Medical Marijuana Being Debated

Tennessee voters will choose a new governor this year and the candidates’ views of legalizing medical marijuana could be a deciding factor for some voters.
Republican Diane Black opposes it, saying marijuana is a gateway drug. Bill Lee and Randy Boyd are non-committal, wanting testing and input from law enforcement and the medical community.
On the other side, Republican Beth Harwell is open to the idea, while Democrats Karl Dean and Craig Fitzhugh both support medical marijuana with conditions.
A 2017 Prevention Magazine survey found 75 percent of those asked believe medical marijuana should be legal.
Even a poll from Tennesseans for Conservative Actions showed 52 percent approval.
Lt. Governor Randy McNally has not changed his opinion. He opposes legalization of marijuana for any reason.
There is a fear by opponents that the open door to medical marijuana would also open the door to legalizing marijuana for recreational use, so the debate over legalizing medical marijuana in Tennessee continues.