North Carolina’s governor reiterates his support of legalizing marijuana. He stresses the importance of creating a cannabis-regulated program in order to reduce the risk associated with the products on the market for intoxicating hemp.
Governor. “Today in North Carolina there are THC products available that are not regulated and are highly addictive,” said Gov. In a video published on X Wednesday, Josh Stein (D), referred to hemp-based products that are sold by retailers who have little quality control or oversight.
The minimum legal age is not enforced in vape shops, so kids buy these products without being able to read the labels. “Adults have no idea of what they are or the amount THC in these products.”
The governor described the unregulated market for cannabis in his state as the Wild West. It cries out for some order. That’s why he created a bipartisan study commission last week to examine cannabis legalization, hoping to convince the GOP-controlled Legislature to take action.
He said that the group would be charged with developing a comprehensive plan to regulate cannabis in North Carolina. They will learn best practices from other states and study them to create a system which protects youths, permits adult sales, assures public safety and promotes health. It also supports North Carolina’s agriculture.
I know that we will get it right. Stein stated, “Let’s create an adult market that is safe and legal for North Carolina children.”
A North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis, convened by the Governor, will consist of 30 or more members including legislators, officials from law enforcement, representatives of agriculture, experts in health care, tribal representatives and advocates. The council’s purpose is to examine possible regulatory models for hemp and adult-use cannabis.
According to the order, reform is needed because “the current lack of regulations, such as age, potency and purity limits, pose a serious threat to North Carolinians in general, but especially our youth.” This order states that there is a need for reform because the “current lack of regulations, including age restrictions, potency limitations, and purity limits, pose a serious threat to North Carolinians and especially our youth.”
Panel will have to meet for the first time in July, and at least once every two months until December 2026. To be completed by the May 15, 2026 deadline, members must develop initial recommendations and present them to Governor on “a comprehensive cannabis strategy” including proposed legislation. The final recommendations are due on December 31, 2026.
The governor, rather than maintaining the status quo in the state, has stressed that it should legalize marijuana to adults over 21. This would be a major policy shift for North Carolina. It is currently one of only a few states without an extensive medical cannabis program.
Stein headed a task force during his tenure as attorney general under the then-Gov. Roy Cooper (D) that examined racial injustice issues and ultimately recommended decriminalizing marijuana and studying broader legalization in response to racially disparate enforcement trends.
In recent sessions, multiple limited medical marijuana legalization bills advanced through the Senate, only to stall out in the House.
Stein argues that a comprehensive reform of the recreational marijuana market would avoid problems that have been experienced by other states in transitioning their medical markets to adult-use marijuana.
The position of one of the appointed members to the advisory council, Senator Bill Rabon (R), could be awkward, given that the senator had long supported bipartisan legislation for medical marijuana legalization and has insisted this should not be considered a step towards adult-use legalization.
Meanwhile, in the House, Rep. Aisha Dew (D) filed a bill in April that would legalize medical marijuana for patients with a variety of specified conditions, including cancer, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, PTSD, end-of-life care and other serious ailments.
The North Carolina Compassionate Care Act is considerably more detailed than a separate Democrat-led medical cannabis bill introduced earlier that month that would allow access only for patients enrolled in a “registered research study.”
Advocates had been awaiting House introduction of a comprehensive bill, especially since Senate President Phil Berger (R) said his chamber is deferring to the House to move first on medical marijuana reform this session.
North Carolina could legalize cannabis through two more measures that have been introduced in this legislative session. In the Senate S350, the bill creates a system for adult and medical use of marijuana, while in the House, H413 would only allow recreational marijuana.
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House Speaker Destin Hall (R) said in early March that Republicans in his chamber could be willing to consider medical marijuana legalization this session. Hall did not indicate that any House legislation was imminent, but suggested the Senate would be responsible for bringing in new legislation.
Cannabis reform seems to have the support of voters. A poll published in February 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.
Last year, former House Speaker Tim Moore said that while he supports the legalization of medical marijuana personally, the chamber has an informal rule that requires at least 37 GOP lawmakers to support any bill before it can be brought to the floor.
Hall, the current House Speaker, previously voiced his opposition to a medical marijuana reform.
Former House Majority Leader John Bell (R) said in 2023 that while there were “still discussions going on” about medical marijuana legislation, he was “very sure you won’t see that bill move” due to insufficient support among Republicans. He stated that this was, “unfortunately”, the case.
An Indian tribe in North Carolina launched the state’s first medical marijuana dispensary last April—despite the protests of certain Republican congressional lawmakers. More than a week after legal marijuana sales kicked off to all adults at The Great Smoky Cannabis Co. in Cherokee last year, thousands from across the region made purchases.
Ohio Legislature can only make limited changes to marijuana law approved by voters, legal scholar argues
Philip Steffan is the photographer.
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