Qualla, NC: Members of the North Carolina Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians have begun selling cannabis to adults on tribal land. Sales began on July 4th and are limited to members of federally recognized Indian tribes.
The tribe began engaging in medical cannabis sales in April.
According to data published in May in the trade journal Marijuana Business Daily, tribes are currently operating cannabis businesses in nine states: California, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, South Dakota, and Washington.
Neither the recreational use nor the medical use of cannabis is permitted in North Carolina. This year, Senate lawmakers advanced legislation to regulate medical cannabis access, but House leaders failed to take up the measure. Statewide polling shows that 78 percent of North Carolina voters support legalizing cannabis for eligible patients.
In response to the Cherokee tribe’s actions, Congressman Chuck Edwards (R-NC) has introduced federal legislation (HR 5323) seeking to withhold federal funding from jurisdictions that permit marijuana sales. The bill has not been scheduled for a hearing.
Additional information on pending state and federal legislation is available from NORML’s Take Action Center.