North Carolina
Biden administration plans to reclassify marijuana. What does that mean for North Carolina?
The Biden administration may change the federal government’s position on marijuana, according to reports about a plan that would recognize the medical use of cannabis.
The Drug Enforcement Administration will propose that marijuana be recategorized under the Controlled Substances Act, according to reporting by the Associated Press and NBC News. The outlets cite anonymous sources with knowledge of the plans.
The plan would not legalize marijuana, but it would reclassify it from a Schedule I drug — believed highly dangerous, addictive and without medical use — to a Schedule III drug that can be lawfully prescribed as medication.
The historic shift in American drug policy could have implications across the country, including in North Carolina, one of just 12 states that have not legalized cannabis for recreational or medical use.
Here’s a look at what the DEA plan could mean for the legalization of marijuana in North Carolina.
What would the federal reclassification of marijuana mean for North Carolina residents?
If the DEA recategorizes marijuana, it would have no effect on the legal standing of marijuana in North Carolina, said Phil Dixon, a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Government.
“This doesn’t change much of the situation on the ground,” he said Wednesday. “This has no impact on our own state criminal law.”
Marijuana is illegal in the Tar Heel State. Lawmakers would have to pass a bill to legalize the drug and Gov. Roy Cooper would have to sign the bill into law to change that, Dixon said. Or, if the governor does not sign the bill, both chambers would have to override the veto with a three-fifths majority vote.
More on the historic move: Biden administration plans to drastically change federal rules on marijuana, reports say
Federal reclassification of the drug, however, would loosen restrictions on the research of marijuana and medicine derived from marijuana, Dixon said. It could lead to more marijuana studies done on college campuses and at private pharmaceutical firms, he said.
How soon could marijuana dispensaries open in North Carolina?
When North Carolinians can expect to see marijuana dispensaries on state land depends on when the state legalizes the drug, Dixon said.
While the federal reclassification may lead to some momentum for marijuana legalization advocates, the administrative move alone does not necessarily mean that North Carolina residents will be able to shop at dispensaries any sooner, he said.
“It’s not going to lead to dispensaries because it doesn’t authorize medical nor recreational marijuana,” he said.
Could military cannabis regulations loosen?
Dixon said that although military installations are on federal land, the armed forces make their own rules. Federal reclassification of marijuana would not affect whether military personnel can use it, he said.
Can weed be purchased in North Carolina?
Marijuana can be purchased at one dispensary in the mountains of western North Carolina.
The first cannabis dispensary in the state opened April 20 in Cherokee. The 10,000-square-foot facility is on Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians land, where medical marijuana is legal under tribal law.
On state land outside of the Qualla Boundary, however, the drug remains illegal. Marijuana possession can result in misdemeanor and felony charges with up to $500 fines, a year in jail, or both.
Meanwhile in the mountains: North Carolina’s 1st dispensary opens on 4/20, but only for medical cannabis
Great Smoky Cannabis Company can only sell to people with medical marijuana cards issued by the EBCI, other tribal bodies or another state.
North Carolina residents with a medical attestation from a doctor that they suffer from one of 18 qualifying conditions can apply for a medical marijuana card at ebci-ccb.org.
The following conditions qualify a patient for an EBCI medical marijuana card:
- Acquired immune deficiency syndromes.
- Anxiety disorders.
- Autism spectrum disorder.
- An autoimmune disease.
- Anorexia nervosa.
- Cancer.
- Dependence upon or addiction to opioids.
- Glaucoma.
- A medical condition related to the human immunodeficiency virus.
- A neuropathic condition, whether or not such condition causes seizures.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Crohn’s disease.
- Sickle cell anemia.
- Amyotrophic lateral syndrome.
- Parkinson’s disease.
- A condition resulting in the patient receiving hospice care.
- A medical condition or treatment for a medical condition that produces, for a specific patient, one or more of the following: cachexia; muscle spasms, including, without limitation, spasms caused by multiple sclerosis; seizures, including, without limitation seizures caused by epilepsy; nausea; or severe or chronic pain.
Have North Carolina legislators moved to legalize marijuana?
Last year, a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in North Carolina passed in the Senate, but was still pending in the House when the legislative session adjourned in late October.
Details on last year’s bill: The state Senate approved a medical marijuana bill, The Compassionate Care Act
If the Compassionate Care Act passes, it would be among the strictest medical marijuana programs in the country, Dixon said. The bill narrowly defines where marijuana can be grown, sold, smoked and the medical conditions that would qualify a patient for a medical marijuana card.
Reporter Taylor Shook can be reached at tshook@gannett.com.
Good evening, North Carolina. We’re wrapping up the day for you with the most important stories you need to know and your weather outlook.
Your Weather Planner
Charlotte, Triad and mountains
A soggy and chilly weather setup is established around the region. We will have rain at times tonight and tomorrow morning and then look for clouds and lingering drizzle at times tomorrow afternoon.
Another wave of showers is looking likely later Wednesday into Wednesday night.
The bottom line is we are in a wet, raw, chilly period of weather. Highs will run well below average the next several days, and rain totals will likely be 1-3 inches in many areas. Overall flooding potential looks low.
Central North Carolina
Showers will remain dominant through Tuesday afternoon. Expect morning lows Tuesday in the upper 40s ahead of an afternoon high in the low to mid-50s.
Winds will be breezy through the day with 20 to 30 mph gusts possible. A break in the rain may be possible early Wednesday before another batch of showers moves in Wednesday evening and continues through early Thursday.
Much of central North Carolina should see around 1 to 3 inches of rain this week.
Eastern North Carolina
An area of low pressure will track up the coast through Tuesday. That will also make for a windy Tuesday. Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible at the Outer Banks, up to 40 mph for the Crystal Coast and up to 20-30 mph for the rest of eastern North Carolina.
Coastal flooding will also be possible at high tides through midweek. That could impact N.C. 12 along the Outer Banks, especially around Buxton and on Ocracoke. Some roads in eastern Carteret County may flood as well.
We may get a break in the rain Tuesday night into much of Wednesday before another wave of rain arrives for late Wednesday and early Thursday.
Much of eastern North Carolina should see around 1 to 3 inches of rain this week.
Get your full forecast: Charlotte | Triad | Triangle | Coastal | Mountains
Today’s Big Stories
1. 13 shot at Halloween party in southeastern N.C., 2 killed
Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins’ office said in a news release that 13 people were shot. He said that homicide investigators and others were at the scene of the party in a rural area outside of Maxton, about 95 miles southwest of Raleigh near the South Carolina border. Deputies found Jessie Locklear Jr., 49, and Nehemiah Locklear, 16, both of Lumberton, dead at the scene.
2. Attendance dips at N.C. State Fair. A look at the numbers
Food vendors and carnival workers are packing up their candied apples, cotton candy, games and giant stuffed prizes, marking the end of the 2025 North Carolina State Fair season. This year, there were 946,811 total fairgoers during the fair’s 11-day run, according to figures from the state’s Department of Agriculture. That is nearly 8,000 fewer than the past 10-year average and more than 50,000 less than last year.
3. Salisbury police chief says bystander likely saved officer’s life during knife-wielding assault
Salisbury Police Chief Patrick Smith is praising a bystander’s courageous actions that he says likely saved an officer’s life during an assault Sunday evening. The officer and bystander were injured by a knife-wielding suspect at a Cookout on East Innes Street, police said. The suspect faces multiple charges.
4. Greensboro officer’s near-death experience highlights why impaired driving can be fatal
Looking back at photos of his totaled police cruiser, Greensboro police Cpl. Nicholas Walton says he’s lucky to be alive. Two years ago, a drunken driver traveling at 80 mph crashed into the back of Walton’s car as he was parked on the side of the road. He came away from the crash with no serious injuries and says he’s one of the lucky ones.
5. Category 5 Hurricane Melissa will make landfall in Jamaica Tuesday
Hurricane Melissa is a powerful Category 5 hurricane in the Caribbean Sea. It’s expected to remain a powerful storm as it makes landfall in Jamaica Tuesday. Melissa formed on Tuesday, Oct. 21, becoming the 13th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. Melissa will begin to turn northward soon as it approaches Jamaica.
Your Notes for Tomorrow
- Gotham Awards for film nominations announced
- Monthly House Price Index/Housing Vacancies/Consumer Confidence Index
- Senate Armed Services nominations hearing of Brendan Rogers to be Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment, James Caggy to be Assistant Secretary of the Defense for Mission Capabilities, Joseph Jewell to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology, and Marc Berkowitz to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy
In Case You Missed It
For most, the State Fair means delicious fried food, games and fun, but for workers behind the scenes, these long days can stretch from sunrise to beyond sunset. That’s where the North Carolina Campers on Mission comes in. It’s a group that has spent decades quietly working behind the scenes to make sure the people who make it happen are supported.
The Virginia Cavaliers escaped with a 17-16 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels, needing overtime to prevail. The Cavaliers stopped the Tar Heels on a two-point conversion, which would have given North Carolina the win if successful. However, running back Benjamin Hall was inches short of reaching the pylon.
North Carolina controlled the flow of the contest, but ultimately, three turnovers, including an interception in the end zone, proved to be too much for the Tar Heels to overcome.
Not only was it a missed opportunity for North Carolina, but it also prevented the Duke Blue Devils from making up ground, despite being on a bye week.
Keeping all of that in mind, here is how the result of this game affects the Blue Devils’ chances of qualifying for the ACC Championship game later in December.
Obviously, it was not the end result that the Blue Devils were hoping for, but there are certainly reasons to feel positive from Duke’s perspective.
For one, the Cavaliers looked quite vulnerable in this contest, as they were outgained by nearly 100 yards, took six sacks, and were overall completely inept offensively.
Quarterback Chandler Morris’ performance was quite concerning, as he completed 20-of-35 pass attempts for 200 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He threw errant passes all game, including two consecutive misses near the goal line that were rudimentary throws.
The win sends the Cavaliers to 7-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play. However, watching this game, it is apparent that Virginia is not as good as its record.
Despite the victory furthering the Cavaliers’ control of their own destiny, Duke’s confidence should not waver when considering Virginia’s current position in the conference.
Virginia’s last three wins have come with a combined margin of victory of eight total points, which included a game-winning safety against Washington State last week and a game-clinching stop in overtime on Saturday against North Carolina.
Additionally, the Blue Devils will have their chance to take matters into their own hands when they host the Cavaliers on Nov. 15.
If Virginia plays remotely close to how it did on Saturday, unlike North Carolina, Duke will take advantage of every opportunity the Cavaliers present. Darian Mensah is light-years ahead of Gio Lopez, who was putrid, despite having ample opportunities to take control of the game.
Virginia was fortunate Lopez was the signal caller on the other side on Saturday. The junior quarterback attempted 5.8 yards per pass, and throwing two costly interceptions.
Duke is still within striking distance, and fortunately for the Blue Devils, they will have their opportunity to deal with Virginia themselves in a few weeks.
As always, make sure you stay up to date with all Duke content by following us on Facebook, by clicking HERE and following us on X (formerly Twitter) HERE
CAMPBELL COUNTY, Va. – A man from North Carolina has been arrested and charged with damaging property at Lynchburg Regional Airport, according to the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office.
Shortly after midnight Thursday, deputies found the suspect on airport grounds attempting to break through the glass doors to enter the building. Deputies approached and took him into custody without incident.
The suspect has been identified as 20-year-old Landen Ray Hayden of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Investigators determined that Hayden, who was intoxicated at the time, unlawfully entered airport property and caused significant damage. This included overturning several drums containing cleaning fluid used by airport staff in daily operations.
Hayden faces the following charges:
-
Felony property damage
-
Trespassing
-
Underage possession of alcohol
-
Public intoxication
-
Contaminating waterways
The Campbell County Sheriff’s Office is working closely with Lynchburg Regional Airport officials as the investigation continues.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office at 434-332-9574, Central Virginia Crime Stoppers at 1-888-798-5900 or www.cvcrimestoppers.org, or submit a tip online at www.p3tips.com. Tips may remain anonymous, and information leading to an arrest could be eligible for a cash reward.
Copyright 2025 by WSLS 10 – All rights reserved.
Withings’ urine scanning health tracker is now available for $350
Trump visits South Korea as he attempts to secure billions in investment
Trump says China will work with him to stop fentanyl trafficking
‘Skinny fat’ warning issued as study finds hidden obesity behind normal BMI
Blue Jays bounce back against Dodgers to even World Series after extra-inning marathon
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Trump says China will work with him to stop fentanyl trafficking
Viktor Orbán in push to reverse Trump’s sanctions on Russian oil
Want to opt out of AI? State labeling laws might help
In a Looming Nuclear Arms Race, Aging Los Alamos Faces a Major Test
Whistleblower warns Illegal immigrants are sending ‘shockwave’ through crucial industry
-
New York5 days agoVideo: How Mamdani Has Evolved in the Mayoral Race
-
World1 week agoIsrael continues deadly Gaza truce breaches as US seeks to strengthen deal
-
News1 week agoVideo: Federal Agents Detain Man During New York City Raid
-
News1 week agoBooks about race and gender to be returned to school libraries on some military bases
-
Technology1 week agoAI girlfriend apps leak millions of private chats
-
Politics1 week agoTrump admin on pace to shatter deportation record by end of first year: ‘Just the beginning’
-
Business1 week agoUnionized baristas want Olympics to drop Starbucks as its ‘official coffee partner’
-
News1 week agoTrump news at a glance: president can send national guard to Portland, for now