North Carolina
Bipartisan North Carolina Senators File Bill To Create Psychedelic Medicine Task Force
Bipartisan North Carolina senators have filed a bill to authorize the creation of a new state psychedelics task force to study and issue recommendations on providing access to the alternative therapies to address serious mental health conditions.
The legislation from Sens. Sophia Chitlik (D) and Bobby Hanig (R), which was filed on Wednesday, would enable the state Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create the body.
Among its responsibilities, the North Carolina Mental Health and Psychedelic Medicine Task Force would need to evaluate that “potential use of psychedelic medicine in addressing the State’s ongoing mental health crisis” and “barriers to implementation and equitable access.”
It would also be charged with assessing and making recommendations on “licensing and insurance requirements for practitioners in the State in the event that psychedelic medicines are federally reclassified and approved” by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Finally, the task force would have to consider “legal and regulatory pathways to the legalization of psychedelic medicines in the State and the potential effects of the medicines on public health,” the bill text states.
“I want to make sure that we’re both proactively supporting the mental and physical health of our veterans and other people who have experienced complex trauma and encouraging research and development, making sure that we’re taking advantage of all of the technology and all of the medical innovation that’s happening” Chitlik told Marijuana Moment on Wednesday. “So that’s really the goal of this bill. I see it both as a mental health bill and also as a step to economic development for our region.”
“I think that caring for our veterans is about as bipartisan and universal an issue as you can possibly get—not just in our state, but in our country,” she said. “When people started to hear directly from veterans who have experienced this trauma and who are experiencing this healing, I really believe that hearts and minds change.”
While the task force would be mandated to carry out various objectives if it was established, those responsibilities would only be enforceable if the department chooses to create the body in the first place, which the legislation says it “may” do.
Chitlik said the language was intentional, as the bill as introduced would not appropriate funds so this serves as a “signal” to state agencies “that the General Assembly wants more information about this, and we’re encouraging them, proactively, to explore that.”
It’s also meant to make the measure “more bipartisan and more possible to implement,” she said.
Should state officials institute the task force, it would need to be comprised of 13 members—including representatives of state departments of health, veterans affairs and commerce, four people appointed by legislative leaders in both chambers and various health experts.
This comes about two years after a North Carolina House committee approved a separate bill to create a $5 million grant program to support research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin and MDMA and to create a Breakthrough Therapies Research Advisory Board to oversee the effort. The measure was not ultimately enacted, however.
Meanwhile in North Carolina, the speaker of the House recently said state Republicans could be willing to consider medical marijuana legalization this session.
Last month, a poll found that 71 percent of likely voters in North Carolina support legalizing medical marijuana in the state, with majorities across party lines and in every surveyed demographic—aside from people over the age of 80—in favor of the reform.
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Despite repeated efforts in recent sessions, lawmakers have failed to move medical marijuana legalization forward. At the beginning of this year, however, a top GOP state senator said there’s “an opportunity” to advance medical marijuana legalization this session, adding felt it should be coupled with legislation to impose restrictions on unregulated intoxicating hemp products.
Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R) said “it seems to me that there’s an opportunity there to address the medical marijuana issue,” as well as hemp-derived cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC that are being sold on the market, “at some point during the session.”
Last summer, the state Senate did approve a bill that would legalize medical marijuana—but it stalled out in the House once again.
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(WLOS) — North Carolina has approved film and entertainment grants for two television series and an independent feature-length film.
According to a release from Gov. Josh Stein, this is expected to create nearly 5,000 jobs and spend more than $113 million during production.
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The productions include season two of “The Hunting Wives,” approved for an award of up to $15 million, filming around Lake Norman and Charlotte, and the new series “RJ Decker” in New Hanover County, which was approved for an award of up to $11.6 million.
The independent thriller “Widow,” which was approved for an award of up to $1.8 million, also recently completed filming in Davidson, Forsyth, Stokes, and Yadkin counties.
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“We are excited to have these new productions in North Carolina creating 4,900 jobs for our state’s crew and film-friendly businesses,” Stein said in the release. “North Carolina remains a top state for film, and these grants enable us to continue our strong tradition of TV and film production excellence.”
Additionally, the romantic comedy film “Merv,” which was filmed in New Hanover County and received a North Carolina Film grant, released on Amazon’s Prime Video on Dec. 10.
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Other productions that were recently filmed in North Carolina include the films “Christy” and “Roofman,” as well as the popular series “The Summer I Turned Pretty.”
“These productions bring direct economic benefits and also raise the state’s visibility among audiences, leading to increased tourist activity and visitor spending over time,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley.
North Carolina coach Bill Belichick has fired offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens and special-teams coordinator Mike Priefer.
“We want to thank Coach Kitchens and Coach Priefer for their commitment and many contributions to our program and student-athletes,” Belichick said in a statement, per ESPN. “We wish them both nothing but the best in their future endeavors.”
Kitchens, the former Alabama quarterback and head coach of the Browns in 2019, was the Tar Heels’ interim coach in 2024.
Belichick brought Priefer to UNC after two decades in the NFL, and two years out of football.
Under Kitchens, North Carolina’s offense ranked 119th in scoring (19.3 PPG) and 129th in total offense (288.8 YPG).
The Tar Heels finished 4-8 overall and 2-6 in the ACC.
Kitchens won Alabama’s Mr. Football honor in 1992 as the quarterback at Etowah High School.
Kitchens shared the quarterback duties at Alabama with Brian Burgdorf in 1995 before taking over full-time under center for the Crimson Tide in the 1996 and 1997 seasons.
After three more college stops, Kitchens entered the NFL as the Dallas Cowboys’ tight-ends coach in 2006 and stayed in the league for the next 17 seasons, including as Cleveland’s head coach in 2019, when the Browns went 6-10.
North Carolina
Ex-senator’s wife, 75, found escaped inmate cowering in the backseat of her car: ‘I was shaking like a leaf’
The 75-year-old wife of a former Republican North Carolina senator had a frightening start to her week when she discovered an escaped inmate hiding in the backseat of her car, according to local reports.
Marie Steinburg, married to ex-State Senator Bob Steinberg, left her Edenton home for work around 7:30 a.m. Monday when she unlocked her Honda Civic and found 23-year-old accused thief Charles Babb cowering in the backseat, with a blanket wrapped around his orange prison jumpsuit.
“I headed out the door, and I clicked the unlock, and it must have scared the guy, because the next thing I know, I saw something moving in my backseat,” the startled senior said, WTKR reported.
“I kept backing up little by little by little because I thought, I don’t know what this man is going to do.”
Babb — who police said escaped from the Chowan County Detention Center Sunday night — then jumped out the car.
While residents were urged to lock their doors and windows, stay inside, and avoid interacting with the armed and dangerous fugitive, Steinburg said she remained calm and began talking to him.
“I figured if I was nice to him, he’d be nice to me,” she said, WAVY reported.
“I just figured that was the thing to do because I didn’t know if he was really dangerous,” Steinburg explained, adding that “he kept saying, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m so cold.’ And, you know, I was startled and I know he was too. And I said, “Well, hey, let me go in and get you a coat.’”
Steinburg said Babb then turned and raced down the driveway — reportedly leaving behind his prison sandals and a face mask — as she ran inside, called out to her husband, and dialed 911.
“I got in as fast as I could,” she recalled, according to WTKR.
“I was shaking like a leaf, and I could barely get the key in the lock, but I did.”
The Edenton Police Department apprehended the convict nearby shortly thereafter.
Police did not give details on how Babb escaped jail, other than to say he used a make-shift edged weapon. He was being held on felony breaking and entering and larceny charges before his breakout, according to the Daily Advance.
Her husband, who advocated for prison reform during his 10 years in office, praised his wife for how she handled the terrifying situation, believing a higher power was looking out for them.
The couple added that they will never forget to lock their car doors again.
“Oh let me tell you, if I don’t, [my husband] is gonna,” a relieved Steinberg said.
“It’s one of those things that we learned.”
The Chowan County Sheriff’s Office has since launched an investigation into Babb’s jailbreak.
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