A comprehensive marijuana legalization and regulation bill was introduced in the N.C. Senate on Monday that would allow for individuals age 21 and older to legally possess a small amount of the drug.
Senate Bill 765 was submitted by Sen. Toby Fitch, D-Wilson.
At 69 pages, it is more in-depth than House Bill 617, a 19-page bill introduced in April 2021 with Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford, as one of four primary sponsors and Rep. Amber Baker, D-Forsyth, as one of 13 co-sponsors.
SB765 is likely to face a similar fate given stiff Republican leadership opposition to legalizing marijuana in North Carolina.
North Carolina is one of six states where all uses of marijuana are illegal, along with Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, South Carolina and Wyoming. That includes prohibiting the use of medical marijuana.
The main focus on SB765 is the sale, possession and use of marijuana, although a section covers the legal use of industrial hemp.
Individuals age 21 and older could possess up to two ounces of marijuana on their person.
Anyone who possesses more than two ounces on their person in a public setting could be subject to a civil penalty of up to $25. [Read more at Winston-Salem Journal]
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