The historic opening of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians marijuana dispensary on the Qualla Boundary on April 20 brought the drug to market for the first time in North Carolina.
Though only currently available for medicinal purposes, the sale of recreational marijuana could soon become a reality.
The EBCI Tribal Council is inching closer to passing legislation that would allow for the recreational sale of the drug. A Tribal Council member suggested a recreational marijuana law could pass by June.
Marijuana is not legal for medical or recreational use in North Carolina. It is legal for medical sale from the Great Smoky Cannabis Co. dispensary on the Qualla Boundary, home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
During an April 15 Tribal Council work session on an adult-use cannabis resolution, Tribal Council member Boyd Owle noted the progress they were making toward passing the legislation.
“Maybe come June, we can get it going and approve recreational,” Owle said during the meeting.
While the EBCI held a referendum in September on the legalization of recreational marijuana, Tribal Council has yet to pass an ordinance updating the regulations on adult use.
Nearly 70% of EBCI voters supported the recreational marijuana referendum, the Citizen Times previously reported. The next
