North Carolina lawmaker introduces bill to legalize cannabis for adult use

A North Carolina state lawmaker, Democratic Representative Jordan Lopez, introduced the Marijuana Legalization and Reinvestment Act (House Bill 413), a bill aimed at legalizing the cannabis for adults.

If passed, the bill will legalize the possession, use, and cultivation of cannabis for adults aged 21 and older.

In a post on Twitter, Mr. Lopez wrote that «the majority of North Carolina residents want marijuana to be legalized, whether for recreational or medical purposes. Although I’m clearly in favor of the former, this conversation is long overdue!»

Key Provisions of Bill 413

Bill 413 aims to legalize the possession, use, and cannabis cultivation for adults aged 21 and older, while maintaining strict prohibitions on public consumption and driving under the influence. The main provisions of the bill are as follows:

• Permission to own up to two ounces (56 grams) of cannabis flowers and to grow up to six plants per person
• Enforce a excise tax of 30% on sales of recreational cannabis, with an option for an additional municipal tax of 2 %
• Implementation of a social equity program, granting a six-month priority application period to historically affected communities to enter the cannabis industry
• Limit the number of’cannabis companies that may be held by a single major investor
• Creating a office of community reinvestment responsible for overseeing the distribution of funds
• Expungement of Prior Cannabis-Related Convictions

A portion of the tax revenues from cannabis would be allocated to communities disproportionately affected by past drug policies. 25% funds would be allocated to a reinvestment and repair fund, which would support initiatives to combat poverty, unemployment, systemic racism, and mass incarceration.

The war on drugs »It has disproportionately affected Black communities. We know that. It’s well documented,« Mr. Lopez told WCNC Charlotte. »We need to make sure that when they get out of prison, they can get back on their feet." As we already know, reintegrating into society after serving a sentence is difficult and often leads to recidivism, and we want to break that cycle and offer people opportunities to build a better life for themselves.”

The additional tax revenue would be used to fund the general fund of the government, the cannabis research and substance abuse prevention programs. In addition, patients registered as users of cannabis for medical purposes would be exempt from local and state taxes on their purchases.

There's still a long way to go

Despite growing public support, the fate of the bill remains uncertain. The pre-fromAttempts to legalize it have always been blocked by the House of Representatives, even when they were approved by the State Senate.

«Republican senators have repeatedly introduced a bill to legalize medical cannabis«, Mr. Lopez noted. «I take a more recreational approach, but even the medical approach has been blocked several times in the legislature.»

In the meantime regulated sale of cannabis has already begun on tribal lands. The Great Smoky Cannabis Co, which operates in the’Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, launched its market last year, marking the first legal cannabis sales in North Carolina.