Dem-backed bill would legalize, tax marijuana for medical use in NC
DATE MARCH 31ST. THE NEW COVERT
WILL IMPROVE DRAINAGE ALONG
THIS ROAD. SOME DEMOCRATIC
STATE LAWMAKERS ARE PUSHING
TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA IN NORTH
CAROLINA. THEY HAVE FILED BILLS
THAT WOULD LEGALIZE REGULATE
AND TAX. THE DRUG ESPECIALLY
THE WAY IT HANDLES ALCOHOL.
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT
COMPARISON. WRAL'S CAPITOL
BUREAU CHIEF LAURA LESLIE
JOINING US NOW TO EXPLAIN
EXACTLY HOW THIS WOULD WORK.
WELL, THE FIRST THING I HAVE TO
SAY ABOUT ALL THIS IS THAT THIS
BILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO AND
HE'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GET
ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
>> BILLS FILED BY DEMOCRATS
DON'T USUALLY FARE VERY WELL
IN OUR REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED
LEGISLATURE. BUT, YOU KNOW,
ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE RIGHT SEE
IF THIS BILL PASSES, THE STATE
WOULD SELL MARIJUANA AT ABC
STORES AND STATE OPERATED
MARIJUANA OUTLETS. PEOPLE WOULD
ALSO BE ALLOWED TO GROW UP TO
6 MARIJUANA PLANTS. BUT YOU'D
HAVE TO KEEP THEM LOCKED UP.
THE AGE LIMIT WOULD BE 21 TO
USE OUR PURCHASE THE DRUG AND
IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL TO DRIVE
UNDER THE INFLUENCE JUST AS IT
IS WITH ALCOHOL. IT WOULD ALSO
BE ILLEGAL TO SMOKE THIS IN AND
OUT IN PUBLIC PLACES. AND I
IMAGINE A BIG PART OF THIS IS
THE MONEY WOULD BRING IN IT.
IT COULD BE A CASH COW. IS THAT
WHAT THEY'RE THINKING? BUT IT
CERTAINLY BROUGHT IN A LOT OF
MONEY AND SOME OTHER PLACES
THAT WHERE IT'S BEEN LEGALIZED
HERE, THE DRUG WOULD BE TAXED
AT 30% AND THAT MONEY WOULD BE
USED UNDER THESE BILLS TO
REINVEST IN THE COMMUNITIES
THAT IN THE HARDEST HIT BY
MARIJUANA PROHIBITION, PEOPLE
WHO HAVE CRIMINAL RECORDS FOR
POSSESSION. WE ACTUALLY HAVE
THEIR RECORDS EXPUNGED THE
STATE WOULD GET SOME OF THE
MONEY FROM THOSE TAXES TOO.
DO SOME PUBLIC EDUCATION TO DO
RESEARCH INTO CANNABIS AND A
TREAT ADDICTION. SO WRAL HAS
DONE POLLING ON THIS BEFORE
BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME
IN THIS CONVERSATION HAS HAS
COME UP. AND WE'VE ALSO LOOK AT
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR THE
LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
MEDICAL USE. BUT
>> THE LAST 3 YEARS, REPUBLICAN
STATE LAWMAKERS HAVE NOT BEEN
ABLE TO GET THAT ACROSS THE
FINISH LINE. THAT IS RIGHT.
AND THE STATE SENATE HAS PASSED
MEDICAL MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION
TWICE NOW, BUT THE HOUSE HAS
REFUSED SO FAR TO VOTE ON IT.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE SEEN SOME
CHANGING OF THE MAKEUP OF THE
HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE.
>> IF ANYTHING WERE TO PASS
THIS AS THEY WOULD LIKELY BE
MEDICAL MARIJUANA. ONLY NEITHER
CHAMBER HAS EVER EVEN HELD A