When Will We See “Joint” Support in North Carolina?
NC is closer to legalizing marijuana now than they have ever been. Source: Medical News Today
Over the past few years, the US has seen a surge in acceptance of marijuana. Many states have already legalized the drug, whether for medical or recreational use, while some are more hesitant on the issue. Consequently, the issue has become partisan — with Democrats supporting legalization and Republicans pushing back against it.
For a few years now, North Carolina has debated whether or not to legalize the drug but has yet to see any success in the endeavor. However, this soon could change. Last month, Democratic lawmakers in North Carolina filed two bills: Senate Bill 667 would legalize medical marijuana and Senate Bill 646 would legalize its recreational use. Knowing full legalization is unlikely, Democrats introduced both bills understanding the legalization of medical marijuana would be the best step towards full legalization.
As of now, many states have legalized medical marijuana while only 15 states have fully legalized the drug. Surprisingly, some conservative states such as Utah, Arkansas, West Virginia, and Mississippi have all legalized the drug for medical use. The passage of medical marijuana in these states all share one trait: citizen-led ballots. These types of ballots are not allowed in North Carolina, thus leaving the decision to lawmakers and not to citizens. If North Carolina were to allow a citizen-led ballot, it is likely marijuana would be legalized, at least for medical use. In a poll conducted by Elon University, 73% of North Carolina voters support the legalization of medical marijuana with almost two thirds of Republicans supporting the issue.
Not only do North Carolina Democrats have support from the citizens, but the federal government is also pushing for legalization of marijuana and is in a better position to do so now that Democrats control Congress. Additionally, North Carolina Senator Bill Rabon (R) who is chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, has recently introduced Senate Bill 711 which would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to patients in some cases. This is a major step for Democrats, as Rabon is one of the most powerful Republicans in the state.
Although there is progress being made, there is still a debate on whether marijuana should be legalized or decriminalized. Full legalization would allow people to buy and sell marijuana — with the state gaining tax revenue on the product — whereas decriminalization would keep the distribution of marijuana illegal but would not allow punishments, especially for first time users, to be as severe. The latter option is favored by Governor Roy Cooper (D), who has created a task force to research the issue.
Legalization, whether recreational or only for medical use, could prove to be beneficial for North Carolina especially with the decline of the tobacco industry. North Carolina used to be one of the top producers of tobacco in the country and is still a formidable player, however, marijuana could serve as a substitute. Since the legalization of hemp, North Carolina farmers have begun to grow hemp instead of tobacco and have seen promising results.
It is likely that marijuana will be legalized in North Carolina, however, whether it will be for recreational use or medical use remains to be seen. Additionally, a legalization timeline is still unknown. There is no doubt many people believe marijuana could be beneficial, especially for those with medical issues; there could also be economical benefits that could cause a boom in North Carolina’s economy. Democrats are already in support of the issue, but they will need more Republican support if they want to secure “joint” support on the issue.