Last week, bills were filed in both the State Senate and the State House that would legalize recreational marijuana in North Carolina. Both bills claim that the prohibition of marijuana had an unfair impact on persons of color, diverts law enforcement resources from more serious crimes, and deprives the state of opportunities for economic growth. In addition, they argue that the legalization of marijuana would increase regulations and promote “responsible” use, as well as generate “needed revenue” that could be used to reinvest in communities that they claim have been disproportionately impacted by prohibition, for substance abuse treatment and education, and to train more law enforcement officers to detect impaired driving.
SB 350—Marijuana Justice and Reinvestment Act is sponsored by Senators Graig Meyer (D-Caswell), Jay Chaudhuri (D-Wake), and Natalie Murdock (D-Chatham). HB 413—Marijuana Legalization and Reinvestment Act is sponsored by Representatives Jordan Lopez (D-Mecklenburg), Aisha Dew (D-Mecklenburg), Zack Hawkins (D-Durham), and Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford).
The Dangers of Marijuana
These bills are extremely concerning for the following reasons. Today’s marijuana is significantly more potent than in previous generations. The levels of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which produces the psychoactive effects, have gone from around 4% in 1995 to around 17% in 2017, and today it can be as high as 90%. On top of this, and contrary to popular belief, marijuana is addictive, especially if an individual consumes products with a high level of THC.
Also contrary to popular belief is the fact that marijuana is not a harmless drug. It poses many serious health problems, including:
- Change in brain function.
- Lung disease.
- Intoxication and impaired driving.
- Developmental interference.
- Impaired cognition.
- Psychological illness.
- Cardiovascular abnormalities.
Data shows that rates of marijuana use increase after legalization, sometimes even drastically in cases such as Nevada, Colorado, and Maine. While this is concerning on its own, it also presents a danger to minors as well. “Data suggests that as cannabis becomes more available in the environment for adults, its access also increases to children and young adults who may be particularly vulnerable to its long-term effects,” says Mohini Ranganathan, a professor of psychiatry at Yale University.
In regards to its “medical” properties, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has not approved marijuana for medical use and the American Medical Association, and the American Psychiatric Association do not support its use as medicine without proper research. If medical professionals are hesitant to endorse it even for cases of serious illness, it is even more alarming that marijuana could be legal to use recreationally.
Marijuana in North Carolina
In the last legislative biennium, there was a major push by leading Republicans in the Senate to legalize marijuana in North Carolina for “medical” purposes, such as cancer, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This legislation was not taken up by the State House, and so currently, the only place where it is legal to purchase or possess marijuana in North Carolina is on tribal land belonging to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
NC Family will continue to report on any updates related to this legislation and any other efforts to legalize marijuana in North Carolina.