Possession of even small amounts is a criminal misdemeanor, but there are limited legal allowances for non-psychoactive CBD oil as medical cannabis, and the authorities have not been able to enforce the law.
The bill legalized the possession and use of marijuana to treat a limited number of severe conditions, including epilepsy.
[2] At the start of 2015 the Tennessee chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws launched a petition to place a referendum on the November ballot for Davidson County to defund local law enforcement prosecution against possession of small amounts of marijuana.
[7] In 2016 the Daily Helmsman noted that Tennessee spent $43 million in 2010 on prosecuting the 42% of their drug arrests which were for 1⁄2 ounce (14 g) marijuana or less.
[5] On March 3, 2021 a bill was filed by representatives Janice Bowling and Iris Rudder that would legalize medicinal cannabis to treat severe medical conditions.