Tennessee lawmaker proposes bill to legalize recreational marijuana

Tennessee lawmaker proposes bill to legalize recreational marijuana

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — One state lawmaker said it’s time to legalize recreational marijuana in Tennessee.

Recreational pot, let alone medical marijuana, is not yet legal in Tennessee.

Sen.

Sarah Kyle (DDistrict 30) of Memphis said now is the time for change. She’s sponsoring a bill to legalize recreational marijuana.

“My whole point of bringing a bill to have marijuana available just like any alcohol is available is to have the discussion,” said Kyle.

Kyle said the change is necessary for criminal justice reform.

“We are hurting too many of our citizens by charging them with possession of marijuana and they’re not able to get meaningful employment,” she said. “We are hurting ourselves by losing that talent.”

Kyle said the details of the bill still need to be worked out, like limits on purchase and possession.

“We are talking about small amounts that you would use recreationally, just like you do alcohol,” she said.

But past efforts to decriminalize smaller amounts of possession have had limited success.

In 2016, Nashville passed an ordinance doing just this, but it was later overturned by the state legislature.

But Kyle said attitudes are changing.

“We need to discuss this, let people understand that it’s not necessarily a gateway drug,” she said. “We don’t punish people for drinking alcohol — maybe if they have a DUI we do. We need to frame marijuana along those same lines. But I think we’re going to find out that marijuana is not as harmful as drinking.”

Kyle’s office said she’ll find out who will be her bill House co-sponsor on Wednesday.

Thirty-three states have legalized medical marijuana. Ten states have legalized

recreational marijuana.

Any bill would likely face legal challenges if passed. Marijuana remains illegal at the federal level.

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Regulators approve site for new Mississippi casino

GULFPORT, Miss. — The Mississippi Gaming Commission has approved the site for another casino along the Gulf Coast.

Various news outlets have reported that regulators voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a location in Long Beach for its first casino.

The regulators met in Long Beach in November and delayed action to give them more time to study the plan.

Developer James Parrish and his investors must show they have financing to complete the project and that it meets the required guidelines for size of the casino, a 300bed hotel and a fine dining restaurant.

Parrish said he and other investors have worked for two years on the plans.

Long Beach Mayor George Bass says the casino plans must be approved by the city’s architectural review board.

The casino would be the 13th on the Gulf Coast.

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Mississippi 12-year-old arrested for violation of gun ordinance

NEWALBANY, Miss.

— Police arrested a 12year-old boy for firing a gun within city limits.

Police Chief Chris Robertson said the incident happened on Tuesday.

He said it appears the boy was playing with a gun and fired one shot.

No one was injured.

Police arrested the boy and charged him with discharging a firearm within

city limits. New Albany schools were placed on a “soft lockdown” for approximately 30 minutes as a precaution.

“The incident did not occur on any school campus,” said Robertson.

“All safety measures were followed and students were never in danger.”