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North Carolina and Idaho could both soon see major cannabis reform after adult-use legalization and medical cannabis bills were introduced respectively.
On March 17, House Bill 413, dubbed the ‘Marijuana Legalization and Reinvestment Act’, was introduced by Democratic lawmakers in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
This bill would legalize the sale, possession and use of cannabis for recreational purposes in the state.
Meanwhile, on March 12, House Bill 401 was co-sponsored by bipartisan lawmakers, seeking to allow adult patients to obtain medical cannabis from licenced pharmacies and possess up to 60g.
HB 413 would also allow North Carolinians to cultivate cannabis at home, though this must take place out of public view and only in owned properties or those which have permission from the landlord.
Should the bill be passed a 30% excise tax on cannabis purchases would be imposed, alongside an optional 2% municipal tax, but medical cannabis patients would be exempt from both.
Half of the revenue generated would be directed toward research, substance abuse programs, and social reinvestment funds, while the remaining half would go to the state’s General Fund.
Notably, the bill would also see the automatic expungement of cannabis-related convictions, with expectations these records would be cleared by July 2028.
In a controversial move, Idaho’s bill was introduced by Rep. Jordan Redman, who recently voted in support of a measure which stripped the rights of voters to legalize medical cannabis via a ballot initiative.
Co-sponsored by Rep. Ilana Rubel, the Sgt. Kitzhaber Medical Cannabis Act would allow patients aged 21 and older to obtain medical cannabis from licensed pharmacies, with possession limits set at 60 grams of flower with a 22% THC cap, or 4,000 mg of THC in processed products. Terminally ill patients could receive up to 20,000 mg of THC.
It also proposes rescheduling THC from a Schedule I to a Schedule II controlled substance in the state, while legalizing the transport of medical cannabis into the state.
This will be an essential part of Idaho’s new framework, as cultivation, production and sales will be strictly prohibited.
Under the new framework, 16 qualifying conditions including AIDS/HIV, Alzheimer’s, autism, cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, PTSD, would be eligible, while other debilitating illnesses as determined by a medical provider.
“}]] North Carolina and Idaho could both soon see major cannabis reform after adult-use legalization and medical cannabis bills were introduced respectively. Read More
