Cannabis legalization bill introduced in North Carolina

Seven Democratic lawmakers in North Carolina are sponsoring a bill that would legalize recreational cannabis in the state and eradicate previous marijuana-related offenses.

The bill, introduced in the Senate last week, follows another state proposal to legalize medicinal cannabis.

If passed, the recreational pot law would legalize marijuana for adults 21 and older and also “impose a 20% state tax on sales [of marijuana]and municipalities could add another 3% tax,” according to local news channel WSOC.

According to Sender, tax revenue from the marijuana sale would be split as follows: “25% to a community reinvestment and repair fund created by the bill; 10% to a social justice fund created by the bill; 3% to a cannabis education and technical assistance fund created by the Act; 7% to the Department of Health for evidence-based, voluntary programs to treat or prevent substance abuse; 2% to DHHS for a public awareness campaign for youth and adults on the health and safety risks of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and other substances, including driving with disabilities; 2% to DHHS for cannabis research.

Up to 1% to the Ministry of Public Security for advanced driving bans and drug detection training; The remaining 50% of tax revenue would go to the general fund.”

The bill also allows individuals to have previous cannabis-related convictions erased from their records.

“If a person has been charged with an offense related to marijuana or hashish that is legal under Chapter 18D of the General Statutes and that person has been convicted, it will be ordered that such conviction be automatically quashed no later than July 1, 2026 in the following manner set out in this section,” the legislation states.

North Carolina is one of the last remaining states where neither recreational nor medical marijuana is legal.

Late last month, the North Carolina state Senate approved a bill that would legalize medicinal cannabis treatment for people with qualifying conditions such as cancer, ALS, Parkinson’s, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and others.

The state’s Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has urged the North Carolina legislature to reform its cannabis laws.

In October, following President Joe Biden’s pardon of those with federal marijuana convictions, Cooper called for the decriminalization of marijuana in North Carolina.

“The simple possession conviction can damage people’s records for life and maybe even prevent them from getting a job,” Cooper said at the time.

“North Carolina should be taking steps to end this stigma,” the governor added.

In his announcement of the pardons, Biden “urged all governors to do the same regarding state misdemeanor.”

“As I’ve said many times during my presidential campaign, no one should be in prison just for using or possessing marijuana. Sending people to jail for possession of marijuana has turned too many lives upside down and incarcerated people for behavior many states no longer prohibit. Criminal records for marijuana possession have also created unnecessary barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities. And while whites and blacks and browns use marijuana at similar rates, blacks and browns have been arrested, prosecuted and convicted at disproportionate rates,” Biden said in a statement at the time.

“Federal law currently classifies marijuana under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, the classification designed for the most dangerous substances. This is the same timeline as heroin and LSD, and even higher than the classification of fentanyl and methamphetamine — the drugs driving our overdose epidemic,” Biden added.