Cannabis sales and use remain illegal off tribal lands in North Carolina.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians started selling recreational marijuana to all adults 21 and over on Saturday, marking a milestone for cannabis commerce in North Carolina, where the drug is still otherwise illegal.
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The Great Smoky Cannabis Company, located on the tribe’s 57,000-acre Qualla Boundary, opened its doors on Sept. 7 to hundreds of eager customers.
“This is amazing to see so many people here,” James Bradley, Qualla Enterprises production manager, told The Charlotte Observer.
By noon, dozens of cars were backed up onto U.S. 19 trying to enter the dispensary parking lot, The Charlotte Observer reported. Dispensary security told the outlet the first customer had arrived at 1 a.m.
Qualla Enterprises LLC, the tribal cannabis subsidiary, released figures last year that showed the dispensary could generate nearly $385 million in gross sales revenues in its first year of adult-use sales, with the potential for that to rise to $843 million by year five. That’s compared to $200 million if it were just limited to medical patients only, according to AP analysis of a consultant report.
The move to recreational sales comes after the dispensary began serving medical marijuana patients in April. According to Al Jazeera, the tribe invested more than $35 million in the cannabis operation, which includes a 22-acre farm and on-site production facilities for edibles, lotions and vapes. The venture already created 100 new jobs by June, with expectations to reach 500 as operations expand, according to Al Jazeera.
“We’re not asking permission from the state; we’re telling them,” Parker told Al Jazeera at the time, speaking to the tribe’s stance on sovereignty.
The expansion to recreational sales follows a September 2023 referendum where 70% of tribal members voted in favor of permitting adult use.
While the venture has faced opposition from North Carolina officials, including sitting U.S. senators and representatives, the tribe proceeded with its plans, asserting its right to self-govern.
Tribal and local U.S. law enforcement officials have consistently warned that while sales are legal on tribal land, possession remains illegal in North Carolina. Customers risk legal consequences if caught with cannabis products off the Qualla Boundary.
As the first legal recreational marijuana retailer in a wide swath of the Southeast, the dispensary’s success could have broader implications for cannabis policy in the region.
“It offers a model for an organized pathway,” Mary Jane Oatman, who leads the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association, told Al Jazeera in June.
The dispensary offers both in-store and drive-thru purchases, with more than 300 products available.
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