(a) An individual drug user shall not bring an action for damages caused by the use of an illegal drug, except as otherwise provided in this subsection (a). An individual drug user may bring an action for damages caused by the use of an illegal drug only if all of the following conditions are met:

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 29-38-107

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Illegal drug: means a drug, the distribution of which is a violation of state law. See Tennessee Code 29-38-104
  • Individual drug user: means the individual whose illegal drug use is the basis of an action brought under this chapter. See Tennessee Code 29-38-104
  • Person: means an individual, governmental entity, corporation, firm, trust, partnership, or incorporated or unincorporated association, existing under or authorized by the laws of this state, another state, or foreign country. See Tennessee Code 29-38-104
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
(1) The individual personally discloses to narcotics enforcement authorities, more than six (6) months before filing the action, all of the information known to the individual regarding all that individual’s sources of illegal drugs;
(2) The individual has not used an illegal drug within the six (6) months prior to filing the action; and
(3) The individual continues to remain free of the use of an illegal drug throughout the pendency of the action.
(b) A person entitled to bring an action under this section may seek damages only from a person who distributed, or is in the chain of distribution of, an illegal drug that was actually used by the individual drug user.
(c) A person entitled to bring an action under this section may recover only the following damages:

(1) Economic damages, including, but not limited to, the cost of treatment, rehabilitation, and medical expenses, loss of economic or educational potential, loss of productivity, absenteeism, accidents or injury, and any other pecuniary loss proximately caused by the person’s illegal drug use;
(2) Reasonable attorney fees; and
(3) Costs of suit, including, but not limited to, reasonable expenses for expert testimony.
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