NC lawmakers consider next steps to legalize medical marijuana

PERSON, BUT IT WAS CANCELED

BEFORE OFFICERS ARRIVED.

>> HERE'S A LIVE LOOK AT THE

LEGISLATIVE BUILDING WHERE IT

IS NOW UP TO THE HOUSE TO

DECIDE WHETHER TO LEGALIZE

MEDICAL MARIJUANA. THE SENATE

PASSED A BILL LAST NIGHT ALONG

WITH A NEW SECTION EXPLICITLY

BANNING RECREATIONAL USE.

WRAL CAPITOL BUREAU CHIEF LAURA

LESLIE IS LIVE WITH THE

LEGISLATIVE BUILDING. LORD, WE

KNOW WHY THE SENATE ADDED THAT

PROVISION.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE SAD OF

THE AMENDMENT SAY THAT EVEN

IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKES

MARIJUANA OFF OF THEIR

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES LIST.

ITS RECREATIONAL USE WOULD

STILL BE ILLEGAL IN THIS STATE.

AND THAT'S A RESPONSE TO

CRITICS WHO HAVE SAID THAT THE

MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROPOSAL IS

ACTUALLY JUST A FIRST STEP TO

FULL LEGALIZATION. BUT ONE DRUG

POLICY ANALYSTS I SPOKE TO

TODAY SAID IT'S PRETTY MUCH A

MOOT POINT.

>> THE NEW ADDITION TO THE BILL

SAYS EVEN IF A RECREATIONAL

MARIJUANA IS LEGALIZED AT THE

FEDERAL LEVEL, IT WOULD STILL

NOT BE LEGAL HERE UNLESS STATE

LAWMAKERS APPROVE IT. THAT'S

A CONCESSION TO HOUSE AND

SENATE CONSERVATIVES WHO OPPOSE

MEDICAL MARIJUANA BECAUSE THEY

SAY IT OPENS THE DOOR TO MORE

WIDESPREAD USE TO JUST A

>> THE LEGALIZATION OF

RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA. THANK

VERY HARD BECAUSE THIS IS A

SLIPPERY WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM OF

THE HILL. WE HAVE SLIPPED ALL

THE WAY DOWN THE GOES BE IS A

FORMER CONGRESSIONAL ATTORNEY

WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

HELPING OTHER STATES RIGHT

THERE. DRUG LAWS.

>> HE SAYS THE PASSAGE OF THE

FARM ACT IN 2018 INADVERTENTLY

LEGALIZED HEMP AND INTOXICATING

LEVELS OF THC AND ALL SORTS

OF PRODUCTS YOU CAN BUY THC,

THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN

MARIJUANA.

AND THOUSANDS OF STORES AND THE

STATE HAVE STORES A LITTLE

SMOKE SHOPS AND THE CBD STORES.

YEAH. BUT THEN THE GET.

>> THE GAS STATIONS AND

CONVENIENCE STORES OGLES THE

THINKS THE STATE SHOULD

REGULATE AND TAX ALL THC

PRODUCTS INCLUDING MARIJUANA

AND CBD.

>> HE SAID THE STATE SHOULD

REQUIRE TESTING AND LABELING

LIMIT SALES TO ADULTS. ONLY BAN

ADVERTISING TO KIDS AND

SUPERVISE STORES THAT SELL

THEM. WHAT WE'VE GOT NOW, WHICH

IS THE UNFETTERED FREE MARKET.

>> WHERE YOU'VE GOT 24 7, SOME

OF THE KIDS, BUT THE WHOLE

WATER PEOPLE CAN'T STAND BY

THAT. BILL SUPPORTER, SENATOR

MUSTAFA MOHAMED AGREES. I WANT

TO MAKE SURE WELL INFORMED

BEFORE THEY DECIDE TO USE ANY

PRODUCT.

>> I DON'T CARE. IT'S

MARIJUANA. I DON'T CARE WHAT

MEDICATION OUT OF ITS FOOD.

I THINK THERE'S IMPORTANT

PLACES THAT WE NEED TO HAVE

REGULATION TO PROTECT THE IN

GENERAL.

>> THE BILL THAT CONTAINS THE

MEDICAL MARIJUANA MARIJUANA

PROPOSAL ALSO CONTAINS

REGULATIONS ON OTHER HEMP

PRODUCTS, INCLUDING REQUIRING

TESTING AND LABELING A LIMITING

SALES FOR UNDERAGE PEOPLE AND

LICENSING PEOPLE WHO SELL IT.

THERE'S STILL NO WORD, HOWEVER,

ON WHETHER THE HOUSE WILL EVEN