North Carolina Gov. Endorses Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization Plan

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Advisory Council on Cannabis called for legalizing adult-use cannabis in an interim report issued last week, and Gov. Josh Stein (D) has endorsed the advisory group’s proposal.

North Carolina is one of the last remaining states in the U.S. without any form of cannabis legalization.

Notably, while most states have followed a trend of legalizing medical cannabis before adopting adult-use reforms, the advisory group has suggested jumping straight to full legalization, as standing up and regulating a single industry is much easier than two, and that a medical-only program “could fuel an already robust illicit market, without regulation to ensure consumer safety.”

The advisory committee was appointed last year by the governor, who compared the state’s illicit cannabis market to the “Wild West” and endorsed the committee’s plan over the weekend, calling for a “safe, legal, and well-regulated market for adults.”

“Last year, I charged this group with developing a comprehensive solution to the unregulated sale of cannabis that is grounded in public health and public safety, with a special focus on keeping young people safe. This report provides the General Assembly with guidance and makes clear that a well-regulated market, including both oversight and enforcement authority, is a safer market for our state.” — Stein, in a press release

Meanwhile, cannabis remains prohibited in North Carolina, but the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in the Qualla Boundary has legalized it for adults and last year launched retail services for all adult-use customers.