Medical Cannabis Act, would make it legal for patients suffering from conditions like cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and Alzheimer's disease to use cannabis for medical purposes. The bill also allows for "any other medical condition" to be treated with marijuana as long as a doctor prescribes it and the state health department approves it.