GREENSBORO, N.C. — As the legislature debates legalizing medical marijuana, one industry is watching it closely to see if it could affect its business.

A hemp store employee in Greensboro is worried about how legalizing marijuana, even in a limited capacity, could affect her business.

Aaliyah Moore works at the HempLux store in Greensboro that sells hemp and CBD products.

“Cancer patients, we have people who have different debilitating illnesses or diseases, and so, knowing exactly what they need, exactly what, when, how much they need is something that actually makes me love the process even more,” Moore said.

Moore is working to become an herbalist, and it’s why she works in a hemp/CBD shop. She wants to be able to heal people through the products she’s selling.

“I enjoy the different components and the molecular makeup of certain things. So, understanding what they do for the specific parts of the body, understanding what they do for people, is really what I enjoy the most and what I feel like I can give to other people,” Moore said.

But she has a fear her job could potentially be at risk. A bill at the legislature known as the Compassionate Care Act is under debate. If passed, it would legalize medical marijuana.

Related article: Could North Carolina legalize medical marijuana? Bill moves to the House next

The legalization allows for 10 companies to grow, produce and manufacture the product for the whole state. They must be able to manage the whole process and spend tens of thousands of dollars to get the licenses. A safety net was built into the proposal to limit marijuana production if it is introduced in the state.

But, Moore and her bosses don’t want to be left out. They believe there is a better way to get marijuana to patients.

“And that's why I say there needs to be checks and balances. And there needs to be a partnership. Because if we have the medical industry partnering with us as a as a local store and a hemp seller, they can send us their recommendations or the people that they think that might need our product. Much as like they write a prescription, they send you to another place to go get that prescription,” Moore said.

The shop wants to be able to see more access for their customers.

The bill places strict limits on how many storefronts could offer this across the entire state. Moore says that could leave customers having to drive near and far to receive products that could help them.

“So, we want to make sure that the customer is getting exactly what they need, not just profit on our end,” Moore said.

The North Carolina Compassionate Act has passed in the Senate and was discussed for the first time Tuesday, May 30, in the House Health Committee, but there are no votes so far on the House side.