North Carolina Might Legalize Small Amounts of Marijuana

North Carolina lawmakers are considering bills that would legalize up to four ounces of marijuana for personal use, The Winston-Salem Journal reports.

A pair of bills, one in the state House and one in the Senate, would legalize up to four ounces of marijuana, and would take effect July 1 if approved.

Sen. Paul Lowe, a Democrat, is the primary sponsor of a state Senate bill that "would decriminalize small amounts of marijuana," as he told the newspaper.

"This is heading in the right direction," he added.

Possession of one-half of an ounce or less of a controlled substance is currently a Class 3 misdemeanor in North Carolina, and carries a sentence of up to 20 days in jail or community service.

Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O'Neill said both bills must be "thoroughly vetted, and must include and consider the scientific community's evidence of the damage caused to the developing adolescent brain caused by marijuana smoking."

O'Neill said Lowe is "a friend and someone I truly respect, but to characterize four ounces of marijuana as a user amount would be absurd," adding that since most murders and robberies are "already drug related, why in heavens would we want to increase the number of targeted victims legally walking (with four ounces of marijuana) around every day."

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