The North Carolina General Assembly Democrats have taken cannabis legislation up as a priority for their state. They are giving the Republican majority multiple ideas on how to make changes to the medical and adult-use cannabis laws in North Carolina.
On Wednesday, the Senate filed two cannabis bills. The first will legalize medical cannabis. The second will fully legalize cannabis, for non-medical uses. So far, the majority of states have legalized medical cannabis to some extent. 15 states have fully legalized adult-use cannabis.
Senator Wiley Nickel is a Democrat in Cary North Carolina and a sponsor or co-sponsor of both bills for cannabis legalization. “I think in states that have moved forward [with legalizing cannabis], there’s usually more support for medical [cannabis legalization]. I think that’s probably the first step for North Carolina. Although I personally support full legalization,” said Sen. Wiley Nickel.
After conducting public polls around the topic of cannabis in North Carolina, data shows that the majority of North Carolinians support legalizing cannabis. Still, full legalization is not as popular as medical cannabis.
In the past, similar bills have been filed but Republican leaders have prevented them from being heard in a committee or come up for a vote. Recently, a high-ranking Republican joined the push to legalize medical cannabis.
Senator Bill Rabon, chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, proposed a bill that will recognize cannabis as having medical potential. It will also authorize doctors to prescribe it to patients in some cases.
Medical Cannabis
Senator Nickel talked about how research shows that cannabis is a legitimate treatment for some medical problems. When people find a solution, they will use it whether it is legal or not.
Nickel’s father had used cannabis for relief from symptoms of his cancer. So, for him it is personal. He doesn’t want other people to have to risk breaking the law to get help.
“I wouldn’t want to deprive anyone of the means to help in a situation like my father’s,” Nickel said.
If North Carolina fully legalized cannabis it would help create jobs and add revenue into the state economy by taxing a product people already purchase. The bill for legalization is also about restoring justice. Black and white people use cannabis at similar rates, but black people are more than three times more likely to be arrested for cannabis use.
Residents Approve
Legalizing cannabis is becoming more and more popular in the U.S. A poll earlier this year found that 73 percent of North Carolina voters would support medical cannabis. This includes nearly two-thirds of Republicans.
Typically, when there is almost 80 percent support for legalization, you will see it come to fruition. But that is not always the case in North Carolina. Other conservative states that have legalized medical cannabis did so through citizen-led ballot initiatives. But they do not permit them in North Carolina. So, the only way to legalize cannabis is through the legislature.
Make sure to check back for more cannabis and hemp related news.