Cherokee Marijuana Dispensary to Open in September

The Great Smoky Cannabis Company, owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), will start selling recreational marijuana to all adults over 21 on September 7, 2024, making it North Carolina's first recreational cannabis dispensary. The move follows a September 2023 referendum where tribal members approved adult-use cannabis on the Qualla Boundary. Initially, the dispensary, which opened on April 20, 2024, only sold medical marijuana but expanded to recreational sales for tribal members and federally recognized tribes in July. The dispensary aims to draw customers from neighboring prohibitionist states like Tennessee and South Carolina. Despite the dispensary's operation, marijuana remains illegal in the rest of North Carolina. The tribe has developed comprehensive regulations for this new market, emphasizing their sovereignty and economic potential.