An effort was launched this week by medical marijuana proponents in Tennessee to try to convince law enforcement officials to not oppose legal dispensaries from selling products.
Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma is planning to introduce a bill in the coming months that would create a state government infrastructure to issue marijuana cards and regulate the sale of marijuana vapes, edibles and non-smokable products.
“We wouldn’t have had this meeting had we not needed their support and desired their support,” Bowling said. “I hope we get their support for their sake, as well as ours, because I was once where they are. I know, if they will read the research and they will study, they will have a different view.”
Thursday’s symposium was attended by representatives of the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI)
Tommy Farmer, the leader of TBI’s drug division, said he was “here to listen” but declined to comment on the agency’s position on the issue.
“We aren’t opposed to anybody getting help …” said Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller during the meeting. “I don’t fear dying. I don’t fear anything but being locked up, in jail, for ignoring — there are federal grand juries, you know that.”
Tennesseans can legally buy marijuana at Illinois dispensaries, but it remains illegal to bring any marijuana products back to the state.