Against the National Current: Nashville, Memphis’s Stance on Marijuana Explored

Tennessee’s Cannabis Conundrum: Inside
Nashville and Memphis’s Low Rankings

Summary

In a recent analysis conducted by Clever Real Estate, Nashville and Memphis were pinpointed as some of the least favorable cities for marijuana enthusiasts in the United States. Despite the growing trend of legalizing both medical and recreational marijuana across many states – with 38 states acknowledging the former and 24 plus the District of Columbia the latter – Tennessee maintains a stringent stance. Neither medical nor recreational usage finds legality within state borders, a position that seems steadfast for the foreseeable future.

This year’s legislative attempts by Representative Jesse Chism (D-Memphis) to place nonbinding marijuana legalization queries on the November 2024 ballot were unsuccessful, mirroring the fate of a similar proposal last year. This legislative history underscores the current climate surrounding cannabis in Tennessee, providing context to the state’s cities receiving low rankings in the Clever Real Estate study.

Nashville, often celebrated as Music City, finds itself in the 6th position on the list of unfavorable cities for marijuana, consistent with its ranking the previous year. Memphis is also featured, taking the 9th spot. The study reveals that Nashville houses a mere 0.9 dispensaries per 100,000 residents, starkly contrasting the national average of 2.4. Furthermore, the cost of high-quality marijuana in Nashville, averaging $363.55 per ounce, significantly overshoots the national average by 14%.

Exploring the “Pot Passion” of cities, a metric derived from Google Trends data on cannabis-related searches, Nashville scored 51 – well below the national average of 67. Notably, all cities making up the bottom 10 for marijuana friendliness forbid its recreational use, with medical marijuana also largely prohibited. Memphis and an exception in Birmingham are the only cities where medical marijuana is permitted, albeit narrowly.

Turning to brighter horizons, Denver was crowned the best city for marijuana in the United States, reclaiming its position from Portland, Oregon, now ranked second. This acknowledgement comes amidst a shifting landscape where cities and states across the country are increasingly recognizing the benefits of legalizing marijuana, either for medical or recreational purposes.

With six of the eight states bordering Tennessee having legalized marijuana in some capacity, the conversation around its legalization within the state continues. Despite overwhelming public support for legal cannabis, it remains classified alongside substances like heroin and LSD at the federal level, impeding comprehensive study and progress toward legalization.

The ongoing dialogue, marked by bipartisan support for reevaluating cannabis’s legal status in Tennessee, hints at potential flexibility in the future, contingent on federal adjustments. Representative Torrey Harris (D-Memphis) remains optimistic, suggesting that changes at the federal level could pave the way for state alignment with broader legal standards, reflecting the 88% of US adults favoring marijuana legalization in some form as reported by the Pew Research Center.