by Dr. Mark Creech
Return America
Gov. Josh Stein has formally ordered lawmakers back to Raleigh later this month to address the significant Medicaid funding shortfall. Nearly one-third of North Carolinians are covered under Medicaid, but without legislative action, current funding levels are arguably unsustainable. Stein says the legislature must act to prevent further cuts to services relied upon by the most vulnerable citizens in our state.
Previously, Republican leadership indicated that they would not return to the Capitol to take up major policy issues for a vote. So, if they return, it’s not likely that they would take up anything other than Medicaid funding. However, although lawmakers are required to reconvene at the Governor’s order, the legislature is not required to take any action. They could gavel in and then adjourn.
The House has already passed stand-alone Medicaid funding proposals, while the Senate remains at odds over tying that funding to other unrelated budget matters. As a result, the upcoming session will likely be brief, with little to no movement on broader legislation.
Although no other votes are expected in this special session, Return America supporters need to understand which major bills remain alive in the General Assembly. These measures are unlikely to see any action, but as long as these bills remain alive, it’s essential to be informed and prepared to engage.
Last week, we highlighted the hemp-related legislation that remains active. This week, we would like to bring to your attention the marijuana bills that are still on the table. They are not expected to move this month, but are positioned for consideration whenever lawmakers resume their broader legislative agenda, which they could choose to act on at any time. The following measures represent a serious and growing concern for the moral and public health direction of our state.
Below is a summary of each marijuana-related bill still pending in the legislature, along with its potential impact and why Return America should remain actively engaged and prepared to speak out on bills of this nature.
Marijuana Bills
HB 413 – Marijuana Legalization and Reinvestment Act. This bill would legalize recreational marijuana in North Carolina and set up a system for growing, selling, and taxing it. It prevents professionals from being punished for working with legal cannabis businesses and protects people with past marijuana convictions from being denied housing in most situations. It also says landlords can’t stop tenants from having or using marijuana in non-smoked forms unless it creates problems for others. The bill creates rules for how cannabis businesses must operate, including safety standards, packaging, testing, advertising limits, and steps to prevent sales to minors. It adds a 30% tax on recreational marijuana sales and requires some of that money to go toward community and health programs. Finally, it clears certain past marijuana convictions from people’s records once the law takes effect.
The bill currently resides in the House Rules Committee.
SB 350 – Marijuana Justice and Reinvestment Act. This legislation sets up a medical marijuana program in North Carolina starting in 2026. Patients with a doctor’s permission can get a state ID card, buy and use medical cannabis, and have certain legal protections (and so can their caregivers and doctors). It also orders automatic expungement (clearing) of past marijuana convictions that would be legal under the new rules. The bill establishes a state tax system for cannabis, accounting for its use and allocating the revenue, with 50% going to the ABC Commission to regulate cannabis and the remainder distributed to community programs, education, healthcare, research, and public safety training.
The bill currently resides in the Senate Rules Committee.
H1011 – NC Compassionate Care Act. HB 1011 would build what it claims to be a tightly controlled medical marijuana system. It creates an ID-card check system, sets strict rules for dispensaries (hours limited, no on-site use, 1,000-foot buffers from churches and schools, 21+ employees only), requires strong security and product testing, bans almost all advertising (a basic website is acceptable), mandates child-resistant packaging with medical-style labels, and makes it illegal to have open cannabis in a car (must be in the sealed store container). It establishes inspections, a research program, and a self-funded state program, and exempts medical cannabis from sales tax.
The bill currently resides in the House Rules Committee.
H984 – Regulate Research of Medical Cannabis. This bill lets North Carolina run medical research studies using cannabis. Instead of the old “hemp extract for epilepsy” rule, it allows patients who enroll in an approved research study (with a doctor’s written permission) and their registered caregivers to legally possess and use limited amounts of cannabis for the study. The state would create a secure registry of participating research institutions, doctors, patients, and caregivers; their identities would stay confidential but could be verified by law enforcement. Research institutions and doctors get legal protection for doing the studies, and any leftover cannabis must be dropped off at a police-run collection box.
The bill currently resides in the House Rules Committee.
The core problem with every one of these bills is that they normalize and expand access to a mind-altering drug, well-known for its harms. Even the so-called “medical” frameworks create the commercial and cultural infrastructure that inevitably leads to broader recreational use, particularly among young people. States that have gone down this road have seen increases in addiction, mental health disorders, impaired driving, and family instability. At the same time, the government grows ever more dependent on the tax revenue that comes from people’s bondage. These bills do not actually “heal”- they commodify impairment, prioritizing profit and personal indulgence over the well-being of individuals, families, and the moral fabric of our communities.
As lawmakers return to Raleigh to address the Medicaid crisis. It is doubtful that they would take up marijuana expansion. But the marijuana bills haven’t gone away. Whether recreational or “medical,” these bills all move our state in the wrong direction: normalizing a drug that carries real spiritual, emotional, and public health costs. The General Assembly should stay focused on stabilizing care for the most vulnerable, but never advancing policies that would ultimately increase harm and dependency.
