Although you can apply for a Tennessee MMJ card, doing so only gives you access to cannabis oil with a maximum THC content of 0.9%. Since you can get CBD oil with up to 0.3% THC without seeing a doctor, going through the entire process isn’t worthwhile for many people.
Unfortunately, Tennessee residents will not benefit from MMJ for a few years at least because the state’s lawmakers continue to shut down any attempts at legalization. If, for whatever reason, you believe that using cannabis oil with up to 0.9% THC could prove useful, read on to find out how to get a medical marijuana card in Tennessee.
Find a Physician and Book a Consultation
You must find a doctor who will give you a recommendation for low-THC oil. Remember that you should only ask if you meet one of the requirements. Tennessee doesn’t have a list of cannabis physicians like many other states.
Making the first move and initiating a conversation is the most difficult aspect. Prepare for the visit by researching THC and your particular illness. Additionally, you must be open to discussing the issue and being asked questions.
You may be able to go forward with acquiring a referral if the doctor concurs that low-THC CBD oil could be helpful for your condition.
Visit a Dispensary to Get Your Low-THC Oil
Finding low-THC goods is now the tough part. You’ll have to buy your medications from a different state.
However, not many states offer CBD oil with this particular THC content. Typically, you’ll find items with more than 0.9% THC or products made from hemp with less than 0.3% THC. Finding that sweet spot might be quite challenging.
In effect, the Tennessee medicinal cannabis program is mostly useless, given the current legal framework and available purchase choices.
There is yet another issue. Federal law prohibits the interstate transportation of CBD oil that contains more than 0.3% THC because such goods are regarded as marijuana. Consequently, if you try to do so, you’re breaking federal law and could face serious prison time.
As you can see, it isn’t easy to get CBD oil that contains 0.9% THC. The entire process is useless under current law, preventing people from getting the products their physicians advise.
What Are the Penalties for Breaking Marijuana Laws in Tennessee?
Small quantities of marijuana possession remain illegal in Tennessee. Therefore, you risk up to a year in jail if you’re found in possession of any amount of the substance. A six-year prison sentence might be imposed as punishment for selling anything weighing half an ounce or more.
Growing marijuana is likewise a crime, with the maximum sentence for a single plant being six years in jail. Sadly, the state doesn’t have a genuine medicinal marijuana program, and all initiatives to establish one have encountered fierce resistance.
Realistically, it could take years for residents to have any chance of getting a Tennessee MMJ card. All attempts to get the substance legalized have failed. Senate Bill 280 was a medical marijuana law, but it made no provisions for the purchase or sale of cannabis. The existing situation where MMJ patients can buy cannabis oil with up to 0.9% THC occurred in 2016 via House Bill 2144. It was effectively a small change to SB 280.
A real MMJ bill didn’t make it past the Senate in March 2021, and a recent attempt met the same fate.
Final Thoughts on Getting a Tennessee MMJ Card
If you live in Tennessee, you have access to a program that doesn’t resemble medical marijuana rules in other states. Prospective MMJ patients still have to go through a long, drawn-out process. However, their reward is access to cannabis oil which has a maximum THC content of 0.9%. If you believe that a slight increase in THC could offer health benefits, follow the steps outlined above.
Sadly, the possibility of getting a Tennessee MMJ card that gives you access to real marijuana remains remote. Further attempts will be made in 2024, but given the state’s history of opposing medical marijuana, there is no guarantee that they’ll be any more successful than previous efforts.
