Top NC Lawmakers Oppose Council’s Marijuana Legalization Recommendation
Top North Carolina lawmakers voiced opposition this week to a governor-appointed cannabis advisory council. They raised concerns about public health and state spending priorities.
Council’s recommendation
The North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis was created in June 2025. Gov. Josh Stein asked the panel to study and recommend a statewide approach.
This month the council recommended creating a regulated adult market for marijuana and hemp. The group includes law enforcement, public health experts, industry representatives, and lawmakers.
Who leads the council
Lawrence Greenblatt co-chairs the council. He is the state health director and chief medical officer at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Matthew Scott also co-chairs. He serves as district attorney for Prosecutorial District 20 in Robeson County.
Lawmakers push back
Two top Republican lawmakers criticized the council’s recommendation during a legislative hearing. They oversee health care appropriations and policy in the legislature.
Rep. Timothy Reeder is an Ayden Republican, an emergency physician, and a committee chair. He warned legalization could worsen psychosis rates among young adults.
Sen. Jim Burgin, an Angier Republican and appropriations chair, echoed that concern. He cited involuntary commitments tied to cannabis in rural counties like Harnett.
Statements and context
Lawmakers argued the timing is troubling. The state plans to spend federal funds on behavioral health and substance use treatment in 2026.
North Carolina will receive $213 million for rural health in 2026. Some of that funding is earmarked for behavioral health programs and staffing.
Public health and science
THC is the psychoactive component of cannabis. Experts say THC can be addictive and lead to cannabis use disorder.
Research links cannabis use to earlier onset of psychosis in people with certain genetic risks. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has noted these associations.
Federal changes and state options
There have been recent federal shifts on cannabis policy. An executive order in late December moved marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.
The reclassification does not legalize marijuana. It does recognize potential medical uses and could affect policy discussions at the state level.
Market size and regulation
The advisory council’s interim report said North Carolinians spent roughly $3 billion on illegal marijuana in 2022. That made the state the nation’s second-largest illicit cannabis market that year.
The council described the current hemp marketplace as a permissive “wild west.” It blamed weak hemp rules for a surge in intoxicating hemp-derived products.
The report estimated a regulated system could generate tens to hundreds of millions in annual tax revenue. It also recommended consumer protections and limits on youth access.
Legislative outlook
Lawmakers return to Raleigh later this month. Cannabis policy, including medical marijuana and hemp regulation, could appear on the agenda.
Panels have debated medical marijuana bills for years without agreement. Hemp regulation also remains unresolved, despite concerns about youth access.
Reporting by Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi for Filmogaz.com.
