Tenn. Lawmakers Call for Study of Medical Marijuana

Swayed by lobbying from a man with rhumatoid arthritis, a Tennessee House of Representatives committee voted this week to authorize a study of medical marijuana, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported April 27.

The proposal was passed by the House Health and Human Resources Committee and referred to the House Finance Committee. A similar measure has been introduced in the state Senate.

The bill calls for the state board of pharmacy and medical examiner to study issues around possible legalization of the drug for medical use. Lawmakers also want state sheriffs and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to weigh in on medical marijuana.

Arthritis sufferer John Donovan, 25, a resident of Red Bank, lobbied House members “face to face to let these people know there are Tennesseans out here who this bill affects in a positive way and just basically giving a voice to those people,” he said.