A Tennessee medical marijuana measure has been introduced and “passed on first consideration” in the state’s Senate.

Senate Bill 1633 , introduced by Senator Jeff Yarbro, “establishes a defense to prosecution for the possession of marijuana in an amount not to exceed one ounce by declaring such possession is justified if possessed for the treatment of certain provable medical conditions.” The measure was filed today in the Tennessee Senate, and quickly passed on first consideration. The legislation must now go through the committee process and be approved by both the House and Senate before it can be sent to Governor Bill Haslam for consideration.

According to the proposal; “The person can prove a medical diagnosis of one (1) of the following:

(A) Cancer;

(B) Glaucoma;

(C) Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune

deficiency syndrome (AIDS);

(D) Hepatitis C;

(E) Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis;

(F) Tourette’s syndrome;

(G) Crohn’s disease;

(H) Ulcerative colitis;

(I) Post-traumatic stress disorder;

(J) Severe arthritis;

(K) Fibromyalgia;

(L) Alzheimer’s disease;

(M) Cachexia or wasting syndrome;

(N) Peripheral neuropathy;

(O) Intractable pain that has not responded to ordinary

medications, treatment, or surgical measures for more than six (6)

months;

(P) Severe nausea;

(Q) Seizures, including, without limitation, those characteristic of

epilepsy; or

(R) Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including, without

limitation, those characteristic of multiple sclerosis.

Section 2 of the bill states that “This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.”