Federal update: DOJ partially rescheduled medical cannabis to Schedule III (April 28, 2026 final order). State-licensed medical operators may apply for expedited DEA registration through June 27, 2026; DEA hearing on full rescheduling set for June 29, 2026.
Your complete guide to cannabis in the Volunteer State Official TABC / TDA / TMCC data · No product sales · TryCannabis.org

Our Mission

CannabisTennessee.org provides accurate cannabis information for Tennessee residents and visitors navigating the prohibition-hemp paradox: full marijuana prohibition under T.C.A. § 39-17-415 alongside the highest U.S. per-capita hemp-derived cannabinoid market ($245.4M); the January 1, 2026 Public Chapter 526 overhaul; the study-only Tennessee Medical Cannabis Commission; the 2017 preemption; the Funk and Mulroy declination policies; cross-border tri-state Memphis and EBCI Qualla Boundary access. Part of the TryCannabis.org Cannabis Education Network.

What This Site Is

CannabisTennessee.org is a state-level guide in the TryCannabis.org Cannabis Education Network. We provide:

  • Tennessee Law — full prohibition under T.C.A. § 39-17-415; possession penalties; concentrate; cultivation; casual exchange; tax stamp; forfeiture and paraphernalia; cannabis DUI.
  • Medical — study-only Tennessee Medical Cannabis Commission (TMCC); narrow CBD oil law for intractable epilepsy; no operational medical-cannabis program.
  • Hemp — January 1, 2026 Public Chapter 526 overhaul; TABC takes over as lead agency for hemp-derived cannabinoid products from TDA (legacy through June 30, 2026); $245.4M Tennessee hemp-derived cannabinoid market (highest U.S. per capita); delta-8 / delta-9-hemp / THCA framework.
  • Cross-Border — tri-state Memphis (KY, MS, AR) cannabis-economy intersection; EBCI Qualla Boundary (Cherokee, NC) adult-use; Virginia I-81 corridor; Mississippi medical access; Georgia low-THC oil.
  • Cities — Memphis (Mulroy DA declination); Nashville (Funk DA declination 2016 cannabis ordinance); Knoxville-Chattanooga; tri-state Memphis; Fort Campbell military hub.
  • Politics — the 2017 preemption that erased Memphis and Nashville municipal ordinances; Lee gubernatorial posture; Hayes / Oliver / Akbari / Lamar reform legislators; opposition coalition; 2026 election cycle.
  • Workplace — Tennessee Drug-Free Workplace Program; FedEx (Memphis); HCA / Vanderbilt / UTHS healthcare; Volkswagen Chattanooga; Nissan Smyrna; Eastman Kingsport.
  • Federal Installations — Fort Campbell (101st Airborne); Naval Support Activity Mid-South; Holston Army Ammunition Plant; Arnold AFB; ORNL Oak Ridge; FBI Memphis.
  • Resources — TABC, TDA, TMCC, DOH, TBI, THP, TN Bar Lawyer Referrals; TN NORML, MPP, TMCTA, ACLU.

The Defining Tennessee Story

Tennessee is one of a small group of U.S. states maintaining full marijuana prohibition under T.C.A. § 39-17-415 while simultaneously hosting the highest per-capita hemp-derived cannabinoid market in the United States ($245.4 million annually). The paradox sits at the center of TN cannabis policy. The hemp-derived market includes delta-8 THC, hemp-derived delta-9 edibles, and THCA flower retailed openly across thousands of TN locations — while marijuana possession remains a misdemeanor (1/2 oz or less first offense, up to 1 year jail / $2,500). The legislature’s January 1, 2026 Public Chapter 526 reorganization shifts hemp-derived cannabinoid regulatory authority from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) to the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) on January 1, 2026 (with TDA continuing legacy operations through June 30, 2026).

The Tennessee Medical Cannabis Commission (TMCC) exists in study-only form — no comprehensive medical-cannabis program operates. The narrow CBD-oil-only carve-out for intractable epilepsy under prior legislation produces only a small registry. Memphis (DA Steve Mulroy) and Nashville (former DA Glenn Funk; the 2016 cannabis ordinance) implemented declination policies that were preempted by 2017 state legislation — the structural feature defining TN’s urban-rural reform asymmetry. Tri-state Memphis sits at the cannabis-economy intersection of Kentucky (medical), Mississippi (medical), and Arkansas (medical) jurisdictions. This is the story this site exists to tell.

Who We’re Written For

  • Tennessee residents navigating possession, cultivation, and trafficking law.
  • Hemp retailers facing the January 1, 2026 TABC transition and the November 12, 2026 federal hemp cliff.
  • Defendants in cannabis cases — possession, paraphernalia, trafficking, DUI, civil forfeiture.
  • Federal-employed Tennesseans at Fort Campbell, NSA Mid-South, Holston Army Ammunition Plant, Arnold AFB, ORNL Oak Ridge.
  • FedEx Memphis / Volkswagen Chattanooga / Nissan Smyrna / Eastman Kingsport workforce facing drug testing.
  • Cross-border travelers considering KY medical, MS medical, AR medical, NC EBCI Cherokee, VA adult-use I-81.
  • TN reform-curious voters and activists engaging with Hayes / Oliver / Akbari / Lamar legislative reform efforts.

What This Site Is Not

  • Not a cannabis business. We don’t sell products.
  • Not a law firm. Educational information, not legal advice.
  • Not a medical practice. Educational information, not medical advice.
  • Not advocacy-affiliated.
  • Not a campaign organization.

Methodology

  • TN sources: T.C.A. (Title 39 Chapter 17 Part 4; Title 43 Chapter 27); TABC; TDA; TMCC; DOH; TBI; THP; TN Department of Labor.
  • Court records: Tennessee Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals decisions.
  • Industry sources: MPP; National NORML; TMCTA; THAA; TGC.
  • Civil-society sources: ACLU of TN; TN NORML; TN Medical Cannabis Alliance.
  • Federal sources: DEA Atlanta + Memphis FDs; USDA AMS; U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of TN.
  • Press: Memphis Daily Memphian; Nashville Tennessean; Knoxville News Sentinel; Chattanooga Times Free Press; Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Last Verified

Each page shows a "Last verified" date. TN cannabis law evolves through legislative session. The Public Chapter 526 January 1, 2026 transition + November 12, 2026 federal hemp cliff + 2026 election cycle make the next 12 months volatile. Always verify current statutes with TABC, TDA, TMCC, or a Tennessee attorney before relying on any statement here for legal decisions.

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