NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Democrats Sen. Heidi Campbell and Rep. Aftyn Behn are reviving their push to legalize marijuana in Tennessee, just as a new law restricting hemp products begins hitting retailers.
Their “Pot for Potholes Act” would legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older, regulate its sale, and apply a 15% tax, with revenue directed toward Tennessee’s $58 billion transportation backlog.
“We’re not benefiting from those sales at all… we have people leaving the state to buy it in places where it is legal,” Campbell said.
The renewed effort comes as a law targeting THCA and unregulated hemp products, passed under Sen. Richard Briggs, who called the market “the wild west”, began impacting businesses on July 1.
Republicans remain firmly opposed. Rep. Kevin Raper called the proposal a way to “make money” off “evil,” while Rep. Greg Vital said the state doesn’t need marijuana taxes to fund roads.
The bill failed last year, but Campbell plans to refile it, citing shifting momentum after President Trump’s move to reclassify medical marijuana federally.
