ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The potential for legal, medical cannabis in North Carolina is off the table after Republican legislators in the House, led by House Speaker Tim Moore, cite a lack of support. North Carolina, along with Tennessee and South Carolina, remain part of a handful of states beyond the 41 that now have some version of legalized medical cannabis laws.
"It is a tough thing being in the south in that we lag behind the rest of the country," said Franny Tacy, who owns Asheville-based cannabis dispensary Franny's Farmacy.
Tacy is a high-profile advocate of legalized cannabis and has shops in six states, including North Carolina selling hemp and other low-potency cannabis products.
"There are some products that have psycho-active effects," she said.
Asheville products, she said, have 0.3-percent THC.
"The biggest voice and thing to move the needle is people that are experiencing using CBD, hemp, and cannabis in any way shape or form, let their legislators know they're supportive of it," Tacy said.
She pointed out that some southern states that have legalized medical cannabis have only legalized very low potency levels that have no significant medicinal value. In North Carolina, Republicans elected to office remain reluctant to approve legalizing what they see as an illegal drug in other states, including their own.
"I think the key ingredient really is new members, lawmakers" said Eric Heberlig, a political science professor at UNC-Charlotte. "Once you have legislators who have taken public positions on the issue, particularly if they've taken votes, it's much harder for them to shift their positions."
Heberlig said new lawmakers getting elected, including new Republicans, can shape votes with personal anecdotes of friends or family who have used cannabis for medicinal benefit. Only then, he said, does he think North Carolina will approve medical cannabis.
Other states are making hundreds of millions of dollars off legalized cannabis, but Heberlig felt that won't motivate North Carolina Republicans who see a surplus in the state's coffers and no need to grow it.
Still, Republicans did approve expanding gambling in the state which will bring in millions more in revenue for schools, cited as a key reason to approve the expansion by Republicans.
States, including Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Arkansas, have passed different versions of legalized medicinal cannabis laws.
"North Carolina Republicans have large numbers of voters who are evangelicals," Heberlig said, adding that the demographic isn't ready to approve legalized cannabis.
Republicans may consider another bill next May in the short session.
During a News 13 roundtable discussion earlier this year, Democrat State Senator Julie Mayfield predicted the medical cannabis bill would pass. On Tuesday, July 11, she expressed disappointment in the session outcome and provided the following statement:
"It is long past time for North Carolina to legalize the medical use of cannabis. It has helped many, many people, and it is time to allow people who need it to acquire and use it with dignity and without fear. the bill would pass with overwhelming support from democrats if only Speaker Moore would let it come to a vote. It's time to let democracy work."
Sail and grow
Deep inside
The brave align
Green we stay
-Boss Keloid Lung Valley