TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER SPARKS TENNESSEE CALLS FOR MARIJUANA REFORM
According to a report by WATE, Tennessee state officials are responding to a significant federal drug policy shift, where President Trump’s recent executive order has directed the reclassification of marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance, aligning it with drugs like Tylenol with codeine and testosterone that have accepted medical uses and lower abuse potential.
Previously grouped with substances like heroin and ecstasy, this change is seen by State Senator London Lamar as an opportunity to advance cannabis discussions in Tennessee, noting that over half the states have some form of legalization and urging the state to modernize its approach. John Tucker, a cultivation manager at Spring River Dispensary, agrees that it furthers the conversation but does not guarantee state-level changes.
Despite legalization in neighboring states like Arkansas and Mississippi, cannabis businesses continue facing challenges with banking access, taxes, and everyday financial services such as home loans. The federal reclassification does not alter Tennessee’s laws, where marijuana remains illegal and possession is a misdemeanor offense. Senator Lamar criticizes ongoing arrests for marijuana as unjust and rooted in outdated stereotypes, while advocating for viewing it as a taxable economic opportunity to fund education, healthcare, and other public benefits for Tennesseans.
