Cherokee Adult-Use Cannabis Store Now Serving General Public in North Carolina

The Great Smoky Cannabis Company — the cannabis dispensary owned and operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in the Qualla Boundary, North Carolina — opened its doors this weekend to any customers aged 21 or older. Hundreds of customers lined up Saturday morning in advance of the opening, the Charlotte Observer reported.

Citizens of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians voted last September to legalize adult-use cannabis and the Tribal Council adopted regulations in June to allow adult-use sales. Previously, the dispensary would only serve members of the tribe with a medical cannabis recommendation.

But while the tribe has passed adult-use legalization reforms and even established legal access to licensed and tested cannabis products, cannabis remains prohibited in the rest of North Carolina.

“The data has always said this was a strong opportunity, that people in this community, area, and state support this. Recent polls in the state show 70% support for adult-use cannabis, some 80%. There’s never been a vote for cannabis as strong as it was in Cherokee with the nationally historic vote (in September 2023).” — Forrest Parker, Qualla Enterprises general manager, via the Charlotte Explorer

The Great Smoky Cannabis Company, a renovated bingo hall located in the Qualla Boundary territory, is the only legal retail cannabis location in North Carolina, where state lawmakers have failed to adopt even meager cannabis reforms. In June, state senators passed a comprehensive medical cannabis bill but House lawmakers refused to advance the issue.