Democrat Gordon Ball, right, speaks during a U.S. Senate candidate forum with Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., left, on Oct. 16, 2014, in Cookeville, Tenn.VOTER GUIDESee a list of candidates, proposed amendments and sample ballots at timesfreepress.com/voterguide2014.
NASHVILLE -- Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Gordon Ball said today the federal government should get out of the pot regulation business.
"I believe the federal government should repeal any prohibition concerning marijuana," Ball said during a debate with six independent candidates.
The attorney described how a friend of his former wife's had advanced breast cancer 25 years ago.
"She had a two year old. She couldn't take any drug at all to relieve her pain except marijuana. It was illegal. I believe in medical marijuana. ... And thank God she's still living today."
The question drew unanimous agreement from left to right at the debate, in which U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., did not participate.
"The federal government does not have the enumerated power in the United States Constitution to restrict the growth and sale of marijuana," said Danny Page, a religious conservative, who noted it is up to states. "Now as a Christian, that's not something I'm going to partake of."
Green Party nominee Martin Pleasant and Libertarian Party candidate Joshua James agreed the federal government should leave it up to states to decide how to handle marijuana.