Following through on what many had come to expect, House Speaker Beth Harwell and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally have ordered the formation of a committee to study the potential impacts of legalizing medical marijuana in Tennessee.

In a Friday letter, the legislative leaders announced the formation of the Joint Ad Hoc Committee on Medical Cannabis.

"This committee is hereby authorized and directed to study, evaluate, analyze and undertake a comprehensive review regarding whether the legalization of cannabis for medicinal purposes is in the best interest of the state," the letter says.

More:Tennessee medical marijuana bill dead because Senate 'scared,' lawmaker says

The committee will be chaired by Sen. Steve Dickerson, R-Nashville, and Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby.

It also will include Reps. Sheila Butt, R-Columbia; Bob Ramsey, R-Maryville; Sam Whitson, R-Franklin; Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis; and Sens. Richard Briggs, R-Knoxville; Rusty Crowe, R-Johnson City; Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald; and Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville.

During the 2017 legislative session Dickerson and Faison introduced a bill that would allow certain patients to use medical marijuana.

Although the bill failed to gain much traction in the legislature, Faison called for the issue to be studied further in a task force.

Medical marijuana is available in 29 states.

The committee's formation comes less than a month after Harwell, a Republican candidate for governor, said she was "open" to considering a law allowing medical marijuana in Tennessee.

Earlier this year, Harwell launched a House task force to fight the state's ongoing opioid crisis.

Reach Joel Ebert at jebert@tennessean.com or 615-772-1681 and on Twitter @joelebert29.