NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The treatment of her sister's back injury has caused Republican gubernatorial candidate Beth Harwell to reevaluate Tennessee's ban on medical marijuana.
Harwell, who is speaker of the state House of Representatives, told a Republican gathering earlier this month that allowing medical marijuana has come up as part of a discussion about how to tackle the state's opioid crisis.
Harwell said her sister was recently prescribed opioids after breaking her back in a yoga accident. But after the initial doses, she wanted to stop taking the painkillers for fear of becoming addicted.
Harwell's sister lives in Colorado where marijuana has been legalized, so she decided to instead consume the drug mixed with coconut oil until she felt better.
Harwell said she still opposes the legalization of recreational marijuana.