TN senators optimistic that medical marijuana legislation could pass in near future Marijuana legalization in Tennessee has been a hot topic of discussion for years, and lawmaker attitudes on the idea are slowly changing. Author: Jacinta Render (WBIR) Updated: 5:56 PM CDT April 27, 2021 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The push to legalize medical marijuana in Tennessee continues to face an uphill battle, but that hill is starting to flatten. Sen. Becky Duncan Massey (R-Knoxville) sponsored a bill this session that would have decriminalized the drug for specific medical purposes, but it narrowly failed in committee Tuesday afternoon. Sen. Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville) said there was not enough background information to determine how medical marijuana eases symptoms for specific illnesses.