GREENSBOROUGH WITH THE STORY. THIS DEBATE AT THE NORTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE GOES BACK TWO DECADES. TODAY, SUPPORTERS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA BELIEVE THIS MAY FINALLY BE THE YEAR IT HAPPENS. I’VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE STORY VERY CLOSELY. MIRACLE GROUP IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM MEDICAL MARIJUANA. SHE’S ONE OF NEARLY 20,000 PEOPLE IN THE STATE WHO LIVE WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. THE STOKES COUNTY WOMAN SAYS SHE’S DISAPPOINTED THAT NORTH CAROLINA HASN’T PASSED THIS BILL ALREADY. GIVEN HOW QUICKLY THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THE COUNTRY, IT’S BEEN A BIT DISAPPOINTING TO ME THAT IT HAS TAKEN SO LONG FOR NORTH CAROLINA TO CATCH UP. SOME MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE ARE TRYING TO CATCH UP. STATE SENATORS PASSED MEDICAL MARIJUANA YESTERDAY BY A 36 TO 10 VOTE, ALMOST THE SAME AS LAST YEAR. TWO LOCAL SENATORS, JOYCE KRAWCZYK FROM FORSYTH COUNTY AND STEVE JARVIS, WHO REPRESENTS DAVIDSON COUNTY, VOTED AGAINST IT. I REACHED OUT TO BOTH REPUBLICANS TODAY TO ASK ABOUT THEIR OBJECTIONS, BUT HAVEN’T HEARD BACK. DESPITE POLLS SHOWING STRONG SUPPORT, SOME CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE REMAIN OPPOSED DURING OUR COMMITMENT COVERAGE LAST YEAR. TWO REPUBLICANS TOLD US THEY WERE AGAINST MEDICAL MARIJUANA. I THINK THERE IS A NEED. THERE IS A DEMONSTRATED NEED. I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT EXISTS. I’M JUST NOT SURE THAT I LIKE THE WAY THAT IT IS BEING DISPERSED. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF LEGALIZING MEDICAL MARIJUANA COMING UP THIS SPRING IN THE IN THE LEGISLATURE. WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THAT ISSUE? I AM AGAINST LEGALIZING MARIJUANA IN ANY FORM. GUILFORD COUNTY DEMOCRAT PRICEY. HARRISON SAYS SHE BELIEVES THAT MOMENTUM AMONG HOUSE MEMBERS HAS SHIFTED. I THINK WE’RE MUCH CLOSER THAN WE’VE EVER BEEN AND THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING. HARRISON A LONG TIME SUPPORTER OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA, SAYS THE SPEAKER IS ON THE RECORD, SAYING WITH THE RIGHT RESTRICTIONS, HE FEELS REPUBLICANS WILL NOW SUPPORT THE BILL AS IT HAPPENED THIS YEAR. AND, YOU KNOW, I’VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE WITH THE EARL JONES DAYS, WAY BACK WHEN, WHEN EVERYBODY JUST THOUGHT IT WAS AN ODD IDEA. BUT BUT I’M JUST VERY CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT THIS MIGHT THIS MIGHT BE THE TIME. IT CAN’T COME SOON ENOUGH FOR MARIJUANA. GROOT, WHO SAYS SHE EXPERIENCES THE BENEFITS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA WHEN SHE LIVED IN CALIFORNIA. WHAT DID IT DO FOR YOU? HOW DID IT MAKE YOUR DAY BETTER? IT MEANT THAT I WAS ABLE TO WALK. IT MEANT THAT I WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN LIFE. IT IMPROVED MY QUALITY OF LIFE. I’LL. SPEAKER TWO MORE DIDN’T BRING THIS UP TO A VOTE LAST TIME AROUND. THIS YEAR, HE IS SAYING WITH NEW MEMBERS AND CHANGING ATTITUDES, MEDICAL MARIJUANA MAY FINALLY HAVE A CHANCE TO PASS IN. GREENSBORO. BI