Alabama lawmaker looks to legalize marijuana Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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ANNOUNCER: NOW ON WVTM 13 NEWS AT 10:00. JEFF: COULD ALABAMA BE THE FIRST STATE IN THE SOUTH TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA? TONIGHT, ONLY ON WVTM 13, CHIP SCARBOROUGH TELLS US A LOCAL LAWMAKER IS WORKING TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE >> IT WOULD BE A TOTAL GAME CHANGER. CHIP: REPRESENTATIVE JOHN ROGERS WANTS TO PUT ALABAMA ON THE MAP BY BECOMING THE FIRST STATE IN THE SOUTH TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA. >> IT’S NOT A BILL THAT’S GOING TO MAKE EVERYBODY START GETTING HIGH AND KILLING FOLKS ON THE STREETS. MATTER OF FACT, IT’S A BILL THAT WILL PROBABLY SAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE’S LIVES. CHIP: ROGERS SAYS THE POT WOULD STRICTLY BE FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES AND WOULD REQUIRE A PRESCRIPTION FROM A DOCTOR. HE SAYS IT’S A GOOD TOOL FOR PAIN RELIEF, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE TERMINALLY ILL. >> I MEAN, I KNOW PEOPLE IN PAIN. THEY’LL GO OUT AND BUY IT ON THE STREET. CHIP: REPRESENTATIVE ROGERS SAYS IF MARIJUANA BECOMES LEGAL IN ALABAMA, UAB WOULD HANDLE THE RESEARCH ASPECT WHILE AUBURN AND TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITIES WOULD ACTUALLY GROW IT >> IT’S GOING TO COME ANYWAY. IT’S JUST A MATTER OF FACT US GETTING A JUMP ON EVERYBODY ELSE. IT’S COMING. IT’S GOING TO BE HERE IN A FEW YEARS. EVERYBODY GOING TO BE LEGALIZING IT ANYWAY. IT’LL BE JUST LIKE ALCOHOL. CHIP: THE BILL WOULD HAVE TO PASS THE HOUSE FIRST, THEN MOVE ON TO THE SENATE. IF IT PASSES THERE, IT WOULD GO TO GOVERNOR KAY IVEY’S OFFICE TO BE SIGNED INTO LAW. >> SHE’LL SIGN IT. SHE’S IN A GOOD SIGNING MOOD RIGHT NOW. CHIP: REPRESENTATIVE ROGERS HAS A MEETING WITH REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE MIKE BALL FROM MONTGOMERY ON TUESDAY. ROGERS SAYS BALL HAS A SIMILAR BILL AND THEY’LL WORK TOGE

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