Tennessee Lawmaker Calls for Special Session on Medical Marijuana, Citing Federal Shift and Years of Study
- State Representative Jason Powell is urging Governor Bill Lee to call a special legislative session to establish a medical marijuana program in Tennessee, citing years of study and increasing pressure to act.
- Powell emphasizes the importance of compassionate care for veterans, cancer patients, and others, arguing that Tennesseans deserve access to a safe and regulated medical marijuana option.
- Previous medical marijuana proposals, including bills by Republican Senator Janice Bowling and voting initiatives by Democratic Representative Jesse Chism, have failed to pass in Tennessee's legislature.
- Although federal efforts are underway to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, Tennessee laws currently prevent automatic alignment with federal changes, making immediate state legislative action necessary according to Powell.
A Tennessee lawmaker is calling on Governor Bill Lee to convene a special session of the General Assembly focused on establishing a medical marijuana program, arguing that the state has already spent years studying the issue and now faces growing pressure to act.
State Representative Jason Powell (D-Nashville) made the request as lawmakers prepare to adjourn the 114th General Assembly. In a statement, Powell said the case for action “has only grown stronger” as federal officials move toward recognizing medical marijuana and Tennessee continues reviewing the issue through its own Medical Cannabis Commission.
“For years, Tennesseans have been told to wait,” Powell said. “We created a commission. We studied the issue. We have heard from patients, doctors, and families across this state. At some point, we have to be willing to act.”
Powell added that “This is about compassionate care for veterans, cancer patients, and others who are suffering and who deserve access to a safe and regulated medical option.”
The push comes as Tennessee remains without a comprehensive medical marijuana program despite repeated legislative efforts. Republican State Senator Janice Bowling (R) has introduced multiple medical marijuana bills over the years, including a 2023 measure that stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Meanwhile, State Representative Jesse Chism (D-Memphis) has attempted to let voters weigh in through nonbinding ballot questions, though those efforts have also failed.
Lawmakers earlier this year signaled they may be more open to reform if marijuana is reclassified at the federal level. That process was set in motion when President Donald Trump signed an executive order in late 2025 directing agencies to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, a shift that is now advancing through federal channels.
Even so, Tennessee lawmakers recently made clear that any federal change will not automatically alter state law. Legislation approved this session blocks automatic alignment with federal scheduling decisions, meaning the General Assembly would still need to pass its own laws before any medical marijuana program could take effect.
Powell said that reality makes immediate legislative action even more important.
“The suffering of Tennesseans who could benefit from medical cannabis is more than enough reason to bring lawmakers back to Nashville,” he said. “If the Governor chooses not to act, then members of the General Assembly should come together and call a special session ourselves. This issue deserves action this year.”