Sen. Katrina Robinson statement on committee passage of medical marijuana bill

Robinson calls for further action to ‘correct past injustices’

NASHVILLE — A medical marijuana bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee 5–3 with one member not voting. Sen. Katrina Robinson, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, issued a statement marking the vote.

“Tennessee has fallen behind the nation on marijuana reform,” Sen. Robinson said. “For the first time, the Judiciary Committee has said cancer patients and people who are sick should have access to marijuana. This bill isn’t perfect and it doesn’t go far enough to correct past injustices, but it’s a step forward at a time we desperately need progress.”

Under Senate Bill 667, Tennesseans, who have a debilitating disease and a note from their doctor, could possess a 30-day supply of medical marijuana legally obtained from a licensed medical dispensary. However, the bill does not authorize any marijuana farming or sales in Tennessee so those who qualify would still have to travel out of state. The legislation also stipulates that the medical marijuana must be in its original packaging and it cannot be in a form intended to be smoked or inhaled as a vapor.