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THE 9:01

The 9:01: Here's why Memphis should be high on legalizing marijuana in 2020

The 9:01 is your morning blend of Memphis news and commentary

Ryan Poe
Memphis Commercial Appeal
Multiple clear jars packed with cannabis on a counter.

Good morning from Memphis, where we're eyeing 18 potential candidates to succeed Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff. But first...

Every year, Tennessee advocates for marijuana legalization get their hopes up. "This year could be THE year," they think, perhaps staring glassily into the middle distance.

And then state lawmakers once again take a pass on allowing any puffs for any reasons.

The familiar pattern was repeated this year, ended in the recent defeat of bills that would have decriminalized simple possession and legalized medical cannabis. The Memphis City Council supported both bills, and Memphis Democratic Sen. Sara Kyle sponsored the legislation to decriminalize simple marijuana possession, our Jamie Munks reports.

State Sen. Sara Kyle

I know some people who are very passionate about legalization of marijuana — but I'm not one of them. Although I've been around it, I've never smoked marijuana — or even eaten so much as a pot-laced brownie — so the stakes aren't high for me, personally.

But to me it's a question of fairness and practicality. In 2010, across the state, four black people were arrested for marijuana for every white person. In Memphis, where the majority of the population is black, that disparity is very likely higher. 

Ending a law with disproportionate adverse effects for black people — and for Memphis — is a persuasive argument to me. The claims made by Kyle and others that we're losing a "whole pool of talented people" to marijuana arrests in Tennessee? Not so much. The Shelby County District Attorney's office only prosecuted 210 marijuana usage cases in 2018, down from 216 the year before, WREG reported. That's a small pool.

Also persuasive is the argument from practicality. Tennessee is now one of just 18 states that still completely bans marijuana, putting the state at the tail end of a trend. And a very lucrative trend, at that: medical marijuana is projected to grow to $12.5 billion industry by 2025. And as the agricultural hub of the Delta, Memphis could literally reap some of the profits if marijuana is grown in the region.

The Memphis Flyer's Maya Smith recently penned a piece highlighting a new report from nonprofit ProCon.org that claimed Tennessee could save nearly $1.8 million in annual incarceration costs by decriminalizing possession of less than an ounce. Also:

Aside from saving money, the state could bring in additional millions of dollars each year by legalizing recreational or medical cannabis. In Colorado, a trailblazing state for legalizing marijuana, ProCon reports that the cannabis industry brings in three times more tax revenue than alcohol. Colorado took in $78 million during the first year of legal sales and $129 million the second year.

Imagine what Tennessee could do with those kinds of funds.

Tennessee — and Shelby County, in particular — could do quite a lot with those funds, from improving public transit to defraying Shelby County Schools' massive backlog of school building repairs.

But let's be realistic about the downsides highlighted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even if the state eventually loosens its grip on marijuana, there should be some regulations — including age limits. That said, in the midst of the devastating opioid crisis — and considering the higher death rates associated with tobacco and alcohol — arguing that marijuana is too dangerous to allow at all makes you sound high.

The Memphis City Council narrowly approved a resolution supporting marijuana decriminalization and medical marijuana legalization this year. Next year, the council should support the resolution again for the above reasons — unanimously, this time.

Speaking of the Tennessee General Assembly: Both chambers of the General Assembly this week voted for a bill that would ban abortions across the state if the Supreme Court ever overturns the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling. Republican Gov. Bill Lee is almost certain to sign the bill, which was approved after a bill to ban abortions upon detection of a heartbeat was sent to die a slow death in a summer study committee.

Who could be the next Grizzlies coach?

After the Memphis Grizzlies abruptly fired coach J.B. Bickerstaff, the question now is who will lead the team next season. Here's a slideshow of 18 potential candidates:

FedEx could get $21M in state incentives

FedEx, which is undergoing a $1.3 billion expansion in its hometown of Memphis, could get $21 million in state incentives over seven years in the latest state budget proposal.

That's according to Joel Ebert of The USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee. Although the incentive is coming from the state, which would forego $16 million in tax revenue, local government would also forego $5.1 million in state tax revenue under the proposal.

If you think FedEx is getting a lot — well, you're right. But FedEx isn't getting nearly as much as the $65 million Amazon is getting for its new Nashville operations hub or the $50 million Volkswagon is getting to expand its plant in Chattanooga, once again raising the question of whether the state is neglecting to invest in West Tennessee growth.

Collierville: Stop cooking on our picnic tables

Collierville is getting all up in people's grills.

More specifically, Collierville is warning people that making open fires or bringing grills into parks violates its policies. Also, you aren't supposed to use a "picnic table as a grill."

“We’ve recently seen charcoal piles dumped in the streets in several parks in Town following the weekends,” said Derek Honeycutt, General Services Director. “There was also a vinyl coated picnic table that was damaged from someone using it as a grill.”

File this in the 'awwww' category

What to know and read in the 901

The Fadeout

This undated image provided by Columbia Records shows rapper Lil Nas X, whose viral hit “Old Town Road” was removed from Billboard's country charts because they said it wasn’t country enough

University of Memphis students last week impressed Lil Nas X, who posted a video of them riding a tiger statue to his new R&B-country crossover hit "Old Town Road."

How impressed? To the point that Lil Nas X asked what school that was and said he was "tryna pop up," our Micaela Watts reports.

The catchy song, which features the drawling voice of Billy Ray Cyrus, has sparked a controversy over whether it should be restored to the country charts (it should).

As thanks to Lil Nas X for the U of M shout-out, his song will play us out this morning:

Columnist Ryan Poe writes The 9:01, a weekday morning blend of Memphis news and commentary. Reach him at poe@commercialappeal.com and on Twitter @ryanpoe.

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