Cannabis in North Carolina is illegal for any use except for very limited medical usage, though decriminalized for possession of 0.5 ounces or less for individuals with three or fewer misdemeanor convictions.
Non-psychoactive cannabis has essentially become legalized, but special seeds of very specific low THC strains (industrial hemp) and licensing must be purchased from the state.
The Senate again passed a medical legalization bill in 2023 as SB 3, but as of July, the House has yet to vote on the legislation, with the Speaker announcing there were no plans to bring it to the floor.
[5] In 2015, Governor Pat McCrory signed into law HB766, allowing those with intractable epilepsy to use CBD oil.
Major media outlets in the state noted the potential for the referendum to impact the entirety of North Carolina as it relates to the issue of cannabis.