Cannabis, commonly referred to as marijuana, has been a topic of discussion across the country with many states beginning to legalize the use of marijuana medically + recreationally. Did you know that 11 States have legalized all forms of marijuana and 15 States have decriminalized possession up to a certain amount, including N.C.? The laws vary from state to state, so what does this mean for us and what can we expect to see in the coming year regarding cannabis laws?
In our state, marijuana is not legal medically or recreationally, however, it’s not considered a criminal offense to possess less than half an ounce. The punishment for the half-ounce or less possession is a maximum $200 fine.
Looking forward, there have been some legislative efforts to change the laws surrounding marijuana. Here’s a glance at some changes N.C. government proposed + passed in 2019.
- In April House Bill 776 was passed that would decriminalize the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana + drops any criminal charges for individuals arrested for possession of four ounces or less. According to ncleg.gov, the bill still needs to be passed by the N.C. Senate.
- The Farm Act was brought to the N.C. House and Senate in 2019 that would make smoking hemp illegal in the state beginning May 1, 2020. This was crafted in order to assist law enforcement in differentiating hemp from marijuana, due to their similar smell and look, according to some legislatures + law enforcers. This law did not pass and will not go into effect in NC.
