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Mission Statement

To educate, support and engage our members and public, influence policy and advocate for prevention, treatment and recovery services.

White Paper on Cannabis Policy - Lessons from around America

Few legislative and regulatory issues in the United States are as polarizing as cannabis legalization. No matter your perspective, cannabis is being legalized in many states and countries around the world for both medical and adult recreational use. In 1972, the Shafer Commission appointed by President Nixon, called for the decriminalization of Cannabis. In 2016, nine states had medical and recreational cannabis-related questions on their ballots. Currently, twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia have legalized the medical use of cannabis. Eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for recreational use. The debate over legalization of any kind has engaged state and local governments, advocacy groups, the agriculture industry, marketers, researchers and consumers alike. The 2017 National Cannabis Summit held August 28-30 in Denver, CO, provided a structure for an objective national discussion of policies and regulatory approaches to enhance public health and safety, improve prevention and treatment, and to respond to changing cannabis policies.

TAADAS members have engaged in this debate at our monthly meetings and remain equally curious about the policy, social and medical ramifications of legalization – especially since many of the published reports seemed contradictory and confusing. TAADAS elected to send members and staff to the Summit to engage in discussion first hand and learn what we could from our colleagues. Over 350 people attended the Summit, many of which were from states who had legalized cannabis, but seeking ideas to improve existing policies.

Upon return, the Summit attendees outlined three main areas of focus – prevention, treatment and regulatory policy. Our key findings from the Summit and recommendations for any future legalization for medical use in Tennessee, should it be considered, are outlined in this publication which can be downloaded below.

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