When it comes to marijuana legalization in Nashville, the debate is largely a matter of degree.

A new poll conducted by Vanderbilt University found that 85 percent of Nashvillians support some form of legalization, whether for recreation or medical use. Only 13 percent of respondents said it should not be legal at all.

That's interesting so far as it goes, but it bumps up against a mellow-harshing reality: The Tennessee state legislature disagrees and is decidedly opposed to giving cities like Nashville leeway to make its own laws on the issue.

Medical marijuana legislation — albeit Republican-sponsored — died for the year last week, a day before the state House approved legislation blocking laws in Nashville and Memphis that decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana.

What's more, the Jeff Sessions-led Department of Justice doesn't look kindly on marijuana usage of any kind.