RALEIGH — Gov. Josh Stein announced on Tuesday the creation of a State Advisory Council on Cannabis, calling for urgent action to regulate North Carolina’s unregulated THC market, which he said poses serious risks to young people.
Stein said there’s currently no legal age restriction for purchasing THC products in the state and warned that kids can easily buy them at vape shops.
The new council will study best practices from other states and recommend a comprehensive plan for safe, legal adult-use cannabis sales, including one that also protects children, supports public health and agriculture, and addresses past low-level convictions.
“Today all across North Carolina, there are unregulated intoxicating THC products available for purchase: just walk into any vape shop,” Stein said in a news release. “There is no legal minimum age to purchase these products! That means that kids are buying them. Without any enforceable labeling requirements, adults are using them recreationally without knowing what is in them or how much THC there is. Our state’s unregulated cannabis market is the wild west and is crying for order. Let’s get this right and create a safe, legal market for adults that protects kids.”
In the video at the top of this webpage, we breakdown this executive order.
VIDEO: Illegal THC products found in North Carolina shops, authorities say
Members of the State Advisory Council on Cannabis are:
Co-chairs
- Lawrence H. Greenblatt, MD, State Health Director & Chief Medical Officer, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
- Matt Scott, District Attorney, Prosecutorial District 20 (Robeson County)
Members
- David W. Alexander, Owner and President, Home Run Markets, LLC
- Arthur E. Apolinario, MD, MPH, FAAFP, 2002-2023 Past President, North Carolina Medical Society; Family Physician, Clinton Medical Clinic
- Joshua C. Batten, Assistant Director for Special Services, Alcohol Law Enforcement Division, North Carolina Department of Public Safety
- Representative John R. Bell, North Carolina House of Representatives, District 10
- Carrie L. Brown, MD, MPH, DFAPA, Chief Psychiatrist, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
- Mark M. Ezzell, Director, North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program, North Carolina Department of Transportation
- Anca E. Grozav, Chief Deputy Director, North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management
- Representative Zack A. Hawkins, North Carolina House of Representatives, District 31
- Colonel Freddy L. Johnson, Jr., Commander, North Carolina State Highway Patrol
- Michael Lamb, Police Chief, City of Asheville Police Department
- Peter H. Ledford, Deputy Secretary for Policy, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
- Kimberly McDonald, MD, MPH, Chronic Disease and Injury Section Chief, Division of Public Health, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
- Patrick Oglesby, Attorney and Founder, Center for New Revenue
- Forrest G. Parker, CEO / General Manager, Qualla Enterprises LLC / Great Smoky Cannabis Company
- Senator Bill P. Rabon, North Carolina Senate, District 8
- Lillie L. Rhodes, Legislative Counsel, Administrative Office of the Courts
- Gary H. Sikes, Owner, Bountiful Harvest Farm and Partner, Legacy Fiber Technologies
- Senator Kandie D. Smith, North Carolina Senate, District 5
- Keith Stone, Sheriff, Nash County
- Joy Strickland, Senior Deputy Attorney General, Criminal Bureau of the North Carolina Department of Justice
- Deonte’ L. Thomas, Chief, Wake County Public Defender Office
- Missy P. Welch, Director of Programming (Permits/Audit/Product Sections), Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission
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