Poll:
Should NC legalize medical use of marijuana?
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- After breaking his neck in a work-related fall nine years ago, Billy Cates said doctors told him he would never be able to hold down a job again.
Cates said he was prescribed seven different medicines, including addictive narcotics to control pain, and lived in a drug-induced stupor for years.
Then, Cates said, he began using marijuana for medicinal purposes.
"I’m working. I have a job now. I’m a productive member of society. And I I could not have done this without marijuana," Cates told NewsChannel 36.
Several advocates of medicinal marijuana shared their stories Thursday at a town hall meeting on the campus of UNC Charlotte, as two lawmakers discussed legislation that would legalize the plant as a drug in North Carolina.
The bill, introduced by Democratic Rep. Earl Jones of Greensboro, would require users of medicinal marijuana to register with the state and obtain a prescription from a doctor.
Several ailments, including glaucoma, arthritis, severe migraines, and nausea would be considered for a prescription under House Bill 1380.
The bill is expected to go before the General Assembly when its session convenes in May.
Rep. Nick Mackey of Charlotte, also a Democrat, is co-sponsoring the legislation, but admitted he is still trying to convince other lawmakers of the drug's merits.
"I’m realistic," Mackey said. "I do realize it’s an uphill battle, but I do think that it’s something that is gaining more support and more acceptance."
If the legislation becomes law, North Carolina would be the 15th state in the nation to legalize medical marijuana.
