NC Senate Democrats Push Cannabis Legalization Bill, GOP Cool on Prospects
North Carolina Senate Democrats want voters to decide on cannabis legalization this November — but Republican leadership says the bill is unlikely to get a hearing.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — North Carolina Senate Democrats introduced legislation Wednesday that would place two constitutional amendments before voters this November, asking North Carolinians to decide whether to legalize both recreational and medical cannabis in the state.
Senate Bill 1072, filed by Democratic senators, would put two separate questions on the ballot: one addressing possession of limited amounts of cannabis for recreational use, and another allowing medical use by patients with qualifying conditions. However, Republican leadership signaled the bill is unlikely to receive a floor vote.
Democrats Argue Voters Deserve a Voice
Sen. Kandie Smith (D-Edgecombe), one of the bill’s lead sponsors, held a press conference June 17 alongside Sen. Caleb Theodros (D-Mecklenburg) to announce the proposal. Smith framed the legislation as a matter of democratic process rather than a straight policy mandate.
“The people of North Carolina deserve a voice in determining the future of cannabis policy in our state,” Smith said. “What it does is, it provides a pathway for North Carolinians to vote on whether limited personal possession and medical use should be permitted under our state’s constitution.”
By routing legalization through constitutional amendments rather than standard legislation, the bill would require approval from three-fifths of both legislative chambers before the question could appear on the November ballot.
Republican Leadership Signals Resistance
Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) offered a direct response to the proposal when asked by reporters following a Senate session.
“I’m not sure that we’re in a place where legalizing marijuana is going to be taken up,” Berger said Wednesday afternoon.
Berger indicated that any near-term legislative energy on cannabis-related issues is more likely to center on hemp products than on broader legalization. “I think there is some interest in looking at the hemp situation and the components of hemp and the sale of some of the derivatives,” he said. “It’s really undetermined whether we’re talking about a complete ban, or we’re talking about a regulatory scheme, or we’re talking about including these and not including those. There are just discussions that are taking place as to what we garner consensus over.”
A separate bill currently moving through the House would prohibit individuals under the age of 21 from purchasing hemp-derived consumable products, according to NC Newsline.
Background on Cannabis Legislation in North Carolina
Berger has previously expressed support for medical marijuana. The Senate passed a medical cannabis bill in 2024, though that measure did not advance into law.
North Carolina remains one of the few states in the Southeast that has not enacted any form of legal cannabis access, either recreational or medical. Senate Bill 1072 faces long odds in the Republican-controlled chamber, where leadership controls which bills receive committee hearings and floor votes.
No committee hearing for Senate Bill 1072 has been scheduled, according to NC Newsline.
