GOP Lawmaker In N Carolina Calls Cannabis 'A Gateway Drug' Despite State Reform Approval, Illegal Weed Sales Flourish In Trenton NJ And More Updates

Medical Cannabis Reform In North Carolina Stalls Despite GOP Senate's Approval

The GOP-dominated North Carolina Senate passed legislation to legalize medical marijuana while imposing stringent controls on hemp-derived products. However, members of the state's General Assembly have not taken up the measure yet.

GOP Rep. Mark Pless, who represents Haywood and Madison counties and opposes the legalization efforts, told the Citizen-Times that it was due to a lack of support among the majority Republicans in the chamber.

“It is a gateway drug, which causes impairment as its primary function and results in addiction,” he said.

Tight Security For Medical Marijuana Cultivation In Alabama

One of the scarce medical cannabis operators in Alabama is running its cultivation facility in the town of Goshen, where roughly 1,000 marijuana plants are being grown behind high-security fences with cameras and warning signs. CRC of Alabama, LLC was one of the first companies to receive a license to cultivate, process, transport, test and sell medical marijuana products, as the state cannabis regulator was stuck in a legal battle around the license allocation process.

Even though medical marijuana was legalized in 2021 in Alabama with the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission (AMCC) awarding a limited number of licenses, the market rollout was stalled due to multiple lawsuits by unsuccessful applicants.

"This act, the Compassion Act, was passed for the patients of Alabama in 2021," said John Reeves, an attorney who oversees security for CRC of Alabama and is the son of one of the owners, Grady Reeves. "We sit here today, still nothing. So, we're very hopeful that that will come to a resolution in the next few months."

Due to the legal saga, licenses for dispensaries and for integrated companies that will cultivate, process, transport and sell medical cannabis are on hold.

"Security is going to be a major factor in what we do due to the nature of the industry we're in," Reeves said, as reported by AL.com. "We have alarms on all the doors. Only employees have codes to get in, and owners. And then once you are at the facility there are cameras everywhere. There are cameras you can see. There are cameras you can't see. Everything is 24/7 surveilled, all the time. Every door you walk into or out of, you're on camera. And we keep that for several months on recording."

Read Also: GOP Bill On Alabama Cannabis Regulator’s Duties Heads To Senate As Licensing Saga Continues

Illegal Weed Sales Flourish In New Jersey Capital

Much like in neighboring New York, the New Jersey capital of Trenton is experiencing a growing number of illegal cannabis stores and Mayor Reed Gusciora is fully aware of it, reported Green Market Report's John Schroyer.

The owner of Moja Life, a cannabis business in Trenton said there are at least 18 illegal marijuana stores operating in the city, effectively undercutting licensed operators.

"We have pop-up shops, like they have in New York City," Dockery, who has already complained to the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission, though without getting to a solution, said. "It started with just one or two, and because they didn't fix the problem, it led to more people opening. … They're all around me."

Mayor Gusciora said "We do acknowledge there are illegal operators, and that's been of great concern for the city, but we didn't want to take any action, one, because the state is not prepared to take action either, and this is more a state regulatory thing."

Read Next:

• The Green Garden State: All You Need To Know About New Jersey’s Cannabis Market

Cannabis rescheduling seems to be right around the corner. Want to understand what this means for the future of the industry? Hear directly for top executives, investors and policymakers at the 19th Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, coming to Chicago this Oct. 8-9. Get your tickets now before prices surge by following this link.