Despite its federal status as a Schedule 1 drug, marijuana has dozens of known medical uses. The Schedule 1 classification means that there is no known medical use for marijuana and that it poses a high risk of abuse and danger to the public.
Many people disagree with that classification, and the majority of states in the country have now legalized marijuana for at least medical purposes. The internet has certainly helped spread stories about people fighting severe diseases with marijuana as one of their primary medications, causing ever more people to consider it when they have a medical issue.
If you have cancer, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, ALS or intractable epilepsy, you likely already know that marijuana could be a treatment option for your symptoms or a less-harm means of controlling your pain. Can you legally possess and use medical marijuana in North Carolina?
State laws have not changed yet
Some people, excited about the progress of a pending legislative bill, have jumped to the conclusion that the legalization of medical marijuana in North Carolina is a given. However, the bill has only barely made it out of committee and has not yet gone to a vote, let alone passed and been sent to the governor to be signed into law.
As it stands, possession of any amount of marijuana will still result in criminal charges. Even if you have a compelling medical reason to use marijuana, like a serious illness, the police could still arrest you, take your marijuana and charge you with a crime. Learning more about the laws in North Carolina can help you avoid or fight back against drug charges that could alter the course of your future.
