We are excited to share with you a summary of the first Medical Cannabis Task Force of the Tennessee General Assembly held last Thursday, the 21st of September. We worked closely with the bill sponsors and the professional lobbying team engaged to assist in ;moving the bill through the legislature in preparing for the meeting.
We believe the first task force meeting was a huge success. We established a medical program is permissible in the legal technical sense. Additionally, the medical efficacy of cannabis was established and accepted by all task force members. These key foundational elements were our strategic intent.
In this summary, we share the most important moment, critical rebuttals we are working, research we submitted to the committee and what you can do to advance our cause.
Most Important Moment
The most important moment of the day came when Representative Jeremy Faison shared RealPolitik truth to law enforcement. You can view this at this Facebook Post.
Critical Rebuttals We Are Working
Here are a summary critical rebuttals we are working to correct the record:
- Dr. Briggs and certain Health Department Doctors contention that the FDA is always right. The FDA process is critically flawed when it comes to developing cannabis-based medicines. Additionally, many Americans no longer believe the FDA is acting in their interest. There is substantia fact-based evidence to support this contention.
- Health Department’s outrageous claim that a mentally ill person’s suicide is due to cannabis use. This was really poor form and reflected very poorly on the professionalism of the Department.
- Law Enforcement testimony that demonstrates their overall lack of understanding of operations in the legal, Free States. One example is that concentrates are weighed equally to flower in recreational sales restrained. This is simply not true and demonstrates an unacceptable level of competence in the TBI’s position
We are certain to find others. If you know of factually incorrect statements by Health or Law Enforcement – please email them to info@safeaccessTN.org.
Research We Submitted to the Committee
We had all our educational posters out and displayed. Safe Access Tennessee and its sister organization Educate Tennessee have developed (collected) and printed the following for the Task Force:
- Tennessee Medical Handbook – Crafted with the National Staff of the Americans for Safe Access – this full-color booklet summarizes everything a legislator needs to know about passing a medical cannabis program. We have delivered a copy to every member of the Task Force and will deliver a copy to every member of the legislature assuming we raise the cost of printing through donations.
- Introduction to the Endocannabinoid Systems – a brief technical description of the endocannabinoid system by Dr. Ethan Russo.
- Pharmacology of Cannabis – a pharmacological description of cannabis phytocannabinoids, cannabis terpenoids, Sesquiterpenoids, and other chemical elements by Jahan Marcu, Ph.D. of the Americans for Safe Access and Dr. Ethan Russo
A printed version was provided to each legislator. In addition, we sent an email to each Task Force member so they can read these on their State-provided iPads (each legislator is issued one).
Thank you for getting us this far, now we’re on to the next stage of our journey.
Best regards,
David C. Hairston, CPA
Chairman of the Board – Safe Access Tennessee
A Registered Tennessee Nonprofit 501(c)4.
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