North Carolina hasn’t legalized medical marijuana yet, but one state lawmaker wants to go straight from criminalization to a regulated adult-use cannabis market.
That’s state Rep. Jordan Lopez’s ambition with the introduction on Monday of House Bill 413, the Marijuana Legalization and Reinvestment Act, according to Charlotte TV station WBTV.
If passed by the North Carolina Legislature and signed into law, Lopez’s proposal would:
- Legalize the possession of up to 2 ounces of cannabis flower and six plants.
- Create a social equity-first industry by giving “historically impacted applicants” a six-month head start to apply for business licenses.
- Impose limits on how many marijuana businesses can be owned by “a major investor.”
- Impose a 30% state excise tax on adult-use cannabis.
- Allow municipalities to impose an additional 2% tax.
- Create an Office of Community Reinvestment.
- Expunge past offenses.
Medical marijuana proposals have failed three years running in the North Carolina Legislature, despite bills having passed the state Senate.
In the meantime, regulated adult-use sales launched last year at the Great Smoky Cannabis Co. on the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ reservation.
Lopez’s proposal is notable for its social equity framework – as well as its heavy tax burden.
His legislation is also seemingly unlikely to advance very far, given the state House’s previous opposition to medical marijuana.
Nevertheless, recent polling showed 71% of North Carolinians support MMJ, as Lopez pointed out in a social media post.
“A lot of mixed reactions, as to be expected, but a majority of North Carolinians want to see marijuana legalized, either recreationally and/or medically,” Lopez wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“While I clearly support the former, this conversation is still long overdue!”
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