Robert Celt
New Member
The legalization of marijuana for medical use has surfaced as an issue in the Republican primary for the state House District 91 seat in Stokes and Rockingham counties, drawing a clear contrast between two of the candidates.
The candidates are incumbent Kyle Hall of King and challenger Ira Tilley of Reidsville.
In May, Tilley posted on his Facebook page a 304-word statement about the virtues of medicinal cannabis, which is another term for marijuana.
"I seriously can't find a real reason to not use a natural healing herb that our creator provided mankind with in the very beginning as the book of Genesis clearly makes reference to same," Tilley said.
Cannabis is part of the reason why "far too many of our nations (sic) youth have experienced both educational and career opportunities ruined," Tilley wrote, and "numerous cases on a monthly basis for simple misdemeanor possession have far too long jammed our country's district court dockets on the local levels."
The posts were still on his page Monday and open to the public.
"I stand by everything I said," Tilley said in a recent interview.
Hall, who replaced Bryan Holloway last year after Holloway resigned to work for a nonprofit company, was selected in November by the executive committees of the Republican parties in Stokes and Rockingham counties for the district seat. Last week, Hall shared Tilley's post on the Facebook page of the Stokes County Republican Party.
"I support our law enforcement and their efforts to take drugs off our streets. I absolutely do not support legalizing marijuana," Hall said in an email.
For his part, Tilley said that he made the comments at a time when he was advocating for a family whose child could benefit from cannabis – a cannabis oil that does not have enough of the element known as THC that induces a feeling of being high.
A Winston-Salem Journal reporter spoke with the mother, who declined to be identified, citing privacy concerns for her child who has epilepsy. She said it is her understanding that Tilley in fact advocated for her cause.
Last summer, the General Assembly overwhelmingly passed and Gov. Pat McCrory signed a bill that allows the use of cannabis oil for epilepsy.
"For some children, this treatment is the only relief they can get from debilitating seizures," McCrory said at the time, according to a report by WRAL-TV.
Last week, Tilley said he was advocating for the bill as he tried to explain the content of his Facebook post.
"Where all that spawned from is a friend of mine has a friend who has a child with a debilitating illness," Tilley said.
"They were advocating to legislators, wishing them to pass the cannabis oil bill. She reached out to me and I agreed to contact a couple of our legislators. I asked them for support in May 2015. The General Assembly passed that law in July," Tilley said.
Hall said that the Facebook post goes a lot further than advocating for the cannabis oil bill.
"Ira Tilley is backpedaling on his marijuana position because he knows his views do not reflect those of the 91st District.
"If Ira Tilley was referring to this particular legislation, he should have done so.
"Instead, Ira clearly and at length refers to young lives 'ruined,' law enforcement placed in 'undesirable locations,' and long court dockets. Nowhere in his post does Ira refer to cannabis oil, only general marijuana use," Hall said.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Two GOP Candidates For N.C. House District 91 Divided Over Medical Marijuana
Author: Bertrand M. Gutiérrez
Contact: Winston-Salem Journal
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Winston-Salem Journal
The candidates are incumbent Kyle Hall of King and challenger Ira Tilley of Reidsville.
In May, Tilley posted on his Facebook page a 304-word statement about the virtues of medicinal cannabis, which is another term for marijuana.
"I seriously can't find a real reason to not use a natural healing herb that our creator provided mankind with in the very beginning as the book of Genesis clearly makes reference to same," Tilley said.
Cannabis is part of the reason why "far too many of our nations (sic) youth have experienced both educational and career opportunities ruined," Tilley wrote, and "numerous cases on a monthly basis for simple misdemeanor possession have far too long jammed our country's district court dockets on the local levels."
The posts were still on his page Monday and open to the public.
"I stand by everything I said," Tilley said in a recent interview.
Hall, who replaced Bryan Holloway last year after Holloway resigned to work for a nonprofit company, was selected in November by the executive committees of the Republican parties in Stokes and Rockingham counties for the district seat. Last week, Hall shared Tilley's post on the Facebook page of the Stokes County Republican Party.
"I support our law enforcement and their efforts to take drugs off our streets. I absolutely do not support legalizing marijuana," Hall said in an email.
For his part, Tilley said that he made the comments at a time when he was advocating for a family whose child could benefit from cannabis – a cannabis oil that does not have enough of the element known as THC that induces a feeling of being high.
A Winston-Salem Journal reporter spoke with the mother, who declined to be identified, citing privacy concerns for her child who has epilepsy. She said it is her understanding that Tilley in fact advocated for her cause.
Last summer, the General Assembly overwhelmingly passed and Gov. Pat McCrory signed a bill that allows the use of cannabis oil for epilepsy.
"For some children, this treatment is the only relief they can get from debilitating seizures," McCrory said at the time, according to a report by WRAL-TV.
Last week, Tilley said he was advocating for the bill as he tried to explain the content of his Facebook post.
"Where all that spawned from is a friend of mine has a friend who has a child with a debilitating illness," Tilley said.
"They were advocating to legislators, wishing them to pass the cannabis oil bill. She reached out to me and I agreed to contact a couple of our legislators. I asked them for support in May 2015. The General Assembly passed that law in July," Tilley said.
Hall said that the Facebook post goes a lot further than advocating for the cannabis oil bill.
"Ira Tilley is backpedaling on his marijuana position because he knows his views do not reflect those of the 91st District.
"If Ira Tilley was referring to this particular legislation, he should have done so.
"Instead, Ira clearly and at length refers to young lives 'ruined,' law enforcement placed in 'undesirable locations,' and long court dockets. Nowhere in his post does Ira refer to cannabis oil, only general marijuana use," Hall said.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Two GOP Candidates For N.C. House District 91 Divided Over Medical Marijuana
Author: Bertrand M. Gutiérrez
Contact: Winston-Salem Journal
Photo Credit: None found
Website: Winston-Salem Journal
