CHEROKEE, N.C. (WLOS) — It’s a historic week for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) as their medical cannabis dispensary opens on Saturday, 4/20. It will be the only dispensary in the state where you can legally buy marijuana. Both medical and recreational cannabis remains illegal in North Carolina, but the Qualla Boundary is sovereign land.
During Monday’s work session to talk about the expansion of the program, Qualla Enterprises LLC General Manager Forrest Parker thanked tribal leadership for their work since 2021 to ensure the success of the seed-to-sale program. He told them as many as 3,400 individual products have been tested and are ready to be sold on Saturday when the medical dispensary opens. The dispensary will have between 38 to 40 different marijuana products to offer when it opens its doors.
EBCI Tribal Council’s second work session Monday was to discuss a recreation or adult use program approved by the membership last September. Over the nearly hour-and-a-half-long meeting, tribal leadership heard from school leaders, the hospital’s administration, tribal law enforcement and emergency management, and others including the courts about concerns increased accessibility may present, especially for community youth.
SEEING GREEN: EBCI PLANS RECREATIONAL CANNABIS WORK SESSION BEFORE DISPENSARY OPENS
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