Legislators in Tennessee have introduced two bills that would legalize the possession and “casual exchange†of a half ounce of cannabis.
The “partner†bills, SB1211 and HB0873, would effectively decriminalize minor marijuana possession in Tennessee. If validated, the law would go into effect July 1.
Currently, possession of under a half ounce in Tennessee can result in a $250 fine and a year in jail. Needless to say, this change in policy would be a welcome sight for Tennesseans and begin to progress one of America’s more conservative cannabis states.
The bills, sponsored by Republican Harold Love and Senator Jeff Yarbro (both of Nashville), would also change the punishment for “possession, casual exchange, or distribution†of over an ounce of cannabis from a felony to a misdemeanor and reduce that fine from $5,000 to $100. The bill would not, however, legalize hash or extracted material, commonly known as “dabs.â€
The language of “casual exchange†appears somewhat vague, but seems to make non-monetary weed “donations†(exchanges) legal. In other words, if you give an ounce of weed to a friend for a video game, you’re abiding the law.
While Tennessee law allows cannabis oil for severe illnesses like epilepsy, patients in need cannot legally access the substance–and one three-year-old, epileptic child has already consequentially died.
