Tennessee
Medical program active
Last verified: March 2026 · editorial-team
Possession Limit
N/A
Flower (adult use)
Concentrates
N/A
Per transaction
Home Grow
Not permitted
Personal cultivation
Delivery
Not allowed
Licensed delivery
License Types
Other
No cannabis licensing framework exists. Tennessee has no medical or recreational cannabis program. CBD oil with up to 0.9% THC is permitted for specific conditions under a 2015 law, but there is no dispensary system or commercial licensing of any kind.
Est. Fees
N/A
Processing Time
N/A
Tax Structure
Excise Rate
No cannabis excise tax (no legal market)
Sales Tax
Not applied
Effective Total
N/A — cannabis sales are illegal
Tennessee has no legal cannabis market. Hemp-derived CBD products are subject to the state's 7% sales tax (one of the highest state sales tax rates in the country) plus local taxes up to 2.75%. No cannabis-specific tax legislation has been introduced with meaningful traction.
Regulatory Body
Key Statutes
Tennessee Drug Control Act
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-417 et seq.Marijuana is a Schedule VI controlled substance in Tennessee. Simple possession of 0.5 oz or less is a misdemeanor with up to 1 year in jail and $2,500 fine for a first offense. More than 0.5 oz triggers intent-to-distribute charges. Cultivation of any amount is a felony.
Public Chapter 481 — CBD Oil Exception
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-402(16)(D)Passed in 2015. Allows possession of CBD oil containing up to 0.9% THC for patients with specific conditions (epilepsy, seizure disorders). Not a full medical cannabis program — no dispensaries, no cultivation, no commercial sales framework.
For Operators
Nothing here for operators
Tennessee has no medical program, no recreational framework, and no pending legislation with real momentum. The state legislature is firmly Republican, and leadership has shown no interest in cannabis reform beyond the minimal CBD exception. Nashville's city council has pushed for decriminalization, but those efforts have been blocked or overridden at the state level.
Regional context
Tennessee is surrounded by states making moves: Virginia legalized possession (though sales are delayed), Missouri went fully recreational in 2023, and even Kentucky passed medical cannabis in 2023. Tennessee's position as a holdout is becoming more isolated. That isolation could eventually create political pressure, but don't mistake proximity to reform for actual reform. The legislature would need to flip on this issue, and there's no sign of that happening soon.
Hemp and delta-8 THC products exist in a gray area. Tennessee attempted to restrict delta-8 sales but hasn't fully succeeded. Some operators are working in this space, but regulatory clarity is poor and enforcement is unpredictable. It's not a foundation for a serious business plan.
For Consumers
Illegal, full stop
Cannabis is illegal for recreational and medical use in Tennessee. Possession of half an ounce or less is a Class A misdemeanor — up to 1 year in jail and a $2,500 fine for a first offense. Repeat offenses can be charged as felonies. Concentrates and edibles carry the same penalties as flower. Selling any amount is a felony.
What about CBD?
Hemp-derived CBD products (0.3% THC or less) are available in stores throughout Tennessee. A narrow 2015 law also allows CBD oil with up to 0.9% THC for epilepsy patients, but there's no dispensary system to obtain it — you're essentially on your own to find a legal source. This isn't a functional medical program by any meaningful standard.
Delta-8 THC products are sold in many Tennessee shops, though their legal status is murky. The state has considered restricting them, and law enforcement in some jurisdictions treats them as illegal. If you use delta-8 products in Tennessee, understand that you're operating in a legal gray zone with potential criminal exposure.
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