Two Lawmakers name Medical Marijuana Bill after Trump in Tennessee

Posted by Sagar Satapathy on June 28, 2018.

Heartened by President Donald Trump's recent comments about marijuana, two Tennessee lawmakers are naming a state bill to legalize medical marijuana after him.

Two lawmakers - Rep. Bryan Terry (R) and Sen. Steve Dickerson (R) - plan to renew efforts next year to legalize medical marijuana bill in the General Assembly named the Tennessee Responsible Use of Medicinal Plants Act — TRUMP Act.

The lawmakers, who are against legalizing recreational use of marijuana, had unsuccessfully pressed a medical cannabis bill in this year's General Assembly.

According to the Times Free Press, Terry and Dickerson’s bill would expand medical research for treatment with cannabis and cannabis extracts.

Both of them are retired pharmacists and have voiced reservations about such moves, saying more federal research is needed.

"We believe Tennessee patients and physicians have the right to participate in research utilizing cannabis and that our agricultural, higher education, and life science industries are well equipped to be world leaders in this research," Terry stated in a news release. 

Earlier this month, Trump had signaled that he would back a federal congressional effort to gives states the ability to decide whether to legalize marijuana without federal interference.

The Tennessee lawmakers had in 2015 passed a "Right to Try Act" which allowed terminally ill patients to try medicines that have passed Phase One of federal Food and Drug Administration trials. 

Likewise, several Tennessee House committees tried to legalize medical marijuana this year, top Senate leaders including Republican Senate Speaker Randy McNally and Speaker Pro Tempore Ferrell Haile opposed the legislation.

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