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Forsyth Legislator Reintroduces Bill Decriminalizing Up To 3 Ounces Of Pot

In this Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019 photo, a bud tender shows a top cannabis strain at a dispensary in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

Senate Bill 58 would make it legal for North Carolina residents to possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Individuals found with more than 3 ounces would be charged with a misdemeanor, with possession of 1 pound or more qualifying as a felony.

Democratic Senator Paul Lowe of Forsyth County is the bill's primary sponsor.

Lowe introduced a similar bill in 2018, but the proposal was never heard by the Senate Rules and Operations Committee.

Lowe tells the Winston-Salem Journal that with newly elected legislators bringing fresh perspectives, the time is right to see if his proposal gets a different reception.

According to DISA Global solutions, a pro-marijuana website, there are currently 10 states that allow for legal recreational possession of pot. 32 states have enacted medical cannabis laws.

DISA points to a 2017 Elon University poll that shows a majority of North Carolina voters support legalizing medical marijuana, and says that pressure is mounting on lawmakers to take action.

Neal Charnoff joined 88.5 WFDD as Morning Edition host in 2014. Raised in the Catskill region of upstate New York, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. Armed with a liberal arts degree, Neal was fully equipped to be a waiter. So he prolonged his arrested development bouncing around New York and L.A. until discovering that people enjoyed listening to his voice on the radio. After a few years doing overnight shifts at a local rock station, Neal spent most of his career at Vermont Public Radio. He began as host of a nightly jazz program, where he was proud to interview many of his idols, including Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Neal graduated to the news department, where he was the local host for NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. In addition to news interviews and features, he originated and produced the Weekly Conversation On The Arts, as well as VPR Backstage, which profiled theater productions around the state. He contributed several stories to NPR, including coverage of a devastating ice storm. Neal now sees the value of that liberal arts degree, and approaches life with the knowledge that all subjects and all art forms are connected to each other. Neal and his wife Judy are enjoying exploring North Carolina and points south. They would both be happy to never experience a Vermont winter again.

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