The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) will soon vote on whether or not to legalize recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older.
The EBCI, located on 57,000 acres in the western part North Carolina, legalized medical marijuana in 2021. The tribe recently began accepting applications for those wanting to become patients for their soon-to-open medical marijuana superstore, which is a refurbished bingo hall the tribe spent $50 million to renovate. At the moment the application process is open to anyone 18 and older, regardless of whether or not they’re a member of the tribe. Although a person applying would need to have one of around 20 medical conditions, no doctor’s recommendation is required.
The requirement to have a medical condition may soon vanish, with the EBCI Tribal Council voting to place a referendum on the September 7 general election ballot that would legalize recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older, with no requirement to be a member of the EBCI.
The medical marijuana superstore, ran by Qualla Enterprises, will already be the only place in North Carolina where a person can legally buy medical marijuana: if the proposal is approved, it will also be the only place to purchase marijuana for recreational purposes.
“[W]e 1,000% support this,” said Forrest Parker, general manager of Qualla Enterprises. “Adult use is critically important to the business, if you look at it from a revenue standpoint. It is the ultimate business model for us. Think how many more people will walk through the door.”
Parker says “Fundamentally, we’re prepared to handle it.”
On the state level, in March the North Carolina Senate voted 36 to 10 to pass a medical marijuana bill. However, according to House Speaker Moore, there’s not enough support among Republican state representatives for the proposal to be placed on the House floor and thus is likely dead for the year.
In April recreational marijuana legislation was filed in the North Carolina Legislature with 21 sponsors, but the proposal has failed to advance out of its initial committee.
