NASHVILLE — State Sen. Heidi Campbell, D-Nashville, and Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, are promoting a public campaign aimed at building support for legislation that would legalize marijuana in Tennessee and dedicate tax revenue to repairing roads and bridges across the state.
The initiative, called “Pot for Potholes,” centers on proposed legislation — SB 2440/HB 2525 — that would allow adults 21 and older to legally use marijuana while establishing a regulated system for cultivating, testing and selling cannabis products in Tennessee.
The campaign, hosted at Pot4Potholes.com, encourages Tennesseans to sign a petition supporting the legislation and view a series of promotional videos outlining what supporters say are the economic and infrastructure benefits of the proposal.
The slogan featured in the campaign materials reads: “Help us legalize marijuana, so you never hit a pothole again.”
Under the proposed legislation, marijuana sales would be subject to a 15% tax, with the majority of the revenue directed to Tennessee’s transportation infrastructure fund to help repair aging highways, bridges and transit systems.
Supporters say similar programs in other states demonstrate the potential economic impact. Massachusetts, which has a population comparable to Tennessee’s, generated $289 million in cannabis tax revenue in 2025, according to campaign organizers.
Sen. Campbell said many Tennesseans are already purchasing marijuana legally in neighboring states, meaning Tennessee loses out on potential tax revenue.
“Tennesseans are already buying cannabis,” Campbell said. “They’re just doing it across state lines, where Tennessee receives none of the economic benefits. Updating our marijuana laws would create jobs and generate revenue that could help repair roads without increasing taxes on working families.”
Transportation funding remains a major challenge for Tennessee. State officials estimate traffic congestion alone costs residents $420 million annually in lost productivity and travel delays. Fully addressing the state’s highway and bridge maintenance backlog could require as much as $58 billion, nearly the size of Tennessee’s entire state budget.
Rep. Behn said the proposed legislation offers a new funding source while also addressing broader issues tied to cannabis prohibition.
“Our highway funding system isn’t working, and there has been no comprehensive plan to fix it,” Behn said. “The Pot for Potholes Act would create a new revenue stream, strengthen Tennessee’s agricultural economy, reduce the illegal cannabis market and prevent people from being jailed for nonviolent offenses.”
Across the country, 40 states have adopted either medical marijuana programs or full adult-use legalization, leaving Tennessee among the remaining states without a comprehensive cannabis framework.
Campbell and Behn launched the campaign earlier this week alongside Cannabis Day on the Hill, when advocates, patients, farmers and business owners gathered at the Tennessee State Capitol to call for cannabis policy reform.
Tennesseans can learn more about the proposal, watch the campaign videos and sign the petition at Pot4Potholes.com.
