Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Legislature Buzz Kill: Safe Access to Medical Cannabis Act Dies
Posted by Steven Hale on Wed, Apr 4, 2012 at 2:28 PM
The House Health Committee put an end today to legislation that would have legalized medical marijuana in Tennessee. The real death blow came earlier today, when the Senate Government Operations Committee wouldn't grant the measure a positive recommendation.
Even so, proponents are taking heart that the Safe Access to Medical Cannabis Act made it farther than it has in previous attempts. The House committee still heard testimony from proponents of the bill, including the ex-wife of former Vanderbilt Chancellor Gordon Gee, Constance Gee, who shared her personal experience with medical marijuana with the Tennesseean earlier this week. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Jeanne Richardson, thanked committee chairman Glen Casada for allowing the hearing even though the bill was all but dead.
Richardson also said she plans to bring the bill back next year. She told the committee when it comes to medical marijuana in Tennessee, it's not a matter of if but when.
"We will eventually do it," Richardson said, in a quote that's getting a lot of play on social media. "You guys just have to decide how many more people will have to suffer before we do it."
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