mountainx.com 5/12/2017:

Rep. John Ager, who’s co-sponsoring the legislation, says, “I had a close friend with colon cancer that had much of her pain mitigated with marijuana before her untimely death. The opioid epidemic is ravaging our state, and this would be a great reason to legalize medical marijuana.” Ager represents northeastern Buncombe County.

“One advantage we have in North Carolina is that we already have a system for controlling the sale of alcohol through state-run ABC stores. Perhaps sale of marijuana through that venue would provide some safety, not to mention revenue for the state,” he notes. “Colorado is funding a lot of school construction with marijuana revenue, and that is a need we have here as well.”