North Carolina

NC’s 1st marijuana dispensary will open on 4/20 in Cherokee: What to know

Published

1 year ago

April 15, 2024

NC’s 1st marijuana dispensary will open on 4/20 in Cherokee: What to know

While other states have moved to legalize the drug, cannabis has remained illegal in North Carolina. Yet, the sale of medical marijuana might soon begin in a part of the state that is also a sovereign nation — the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ Qualla Boundary.

The EBCI is planning to officially launch the Great Smoky Cannabis Co. dispensary, managed by Qualla Enterprises, on April 20. It will be the first marijuana dispensary to open in North Carolina after the EBCI approved the sale of medical marijuana in 2021.

But this isn’t a free-for-all, open-to-the public dispensary. Before you take the trip out to the Qualla Boundary in the Great Smoky Mountains — not to be confused with Great Smoky Mountains National Park — here’s what you need to know.

Who will be able to purchase cannabis?

On March 25, The Great Smoky Cannabis Co. announced that the dispensary would only be open for the sale of medical marijuana on April 20.

Only those with an EBCI medical cannabis patient card or an out-of-state approved medical marijuana card will be eligible to purchase at the dispensary when it opens, according to a March 25 press release from the dispensary.

Where is the dispensary?

Located on the Qualla Boundary, Cherokee is a sovereign nation that has its own elections, laws, government and institutions that are self-governed and autonomous.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians are one of three federally recognized sovereign nations that were once part of the larger Cherokee Tribe prior to the Trail of Tears forced removal from their land in Western North Carolina, according to the ECBI website. The other two, Cherokee Nation and the United Kituwah Band, are located in Oklahoma.

Cherokee is not to be confused with Cherokee County, North Carolina, of which parts of the Qualla Boundary are located.

Great Smoky Cannabis Co. is located at 91 Bingo Loop Road in Cherokee.

The dispensary opens at 10 a.m. April 20, and features over 10,000 square feet of retail space, three drive-through windows and a glass shop.

How much will you be able to buy?

Great Smoky Mountain Cannabis recently announced that the sale of medical marijuana will have some purchase limits.

Customers can only buy up to 1 ounce of dry cannabis flower at the dispensary per day, according to a post on the Great Smoky Mountain Cannabis Instagram. The monthly limit is 6 ounces.

As for concentrated THC products, they limit the purchase of 2,500 milligrams of concentrated THC per day. The monthly limit is 10,000 milligrams.

Why not recreational?

The dispensary is on the land of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, where medical marijuana was legalized in 2021.

A September referendum on recreational marijuana indicated support for the recreational sale of the drug, but the ECBI Tribal Council has yet to pass a resolution officially allowing the recreational sale and use of marijuana.

Another Tribal Council work session on a recreational marijuana resolution is planned for 9 a.m. April 18, Tribal Council Chairman Mike Parker announced during the April 4 Tribal Council meeting.

What about legalization in North Carolina?

The possession, sale and distribution of marijuana is currently illegal under current North Carolina general statutes.

However, some low-THC products have been legalized under a 2021 state law. The law allows the sale of products with no more than 0.3% of delta-9, allowing the sale of cannabinoids like THCa and CBD.

District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said that she fully intends to “enforce state laws,” even as the dispensary opens. Welch is the chief criminal prosecutor in Prosecutorial District 43, which includes Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.

“The mission, duty and privilege of the 43rd Prosecutorial District is to enforce state laws. We do not pick certain laws to enforce and ignore others,” Welch said in a April 3 statement regarding the dispensary.

The Great Smoky Cannabis website also comes with a disclaimer: “Upon leaving North Carolina’s Qualla boundary, individuals are subject to state laws, including those regarding cannabis. We recommend that individuals familiarize themselves with their relevant state laws and regulations governing cannabis activities outside of the Qualla boundary.”

The opening of the dispensary has also drawn the ire of Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards — who is running for reelection — and the state’s two senators, Thom Tillis and Ted Budd. Edwards introduced the Stop Pot Act in September, which would penalize states and tribes with legalized marijuana, taking 10% of their federal highway funds.

The act failed to advance past a Sept. 5 referral to a subcommittee under the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Citizen Times reported March 20.

The act has received a critical response from Democratic State Rep. Caleb Rudow — who is running for congress — and EBCI Chief Michell Hicks, who advocated against Edwards’ efforts citing the medicinal qualities of marijuana and tribal sovereignty, the Citizen Times previously reported.

Which states have legalized cannabis?

After Ohio legalized the drug in late 2023, nearly half of the United States has now legalized the drug, as reported by USA TODAY. North Carolina is not one of them.

Here’s a list of states that have legalized recreational cannabis and when it was made official:

Ohio: 2023
Minnesota: 2023
Delaware: 2023
Rhode Island: 2022
Maryland: 2022
Missouri: 2022
Connecticut: 2021
New Mexico: 2021
New York: 2021
Virginia: 2021
Arizona: 2020
Montana: 2020
New Jersey: 2020
Vermont: 2020
Illinois: 2019
Michigan: 2018
California: 2016
Maine: 2016
Massachusetts: 2016
Nevada: 2016
District of Columbia: 2014
Alaska: 2014
Oregon: 2014
Colorado: 2012
Washington: 2012

Contributing: Orlando Mayorquin and Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY

More: As NC’s 1st cannabis dispensary opens, Cherokee Co. DA to ‘continue to enforce state law’

More: Asheville-area personal landing strip Airbnb? County board approves strip, limits rentals

Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

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North Carolina

USDA terminates annual Hunger Survey as food banks see growing demand

Published

3 days ago

September 24, 2025

Press Room

USDA terminates annual Hunger Survey as food banks see growing demand

RALEIGH, N.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is ending its annual survey that tracks hunger in the country, despite the rise in food costs.

Here in North Carolina, where more than 600,000 people face food insecurity, local organizations like The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina say the cuts could affect how they can serve families in the state.

What You Need To Know

The 30-year-old Hunger Survey measured food insecurity across the country but will no longer be conducted

The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina says more families are turning to them as grocery prices continue to rise

The final report is set to be released on Oct. 22

Without federal data, organizers say it may be harder to measure the needs of communities across the state

At the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, dozens of volunteers spend hours packing boxes with bread, milk, meat and canned goods, some essentials for families who can’t afford to purchase them on their own.

Here in North Carolina, officials say over 600,000 people face food insecurity. That’s why staff and volunteers say the timing couldn’t be worse.

Volunteer Cathy Engel says it’s not just about packing the food, but building a connection with a family even if it’s brief.

“Meeting all the people that come in and talking to them, that’s what makes me want to continue to come,” Engel said.

She says that in her five years of service she’s seen the need for food increase, but supplies are decreasing.

“We’re much more limited in what we give out, and even what the food shelves are limited in, what they’re allowed to get from this distribution center,” she said.

Vice President Jason Kanawati Stephany agreed, saying that the USDA’s decision could cause more harm than good to communities in need.

“Our pantries are seeing near unprecedented need. So we don’t need that government data to validate that experience,” Kanawati Stephany said. “But here’s where the government data is vital. It’s vital for us to make decisions about where we invest our resources. And more importantly, it tells government leaders where resources and investments are needed.”

“Trends in the prevalence of food insecurity have remained virtually unchanged, regardless of an over 87% increase in SNAP spending between 2019-2023,” the USDA said in its announcement.

But volunteers aren’t giving up, and entire organizations like Blue Cross N.C. are sending employees to help meet the growing need.

Lori Taylor, health food director at Blue Cross N.C., said it’s important to step away from everyday tasks and give a helping hand.

“This is the way that we can all make an individual contribution together,” Taylor said.

Engel says they’ll continue to show up.

“It’s hard to be hopeful, but this place gives me hope,” she expressed.

In 2023, 47 million people lived in food-insecure households, according to the USDA. Of those, nearly 14 million were children.

The survey has been published annually for 30 years, throughout both Republican and Democratic administrations.

The last report is scheduled to be released on Oct. 22.

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North Carolina

VP JD Vance is coming to NC this week to talk public safety

Published

4 days ago

September 23, 2025

Press Room

VP JD Vance is coming to NC this week to talk public safety

Tuesday, September 23, 2025 5:46PM

CONCORD, N.C. (WTVD) — Vice President JD Vance will visit North Carolina on Wednesday.

He will be in Concord to talk about public safety following the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska. This comes after the state Senate passed a reform bill called ‘Iryna’s Law,’ which would eliminate cashless bail and lays out new condition for pretrial release for certain violence offenses.

This will be Vance’s first trip to the Tar Heel state since becoming vice president.

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North Carolina

City leaders eye improvements to Raleigh’s Dix Park as DHHS moves out of park buildings

Published

2 weeks ago

September 14, 2025

Press Room

City leaders eye improvements to Raleigh’s Dix Park as DHHS moves out of park buildings

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — As the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services prepares to vacate several buildings at Dorothea Dix Park, the City of Raleigh is taking full control of the 308-acre property. City leaders say the future of the park is just beginning

Dix Park welcomed over 600,000 visitors between June and August, with guests from 42 states. It was the second most visited destination in North Carolina this summer, trailing only Wrightsville Beach.

City officials and the Dix Park Conservancy are now focused on the next phase of park improvements.

“During COVID, we learned that our parks became our sanctuaries of sanity,” said Raleigh City Council Member Mitchell Silver. “It’s where people go to feel mentally and physically healthy. We want that for our city.”

One of the park’s most notable additions this year was the opening of Gipson Play Plaza, now the largest adventure playground in the Southeast.

More upgrades are planned, including new public art installations and renovations to existing structures.

Ruffin Hall, president and CEO of the Dix Park Conservancy, outlined some of the upcoming enhancements.

“There’s lots of fun things going on at the park: House of Many Porches where you can go and grab a snack, renovating the Flowers Cottage next to Flowers Field,” Hall said. “We’re also looking at renovating the dog park and the trolls.”

With DHHS preparing to vacate state-owned buildings on the property, some structures will be demolished, while others may be retrofitted for new uses.

“To me, that’s a great opportunity, having a nice enclave of some market rate residential buildings,” Silver said. “Long-term leases or sales could generate money to reinvest in the park.”

Silver has seen this model succeed in other cities, where revenue from residential developments fully funded park improvements without relying on taxpayer dollars.

Plans also include a new entrance on South Saunders Street, and the city is exploring expanded public transportation options to better connect the park with downtown Raleigh.

Many of the park’s improvements have been made possible by a $75 million fundraising campaign led by the Conservancy.

“The City of Raleigh has some tremendous donors, civic-minded folks who made generous contributions,” Hall said. “That partnership with the city is what really made this happen — and that’s what makes Raleigh so special.”

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