By Tabitha Evans Moore
Editor & Publisher

NASHVILLE, Tenn, — Tennessee lawmakers will consider three separate marijuana-related bills next week — one that would legalize recreational use outright, and two that would let voters weigh in on medical cannabis in November. None of them are expected to sail through a Republican supermajority legislature. But all three represent a growing pressure on state lawmakers who are increasingly hard-pressed to explain why Tennessee remains one of the most restrictive states in the country on cannabis policy.

Here’s what each bill does.

The Pot for Potholes Act (SB 2440/HB 2525)

The splashiest of the three is the Pot for Potholes Act, sponsored by Nashville Democrats Senator Heidi Campbell and Representative Aftyn Behn. The bill would allow recreational cannabis use for adults 21 and older and direct revenue from a 15 percent excise tax toward road repairs. Adults would be permitted to possess up to 60 grams and grow up to 12 plants for personal use. The regulatory framework would be overseen by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

Of the tax revenue collected, 75 percent would go to the state highway fund, 20 percent to counties, and 5 percent to administrative costs. The infrastructure angle is deliberate. Tennessee faces a $58 billion backlog in unfunded road projects — nearly the cost of the entire state budget — and traffic congestion alone costs residents an estimated $420 million and 17,000 hours annually.

The bill’s sponsors are blunt about the math.

“Let’s be honest, Tennesseans are already buying cannabis,” Senator Campbell said. “They’re just doing it across state lines, where Tennessee sees zero benefit.”

Supporters point to Massachusetts, which has a similar population to Tennessee — a little over seven million residents — and generated about $289 million in cannabis tax revenue last year. The bill’s own fiscal note, however, is more conservative, estimating roughly $29 million in cannabis tax revenue flowing annually.

SB 2440 is scheduled before the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday. A similar version was introduced and rejected last year.

Senate Bill 2097

SB 2097, sponsored by Senator Akbari, would require the secretary of state to direct each county election commission to place a single ballot question before voters in the November general election asking whether the state should legalize the sale, possession, and use of medical cannabis. Unlike the Pot for Potholes Act, this bill does not legalize anything directly — it asks voters to weigh in first. The results would be binding, meaning a yes vote would require the legislature to act.

Senate Bill 0960

SB 0960, sponsored by Senator Lamar, would place three non-binding questions related to marijuana legalization on the November 2026 ballot. Unlike SB 2097, the results would be purely advisory — the legislature would be under no obligation to act on them. The secretary of state would compile the results, publish them online, and forward them to members of the General Assembly. It is the most cautious of the three proposals, essentially asking lawmakers to take the public’s temperature before committing to anything.

Where Tennessee Stands

Tennessee is one of only 11 states without a viable medical cannabis program, and one of 19 states that continues to imprison individuals for possessing small amounts of cannabis — possession of a half-ounce or less is punishable by nearly a year in jail. In 2023, there were over 12,000 cannabis possession arrests in Tennessee.

Six of Tennessee’s eight border states now have comprehensive medical cannabis laws. Missouri legalized recreational use in 2022. Virginia legalized recreational possession in 2021. The lone outlier among neighbors is Georgia, which allows only limited low-THC medical products. Illinois, just across the border from West Tennessee, has had full recreational legalization since 2013.

Nationally, recreational marijuana is now legal in 24 states and Washington, D.C. Cannabis is legal for medical use in 40 states.

What Other States Have Done With the Revenue

The question of what legalization actually pays for varies considerably by state, but the national track record is substantial. States have generated a combined total of more than $24.7 billion in tax revenue from adult-use cannabis sales since Colorado and Washington launched the first legal markets in 2014. In 2024 alone, legalization states collectively generated more than $4.4 billion.

How those funds get spent is a policy choice. Colorado directed a portion of retail cannabis taxes to the State Public School Fund. Minnesota, which launched retail sales in September 2025, uses marijuana tax revenue for prevention, outreach, education, and data collection. Maryland directs 35 percent of remaining revenue to a Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund. California’s revenue has funded youth programs, environmental restoration, and public safety. A study of municipalities in Michigan, New Mexico, and Oregon found that the most common uses of local marijuana tax revenue were depositing funds into the general fund, supporting law enforcement, and funding parks and recreation.

The Arguments For and Against

Proponents make several arguments beyond infrastructure funding. They point to the medical case — the two most common medicinal uses of cannabis are chronic pain and insomnia, and research shows cannabis can be used in safe ways in low doses for people in pain.

“While you can overdose and be miserable if you take too much cannabis, it can’t kill you,” said Dr. Jordan Tishler, a Harvard-trained physician and president of the Association of Cannabinoid Specialists. Supporters also argue legalization undercuts the black market, creates jobs, and ends the prosecution of nonviolent offenses.

Opponents raise public safety concerns. House Majority Leader William Lamberth raised those concerns in committee last year before the Pot for Potholes bill was voted down.

“Sure, you can fill a couple of potholes at the expense of the blood that’s going to be on those roads from intoxicated individuals that will be using marijuana in this state,” he said at the time.

The revenue argument also has nuance. Legal cannabis markets require regulatory systems — Michigan reported about $19 million in expenses tied to regulating its adult-use market in 2024, and Washington’s liquor and cannabis board reported roughly $69 million in operating expenses in fiscal year 2025. Startup costs, enforcement, and administration eat into the headline numbers.

Research shows 7 percent of marijuana users will become addicted — compared to 24 percent of opioid users and 32 percent of nicotine users.

All three bills face long odds in the current legislature. But the surrounding states map and the national revenue figures are arguments that get harder to wave away every session.

Moore County residents who want to weigh in on any of these bills can contact their state senator, Sen. Shane Reeves (R-District 14), whose district covers Moore County along with Bedford, Cannon, and parts of Rutherford County. Reeves can be reached by phone at (615) 741-1066, by fax at (615) 253-0319, by email at sen.shane.reeves@capitol.tn.gov, or by mail at Suite 722, Cordell Hull Building, 425 Rep. John Lewis Way N., Nashville, TN 37243. Moore County residents can also use the Find My Legislator tool at capitol.tn.gov to confirm their representatives and send a message directly through the state’s official contact system. •

About The Lynchburg Times: The Lynchburg Times covers state legislation because what happens in Nashville doesn’t stay in Nashville — it lands in Moore County classrooms, on Moore County roads, and in Moore County courtrooms. An informed community is an engaged one, and engagement starts with knowing what your representatives are being asked to vote on. If this kind of coverage matters to you, consider supporting The Lynchburg Times at lynchburgtimes.com.