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MORGANTON, N.C. -- With the hot sun beaming on his back and sweat gathering on his forehead, Jason Humes marched along Fleming Drive carrying a skateboard in one hand and a sign in the other.

Humes walked through the heat Tuesday, not for himself, but for others to have a choice — the option to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana in North Carolina.

Humes and five other members of the March Against Fear 2014 group are walking from Asheville to Raleigh along U.S. 70 to raise awareness for House Bill 1161 — a bill that has been referred to as the North Carolina Medical Cannabis Act.

“We are trying to raise awareness about House Bill 1161 to let the people decide whether or not they want to have medical marijuana in the state of North Carolina,” Humes said. “I think it’s anyone’s right to decide what they want to put in their own bodies. We all own ourselves, no one owns anyone else and we’re all free. But, the deeper issue here is that there are people that are really sick and really don’t have anything to help them feel good in life. Cannabis can help those people.”

Humes gave examples of individuals with cancer and other serious illnesses as those in which marijuana could help.

Humes said the reception of the group’s march has been positive thus far.