KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- The drug debate is Nashville has been pushed back another year as legislators drop a bill that could make Tennessee the 17th state to legalize medical marijuana.
While cops keep fighting to keep the drug off our streets, but some of your own neighbors are fighting too -- for a prescription.
When stage three cervical cancer threatened to kill 50-year-old Teresa Boomer, she fought back until she was skin and bones.
"Morphine, three times a day, Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Lorazepam, sleeping pills, you name it, they put me on it," said Boomer. She suffered through internal and external radiation, and chemotherapy. She says the treatments led to other complications, all leaving her in unimaginable pain.
"Under the chemicals, the chemicals they were giving me, there was no life. There was no quality. I laid in bed, wasting. I went from 140 pounds to 87 pounds," she said.
And then she tried something different: a brownie laced with marijuana. She says it was like flipping a switch.
"The chemo and radiation, gave me back, gave me my life. And marijuana gave my life my life back to me," she said.
Sixteen months later, she's gained energy and weight -- and is now cancer-free. She and her husband Mark, want you to hear their story.
"You don't want to be looked at as a pot user or whatever but I did. And I'm proud of it, and if I wouldn't have, I wouldn't be here," she said. The Boomers moved to Tennessee recently, and joined the efforts of Tennessee NORML right away. The organization fights to reform marijuana laws.
State legislators heard arguments this month, but killed a bill before a vote that could have legalized pot for patients only.
"The state of Tennessee would have been a leader on this. It was very tightly controlled, very structured and made complete sense. It would eliminate a lot of evils that are associated with the substance," said Mark Boomer.
While medical marijuana won't be legalized this year, the Boomers are hopefully that it's a step in the right direction.
"I'm feeling really good. Feeling alive and thankful to be alive. I can walk my dog," said Teresa. She's standing up to cancer and the statehouse too.
"Yes, it was illegal...It saved me and it could save a lot of people."
Tennessee supporters say the bill will be back next session.
Reporter: Sara Shookman
