WHY IT MATTERS: If North Carolina passes medical marijuana legislation, patients with chronic pain, cancer, epilepsy, and other qualifying conditions could gain legal access to regulated cannabis therapies that they currently must forgo or obtain through unregulated channels. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: North Carolina has seen repeated bipartisan legislative efforts to establish a medical cannabis program, yet the state remains one of a shrinking number without legal patient access. Candidates across party lines are increasingly voicing support for medical marijuana legalization, reflecting a shift in political calculus as public opinion has moved substantially in favor of patient access.