IN SESSION

House committee approves bill to legalize cannabis oil

Dave Boucher

USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

A bill to legalize cannabis oil in Tennessee for medical purposes passed its first legislative hurdle Tuesday, but it did so with a slight change.

A Tennessee House subcommittee approved a measure Tuesday that would legalize cannabis oil for medicinal use in certain cases.

The bill, from Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, passed the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee with a few amendments. It now requires someone who wants to use the oil to have a letter from a doctor saying the person who needs the oil suffers from seizures.

Several weeks ago, families pleaded with the committee to support the bill. The families have children who suffer from, at times, thousands of seizures every day.

The bill advances to the full House Criminal Committee. Committee Chairman William Lamberth, R-Cottontown, said during the subcommittee meeting that he supports the bill.

Reach Dave Boucher at 615-259-8892 and on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.