Two of the most contentious topics in North Carolina politics right now — whether to legalize Medical Marijuana, and whether to change who’s in charge of running North Carolina’s high school sports.State senators could take action on either or both proposals when they come back into session Tuesday.
TEST >>> GOOD EVENING THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK ON THE RECORD. I AM LAURA LESLIE. TWO OF THE MOST CONTENTIOUS TOPICS IN NORTH:A POLITICS RIGHT NOW, LEGALIZING MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND WHETHER TO CHANGE WHO IS IN CHARGE OF NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS. ACTION ON EITHER OR BOTH PROPOSALS WILL BE DISCUSSED WHEN WE COME BACK TO SESSION TUESDAY. SOME EMOTIONAL HEARINGS ON THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA WILL FEATURING VETERANS, CANCER PATIENTS AND CARETAKERS. THEY SAY THEIR LIVES WOULD BE BETTER IF THEY CAN ACCESS MEDICAL MARIJUANA EASILY. THEY’RE TRYING TO GET THE MEASURE PASSED. >> Reporter: EVERY DAY PEOPLE LINE UP TO TELL THEIR PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA. A GROUP CALLING ITSELF AND SEE FAMILIES FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS ARE TRYING TO ORGANIZE THE BURGER THE GROUP WEBSITE DOES NOT TELL YOU WHO IS BEHIND IT OR WHO DISCLOSED ITS BACK BY SEVEN COMPANIES IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY. ONE IS ROOTED BIOSCIENCE, THE SON OF THE FORMER GOVERNOR PERDUE. HE SAYS THE FORMER GOVERNOR IS NOT INVOLVED. EVEN SO, THERE IS PLENTY OF POLITICAL FIREPOWER BEHIND THE BILL INCLUDING AT LEAST SIX POTENTIAL LOBBYIST. MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS A BIG BUSINESS IN OTHER STATES. IN FLORIDA IT IS $1 BILLION A YEAR INDUSTRY. THE NORTH CAROLINA PROGRAM WOULD BE FAR MORE LIMITED AND MORE FOCUSED. >> IT IS REALLY JUST, YOU KNOW, SOLDIERS WITH PTSD, PEOPLE END OF LIFE, YOU KNOW, SITUATIONS, MY FATHER IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE. HE DIED FROM CANCER. HE USED MARIJUANA ILLEGALLY. DURING CHEMO AND RADIATION TREATMENTS TOWARDS THE END OF HIS LIFE AND IT WAS VERY HELPFUL FOR THEM. >> Reporter: IT COULD BE GREEN FOR THE STATE BUDGET AS WELL. TAXES OF AT LEAST 10% ON SALES. HE SAYS THERE IS NO OFFICIAL ESTIMATE YET HOW MUCH THAT COULD ADD UP TO. >> THE TAX REVIEW MONEY WILL PAY FOR ALL OF THE COST OF THE PROGRAM ESPECIALLY THE EXTRA COSTS OF TAXPAYERS. THEN, THE EXTRA MONEY WOULD GO BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUNDS. THIS WILL MAKE MONEY FOR THE STATES, YOU KNOW, AND HOPEFULLY ALLOW US TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO PUBLIC EDUCATION. >> NORTH CAROLINA WOULD ONLY LICENSED 10 PRODUCERS AT WORST, NO MORE THAN 40 DISPENSARIES STATEWIDE. COMPETITION WILL LIKELY BE FIERCE. >> ANYTHING THAT WILL PRODUCE REVENUE AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE MONEY FOR FOLKS WILL HAVE LOBBYIST INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE IS MAKING SURE WE DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY. >> WE ASKED THE GROUP NORTH CAROLINA FAMILIES FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS WHY THE INDUSTRY IS INVOLVED. RESPONSES WE ARE GIVING A VOICE TO PATIENTS IN NORTH CAROLINA SUFFERING NEEDLESSLY. JOINING US TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND THE BILL IS ONE OF THE SPONSORS OF THE PUSH TO LEGALIZE IT. A SENATOR FROM WINSTON-SALEM PEOPLE THINK OF FOR JOINING US. >> THANK YOU. >> WONDERFUL TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE BILL WOULD AND WOULD NOT COVER. I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. >> OKAY. IT IS NOT A CHRISTMAS TREE LIST. BY ANY MEANS. IT’S A MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL. THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS IT DOES NOT COVER, YOU KNOW, CANCER OF COURSE IS THE BIG ONE IT COVERS. AND, THIS WILL HELP SOME OF OUR VETERANS. BUT, IT COULD BE MORE ROBUST. AT THIS TIME WE FELT LIKE THIS WAS THE BEST DIRECTION TO GO WITH THIS BILL. WE HAVE GOTTEN MORE TRACTION WITH THIS MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL THAN ANY BILL THAT HAS DEALT WITH MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO THIS POINT. IT IS NOT A RECREATIONAL BILL. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THE RECREATION INDUSTRY AS IT RELATES TO CANNABIS AND FEELING LIKE, THIS BILL US TO DO WITH THOSE BILLS DUE AND, IT JUST DOES NOT DO THAT. I AM HOPING THAT IT WILL EXPAND TO INCLUDE MORE DISEASES THEN WE PRESENTLY HAVE LISTED WITHIN THE BILL. >> DOES HAVE A MECHANISM FOR THAT, RIGHT? IT WOULD NOT BE UP TO LAWMAKERS. BE UP TO THE COMMISSION TO DECIDE WHAT SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED. >> YES, VERY MUCH SO. THAT IS THE GO. IT’S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT A LOT OF OTHER STATES HAVE DONE AS IT RELATES TO MARIJUANA. IT’S NOTHING CLOSE TO A RECREATIONAL BILL OR SOME OF THE OTHER STATES WHICH HAVE JUST PRETTY MUCH OPENED IT UP, YOU KNOW? >> RIGHT, EXACTLY. WITH SOME OF THE CRITICS OF THE BILL ARE TALKING ABOUT AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS ANOTHER. EITHER A LOT OF CRITICISM ON THE IDEA, ONE OF THE MAIN ONES IS, IT’S SORT OF A GATEWAY TO LEGALIZATION OVERALL. BY AND LARGE. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CITING EXAMPLES OF OTHER STATES LIKE FOR EXAMPLE CALIFORNIA HAS AN EXAMPLE OF WHY THIS CAN BE A PROBLEM. HOW DO YOU THINK THIS BILL IS DIFFERENT? >> WELL, I THINK THERE IS A LOT MORE CONTROL WITH THIS BILL THEN MANY OTHER STATES HAVE TAKEN. I KNOW THAT’S. I ALSO KNOW IT DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH, OTHERS SAY THE BIG CRITICISM IS THE STIGMA OF MARIJUANA. AND IT DOES HAVE A STIGMA. WE BOTH KNOW THAT. BUT, IF WE ARE REALISTIC, OPIATES HAVE BEEN A MAJOR PART OF OUR MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY. I DO NOT KNOW IF THAT IS THE RIGHT WORD. BUT, OPIATES. OPIATES ARE TYPICALLY INVOLVED IN A MAJOR OPERATION. SOMETIMES, THEY ARE USED SAFELY. SOMETIMES, PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN THEM AND ABUSE THEM. I THINK THAT CAN HAPPEN WITH ANYTHING. BUT, IF CAROLINIANS CAN BE HELD LIKE OTHER STATES ARE HELPED WITH MEDICAL MARIJUANA, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY AT THAT IS WHY I AM A PART OF THIS BILL. >> YOU KNOW, SENATOR, LET’S GO TO THE POINT ABOUT THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION NOT IN FAVOR OF LEGALIZING SMOKABLE MARIJUANA FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES. WHAT DID YOU SAY THAT? SHOULD THE PEOPLE BE THE EXPERTS? >> I THINK THEY ARE THE EXPERTS. I DO NOT KNOW HOW IT IS GOING TO BE DISPENSED AT THIS POINT. YOU KNOW. ARE TECHNOLOGY IS DOING A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS. MAYBE JUST MAYBE, I DON’T KNOW WITHIN MARIJUANA. THE PROPERTIES NEEDED TO HELP PEOPLE CAN BE EXTRACTED WITHOUT SMOKING IT. I DO NOT KNOW. I AM NOT A SCIENTIST. >> I CERTAINLY THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT CAN BE USED TO HELP PEOPLE. IF THIS CAN HELP PEOPLE AND HELP NORTH CAROLINIANS AND VETERANS AND CANCER VICTIMS, ETC., I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT IT. >> I WANT TO ASK A QUICK QUESTION AS WE WRAP THIS UP. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT ONE OF THESE BILLS HAS EVEN GOTTEN A HEARING IN THE NORTH CAROLINA SENATE, RIGHT? WHAT CHANGE THIS YEAR TO LET THIS HAPPEN? >> WELL, WITHOUT A DOUBT, BEING ONE OF THE PRIMARY SPONSORS AND THE ROLE CHAIR WITHIN THE SENATE’S, I CERTAINLY THINK THAT HELPS A LOT. I LIKE TO THINK I MADE A DIFFERENCE. BUT I KNOW HE MADE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE I THING. >> RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY. THE BACKING UP SENATE LEADERSHIP. WE WILL HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT MOVES FORWARD COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO WEEKS. CENTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. >> THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME. >>> ANOTHER EFFORT MOVING FORWARD. AN ATTEMPT TO DISMANTLE THE NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION. YOU ARE WATCHING ON THE RECORD. >>> WELCOME BACK TO ON THE RECORD. I’M LAURA LESLIE. ANOTHER THE BIG HEADLINES THIS PAST MONTH IS TO SOLVING THE NORTH CAROLINA ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION. JUST THIS WEEK, STATE SENATORS AND LEADERS OF THE GROUP MET MORE THAN TWO HOURS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. WAS THE FIRST MEETING SINCE STATE LAWMAKERS UNVEILED THE PROPOSAL TO DISSOLVE THE GROUP COMPLETELY AND REPLACE APPEARED THE STATE SENATORS ACCUSED THE GROUP OF BEING BLOATED, LACKING TRANSPARENCY AND OVERNIGHT, BEING UNRESPONSIVE TO SCHOOLS. THEY SAID THE FDA REFUSED TO MEET WITH THEM TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. HOUSE BILL 91 WOULD REPLACE IT WITH A GOVERNMENT COMMISSION APPOINTED BY POLITICIANS. AFTER THE MEETING BOTH SIDES WERE LESS TENSE. NOT SURPRISING. SENATORS AND LEADERS WERE JOKING AROUND WITH EACH OTHER AS THEY LEFT. THE OTHER SIDE, HOWEVER, WOULD GO INTO ANY DETAIL ABOUT WHETHER LAWMAKERS ARE SEEKING TO DISSOLVE THE ORGANIZATION. THE BOARD PRESIDENT BOBBY WILKINS SAYS HE HOPES NOT. >> IT WAS A GREAT MEETING. WE REALLY APPRECIATED THE CHANCE TO GET IN THERE. I THINK WE GOT A LOT ACCOMPLISHED. I THINK EVERYBODY IS IN A BETTER PLACE NOW. IT WAS REALLY GOOD. WE APPRECIATE THEM INVITING US. >> I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND SAY I WANT THE ASSOCIATION TO DIE? NO. NEVER DID I AT ANY POINT TO THAT. BUT IT TOOK HOUSE BILL 91 TO FINALLY COME TO THE TABLE. >> THE MEETING WAS REQUESTED AND MAYBE A PRIVATE NONPROFIT BUT THEY ARE STILL ACCOUNTABLE TO STATE LAWMAKERS BECAUSE THEY ORGANIZE SPORTS AT STATES HIGH SCHOOLS. THE BILL WILL MOVE FORWARD BUT SHE SAYS IT IS LIKELY TO CHANGE ON THE WAY. NO WORD YET ON IF THEY ARE STILL GOING TO TRY TO FAST TRACK IS TO MAKE CHANGES EFFECTIVE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. JOINING ME NOW, THE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM MANAGING EDITOR, NICK STEVENS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. >> THEY GIVE ARE HAVING THE. >> IT WOULD BE HARD TO FIND SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS MORE ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS IN NORTH CAROLINA THAN YOU SO I’M GLAD THAT YOU’RE HERE. THE SEEM TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE, RIGHT? HOW DID THIS GET STARTED? WHY DID THIS ALL BEGIN? >> I THINK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IT DID COME OUT OF NOWHERE. BUT, BACK IN MARCH, SOME OF THE SENATORS WERE LOOKING INTO THE ASSOCIATION, SENATOR JIM PARKEY IN ORANGE COUNTY BY AND LARGE TOTA SOME OF THE CONCERNS A LOT OF SENATORS HAD ABOUT THE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION WAS MOSTLY AROUND FINANCES. A NET WORTH OF OVER JUST $40 MILLION. AND, THAT HAS KIND OF EXPANDED OUT INTO OTHER AREAS NOW. AND MANY DIFFERENT SENATORS ARE EXPRESSING SOME CONCERNS. SO, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE HOW THEY INVESTIGATE SCHOOLS. HOW THE FIND SCHOOLS, THE SCHOLARSHIPS THAT THEY GIVE TO STUDENTS OF THE REALIGNMENTS PROCESS WHICH A NEW REALIGNMENT WHICH IS WHERE THEY CHANGE THINGS AND DO THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY HAVE IN YEARS PAST. SO, THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY HAVE GONE AND LOOKED AT THAT RAISES CONCERNS TO THE ASSOCIATION. >> THIS GRUPO HAS A LONG HISTORY, RIGHT? 107 YEARS GIVE OR TAKE? OF RUNNING NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS? I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF DISSOLVING IT COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT TOOK A LOT OF PEOPLE BY SURPRISE. WHY SUCH A DRASTIC SORT OF PROPOSAL FOR THE SOLUTION? >> A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE SURPRISE. THAT WAS THE ROUTE THEY WEDS. YOU KNOW, WE TALKED TO THE SENATORS AFTER THE MEETING AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE WAY THEY WANTED TO GET THE ASSOCIATION TO THE TABLE. MAYBE IT WAS A WAY OF GETTING THEIR ATTENTION AND SHOWING THEY WERE SERIOUS ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION. >> HAS THAT BEEN DIFFICULT TO GET ACROSS TO THEM DO YOU THINK? >> LET’S SAY IT HAS BEEN. >> IF YOU ASK THE ASSOCIATION, THEY SAY THEY HAVE BEEN VERY RESPONDED TO EVERY REQUEST MADE OF THEM. SO, YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT THE SENATOR IN LEE COUNTY WITH THE EDUCATION THE LAST WEEK, HE SAID PART OF HIS CONCERN WAS THERE WERE NO SHARED FACTS HERE. ONCE I WAS SAYING ONE THING AND GIVE US THE SAME THE OTHER. HOPEFULLY, THE MEETING THEY HAVE THIS WEEK KIND OF GOT TO THE BOTTOM OF SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS. >> RIGHT, PART OF THAT AS YOU WERE SAYING WAS THE FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE GROUP. WHENEVER WE HEARD THROWN AROUND A LOT LAST WEEK WAS $41 MILLION. THE GROUPS ASSETS, NOT ALL LIQUID CASH, OBVIOUSLY. AS IT WAS AVAILABLE TO THAT. AND YOU HAVE LAWMAKERS SAYING THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT IS COMING OUT OF TAXPAYER WHILE IT’S AND COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL BUDGETS AND, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE SAYING THIS NEEDS MORE OVERSIGHT. WHAT DOES THE GROUP SAY TO THAT? >> WELL, I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE OPEN TO THAT. IN FACT, I THINK MOST SCHOOLS ACTUALLY AGREE WITH THAT. I THINK MOST ATHLETIC DIRECTORS AGREE THERE SHOULD BE MORE OVERSIGHT. MAYBE SOME CHANGES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN. I THINK WE SEE THINGS LOST WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DISSOLVING IT AND CREATING A COMMISSION THAT WOULD BE APPOINTED BY, YOU KNOW, POLITICIANS. I THINK THAT IS WHERE A LOT OF SCHOOLS AND FOLKS INVOLVED IN HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS ARE BACKED AWAY. WE DID A SURVEY ACROSS THE STATE OF ATHLETIC DIRECTORS. 427 SCHOOL WITH 86% OF THEM SAYING THEY OPPOSE HOUSE BILL 91. YOU KNOW I THINK THE BIG STEP THEY TOOK SAYING WE WILL DISSOLVE THIS ASSOCIATION IS WHERE THINGS LOST PEOPLE. BUT, I DO THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE SHARE SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND SOME OF THE MONEY QUESTIONS. THAT SOME OF THE LAWMAKERS HAVE RAISED. >> I WANT TO ASK YOU SPECIFICALLY ABOUT PREFERRED VENDORS. IT WAS AN ISSUE THAT CAME UP A LOT IN COMMITTEE. APPARENTLY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN? THEY SELECT VENDORS HIGH SCHOOLS ARE SUPPOSED TO USE FOR CERTAIN THINGS? IS THAT HOW IT WORKS? >> YEAH, SO, THEY HAVE SPONSORS. BUSINESSES SPONSOR THE ASSOCIATION. THEY HAVE CERTAIN ONES THEY SAY ARE THEIR PREFERRED VENDORS FOR DIFFERENT THINGS AND WHAT SCHOOLS HAVE TO BUY. AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE THERE ARE NOT REALLY SHARED FACTS. THE ASSOCIATION WILL TELL YOU IN MOST OF THOSE INSTANCES THEY DO NOT REQUIRE SCHOOLS USE THEM FOR VENDORS. THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, PREFERRED. WHAT THE SENATORS SAY THEY HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS THEY HAD THESE PREFERRED VENDORS. I THINK THE EXAMPLE WAS THE COMMITTEE HEARING LAST WEEK ABOUT LIGHTING AND IT COST THEM MORE MONEY TO GO TO PREFERRED VENDORS. THE THINGS ARE SET UP AND A LOT OF COMPANIES PROVIDE MONEY AND SPONSORSHIP TO EVENTS, STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND THAT KIND OF STUFF IN EXCHANGE FOR BEING A PREFERRED VENDOR. >> RIGHT, SO, SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE EVER MENTIONED POSSIBLE AS SORT OF COMPROMISES MIGHT BE WAYS TO PUNISH SCHOOLS OR ENFORCE SCHOOLS WITHOUT REQUIRING FINDS, RIGHT? >> YEAH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS THE ASSOCIATION DOES NOW THAT ARE NOT MONETARY. THEY DO HAVE FINES. I THINK THE LARGEST IS $500. THERE MAY BE SOME $100,000 FINES FOR SOME OF THE MORE EGREGIOUS VIOLATIONS, BUT, THEY DO ISSUE FINES. THEY HAVE DISQUALIFICATIONS, SUSPENSIONS WHICH ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SENATORS ON A CANVAS SET ARE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS. THE ASSOCIATION WILL POINT OUT THE REASON THIS ALL GOT STARTED WAS BECAUSE OF THE DISQUALIFICATION. NOT BECAUSE OF THE FINE. BECAUSE THE HAS A COUNTY FOOTBALL TEAM WAS DISQUALIFIED FROM THE PLAYOFFS FOR THE ON- FIELD FIGHT. AND, THAT IS HOW SENATOR McGINNIS STARTED LOOKING INTO THE ASSOCIATION. THAT IS WHAT STARTED THIS WHOLE THING. SO, THAT IS ONE OF THE POINTS THE ASSOCIATION WILL MAKE BACK TO WHEN THEY START TALKING ABOUT FINES. INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT DISQUALIFICATIONS AND SUSPENSIONS AND THE KINDEST IT. >> GREAT, WELL, WE WILL JUMP TO A BREAK BUT PLEASE STAY WITH US. WE KNOW YOU WILL STAY WITH US. COMING UP WE WILL BE DISCUSSING HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE EXTEND
