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TN lawmakers call for state study on medical marijuanaBy Chas Sisk • THE TENNESSEAN • April 28, 2010 The state legislature may take up the question next year of whether marijuana should be available by prescription in Tennessee, after agreeing to send the question to a study group.The House Health and Human Resources Committee voted Tuesday to call on state health, agriculture and law enforcement officials to study medical marijuana and deliver a report to the legislature no later than Feb. 15, ending a two-week debate over the issue. But the committee did not approve any additional funding for the study, leaving it to the state's Board of Pharmacy to decide whether to take up the matter.If it goes forward, the study could set up a debate over medical marijuana next year.The vote to approve came after several lawmakers on the committee expressed qualms over a bill sponsored by state Rep. Jeanne Richardson, D-Memphis, that would have made it legal for people suffering from serious illnesses or debilitating conditions, such as severe nausea, pain or seizures, to receive prescriptions for cannabis."I'm pleased that they put a deadline of February on it, and if we get through the report, I'm hopeful our bill will be passed," said Bernie Ellis, an activist who wrote the bill and presented it to the legislature.