North Carolina state legislators introduced a bill this week to legalize the possession and sale of marijuana in the state.
Democratic state Reps. John Autry, Allison Dahle, Pricey Harrison, and Zack Hawkins worked together to introduce the bill on 4/20, following in the footsteps of other states that have recently legalized marijuana for recreational use.
The bill known as H.B.617 would legalize the possession of up to two ounces of most forms of cannabis, several cannabis plants, and other cannabis products for people who are 21 or older. The bill also includes regulations on lab testing of cannabis, taxation of marijuana products, the creation of cannabis-related facilities, and more.
Another equally important component of the bill proposes expunging certain marijuana convictions for state residents in addition to creating an “Office of Social Equity,” which would work to encourage “full participation in the regulated cannabis industry by people from communities that have previously been disproportionately harmed by cannabis prohibition.”
GOP state Sen. Bill Rabon has also introduced separate legislation that would legalize medical marijuana in North Carolina, but his bill stops short of legalizing the recreational use of cannabis products.
