| North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed a law last week to allow the state’s hemp farmers to legally continue their operations following the end of a five-year pilot program, but North Carolina will remain on the sidelines of a state-regulated cannabis program after a medical cannabis legalization bill died at the end of this year’s legislative session.
State Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick County, initially introduced Senate Bill 711, the Compassionate Care Act, in April 2021. The legislation, which would legalize the production and sale of cannabis and cannabis-infused products for patients with qualifying conditions and a physician’s recommendation, cleared several Senate committees last year before lawmakers ultimately postponed a full floor vote until 2022.
The Senate then gave final approval on the bill June 6, sending it to the House, where Republicans held a closed-door meeting and internally voted against advancing the proposal in that chamber.
While the Compassionate Care Act had a slight chance of being revived while the legislative session remained active, the General Assembly adjourned July 1 without any additional action on the bill.
Meanwhile, a WRAL News poll released in April revealed that the majority of North Carolina voters support the legalization of cannabis for both medical and adult-use purposes, with 62% in favor of medical cannabis legalization and 57% supporting adult-use.
Will lawmakers take up medical cannabis legislation again next year to enact the will of their constituents?
-Melissa Schiller, Senior Digital Editor | 
