Cannabis sellers are reacting to a new task force created by Gov. Josh Stein.Stein signed an executive order on Tuesday to create an advisory council comprising law enforcement officials, lawmakers from both parties and health experts. They are tasked with investigating how the state should sell cannabis products.Selling marijuana is not currently legal in North Carolina. However, under the 2018 federal Farm Bill, certain hemp products are permitted for sale, which is why stores across the state currently sell products with intoxicating effects.One of Stein’s goals for the council is to look at policies that could protect minors from THC products while allowing their sale to adults. In announcing a new cannabis advisory council, Governor Josh Stein called the current market a “wild west.”In an interview with NBC affiliate WRAL, Stein said he is concerned that North Carolina’s lack of regulation has made it easy for minors to get cannabis products at tobacco and vape shops and has heard of them “consuming these products and having terrible physical and psychological responses.”Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking hereAs the advisory council does its work, Stein is calling on the General Assembly to pass legislation that would require customers at least 21 years of age to present a photo I.D. to purchase cannabis products. He is also calling for legislation that requires sellers to package their products with clear dosage and ingredient information. WXII spoke with the owners of Salem Organic Supply and Celestial Wellness, two shops selling cannabis products in downtown Winston-Salem. Both say they already engage in some of the practices that Stein wants to see become policy, such as age minimums and clear packaging.“We’re already following guidelines for all of the other legal states, from flower testing for pesticides, where everything comes from, accountability and tracing so that we know all of our products,” Chris Eastwood with Salem Organic Supply said. “All of our gummies and everything else is packaged with a good label stating the milligram, saying dosage, keep it out kids’ hands, stuff like that.” Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.Under the current regulatory system, sellers do not have to engage in those practices, but Celestial Wellness executive director Tylere White says it’s important if the cannabis industry is going to grow in North Carolina. “If we’re ever going to be taken seriously, if we’re ever going to get the banking we need, the insurance coverage we need, the things that we want to be a legitimate industry, that we have to show that we are willing to comply and do things the right way,” he said. White says there are sellers who are taking advantage of North Carolina’s lack of regulation.”Our biggest competition is bad actors in the industry,” he said. “A lot of people see cannabis and they think quick, fast money, and with that comes cutting corners, and we see a lot of that.”Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscastsShop owners say they hope that state leaders will work closely with those in the cannabis industry to develop any regulations they plan to implement.White says that if state leaders develop regulations similar to those in other states, North Carolina’s economy could benefit. It may also have broader implications for the country.”I think North Carolina has probably the best positioning out of all the states on the East Coast to be a cannabis powerhouse,” he said. “I think that we could set a program here in place in North Carolina that could be a foundational framework for federal legalization in the future.”NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love | Trending Stories
Cannabis sellers are reacting to a new task force created by Gov. Josh Stein.
Stein signed an executive order on Tuesday to create an advisory council comprising law enforcement officials, lawmakers from both parties and health experts. They are tasked with investigating how the state should sell cannabis products.
Selling marijuana is not currently legal in North Carolina. However, under the 2018 federal Farm Bill, certain hemp products are permitted for sale, which is why stores across the state currently sell products with intoxicating effects.
One of Stein’s goals for the council is to look at policies that could protect minors from THC products while allowing their sale to adults. In announcing a new cannabis advisory council, Governor Josh Stein called the current market a “wild west.”
In an interview with NBC affiliate WRAL, Stein said he is concerned that North Carolina’s lack of regulation has made it easy for minors to get cannabis products at tobacco and vape shops and has heard of them “consuming these products and having terrible physical and psychological responses.”
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here
As the advisory council does its work, Stein is calling on the General Assembly to pass legislation that would require customers at least 21 years of age to present a photo I.D. to purchase cannabis products. He is also calling for legislation that requires sellers to package their products with clear dosage and ingredient information.
WXII spoke with the owners of Salem Organic Supply and Celestial Wellness, two shops selling cannabis products in downtown Winston-Salem. Both say they already engage in some of the practices that Stein wants to see become policy, such as age minimums and clear packaging.
“We’re already following guidelines for all of the other legal states, from flower testing for pesticides, where everything comes from, accountability and tracing so that we know all of our products,” Chris Eastwood with Salem Organic Supply said. “All of our gummies and everything else is packaged with a good label stating the milligram, saying dosage, keep it out kids’ hands, stuff like that.”
Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.
Under the current regulatory system, sellers do not have to engage in those practices, but Celestial Wellness executive director Tylere White says it’s important if the cannabis industry is going to grow in North Carolina.
“If we’re ever going to be taken seriously, if we’re ever going to get the banking we need, the insurance coverage we need, the things that we want to be a legitimate industry, that we have to show that we are willing to comply and do things the right way,” he said.
White says there are sellers who are taking advantage of North Carolina’s lack of regulation.
“Our biggest competition is bad actors in the industry,” he said. “A lot of people see cannabis and they think quick, fast money, and with that comes cutting corners, and we see a lot of that.”
Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts
Shop owners say they hope that state leaders will work closely with those in the cannabis industry to develop any regulations they plan to implement.
White says that if state leaders develop regulations similar to those in other states, North Carolina’s economy could benefit. It may also have broader implications for the country.
“I think North Carolina has probably the best positioning out of all the states on the East Coast to be a cannabis powerhouse,” he said. “I think that we could set a program here in place in North Carolina that could be a foundational framework for federal legalization in the future.”
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |
Trending Stories
