The psychoactive plant Cannabis sativa is the source of marijuana, sometimes referred to as grass, weed, cannabis, or pot. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the two most well-known cannabinoid chemicals among the more than 100 distinct chemical compounds found in it. While CBD possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-seizure, and neuroprotective qualities, THC is what gives marijuana its euphoric effects.
Approximately 12% of American people reported smoking marijuana in 2021, making it one of the most commonly used illicit narcotics in the country. States, however, have different laws pertaining to marijuana; some have complete ban while others have complete legalization. The state of North Carolina, where marijuana is prohibited for recreational use and has few medical exceptions, will be the subject of this essay.
North Carolina’s Marijuana Laws
In North Carolina, marijuana is classified as a Schedule VI substance, which indicates that it has a modest potential for abuse and no recognized medicinal value. Marijuana possession of any quantity is a misdemeanor, which carries a maximum one-year jail sentence and a $200 fine. On the other hand, first-time offenders could qualify for a conditional release, in which case their charges are dropped if they finish a drug education course and maintain a clean record for a year.
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Marijuana sales and deliveries are crimes, and the severity of the punishment varies on the quantity and location of the offense. For instance, selling less than 10 pounds of marijuana carries a maximum sentence of 39 months in jail and a fee of $5,000; selling more than 10,000 pounds has a maximum sentence of 219 months in prison and a fine of $200,000. Marijuana sales and deliveries within 1,000 feet of a playground, park, or school are punishable by up to $5,000 in fines and 44 months in jail.
Marijuana cultivation carries criminal penalties that vary according on the quantity of plants grown. cultivating fewer than 10 plants, for instance, has a maximum sentence of 25 months in jail and a $5,000 punishment; cultivating more than 10,000 plants, on the other hand, carries a maximum sentence of 219 months in prison and a $200,000 fine.
North Carolina’s use of medical marijuana
Although it lacks a full medicinal marijuana program, North Carolina does let patients with intractable epilepsy to utilize low-THC/high-CBD cannabis oil. This legislation was passed in 2014 and revised in 2015; it is also referred to as the Hope 4 Haley and Friends Act or the Epilepsy Alternative Treatment Act.
Patients may possess and use cannabis oil that contains at least 5% CBD and less than 0.9% THC if they have a written certification from a neurologist associated with one of the four state universities (Wake Forest University, Duke University, East Carolina University, and the University of North Carolina). Nevertheless, the law does not shield patients from federal punishment or offer them any legal way to get cannabis oil.
Cannabis Usage in North Carolina
In contrast to the 15.9% national average, 9.8% of North Carolina adults 12 years of age or older reported smoking marijuana in the previous year, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. In terms of the frequency of marijuana use, North Carolina is ranked forty-first out of fifty states.
Among the various age groups, young people (18 to 25) reported the greatest rate of marijuana usage (22.9%), followed by teenagers (12 to 17) (10.1%) who reported the highest rate of use in the previous year. Adults 26 years of age and older had the lowest rate of marijuana use (7.6% of them reported using it in the previous year).
Of all the counties in North Carolina, Buncombe County had the highest rate of marijuana usage, with 14.9% of its citizens reporting past-year use. Durham County came in second, with 14.4% of its citizens reporting past-year use. Mitchell County had the lowest rate of marijuana use, with 3.8% of citizens reporting using it in the previous year.
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In Summary
In North Carolina, marijuana is strictly prohibited for recreational use and has few medical exceptions. Depending on the quantity and the area of the infraction, there are severe consequences for marijuana possession, sale, delivery, and growing.