Legislation that sought to reduce marijuana possession penalties was unfortunately defeated this legislative session.
House Bill 873 was previously passed by members of the Criminal Justice Committee on April 1st but members of the Finance Ways & Means Subcommittee and Committee failed to ever consider it. The companion Senate bill, Senate Bill 1211, was never considered by members of the Senate Judiciary Commitee.
House Bill 873 and Senate Bill 1211 would have reduced criminal penalties specific to the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana to a class C misdemeanor punishable by no more than a $ 100 fine.
Under present law, the possession of up to one half ounce of marijuana is classified as a criminal misdemeanor — punishable by up to one-year in jail and a fine between $ 250 and $ 500.
An analysis of 2010 marijuana possession arrests reports that police annually arrest over 18,000 Tennesseans for minor marijuana possession offenses. This is the 15th highest statewide tally in the nation.
Minor marijuana possession offenders, many of them young people, should not face the threat of jail and the lifelong penalties and stigma associated with it.
NORML would like to thank those of you who contacted your state lawmakers in support of this legislation.
Additional information on these and other pending efforts is available from Tennessee NORML here.
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws – Advocacy Campaigns
