North Carolina Leaders Urge Regulated Marijuana Market to Tackle Illegal Trade
04/17/2026
North Carolina leaders are urging lawmakers to create a legal and regulated marketplace for adult marijuana use to bring order to a thriving underground economy that continues to expand unchecked. An advisory council formed by the governor has outlined this approach in a recent interim report, emphasizing how the absence of state oversight leaves residents turning to illicit sources for cannabis products. In 2022 alone, consumers in the state spent roughly $3 billion on illegal marijuana, a volume that ranks North Carolina second nationally among black market hotspots.
The push for regulation centers on public safety and economic benefits. States that have implemented controlled adult use systems report annual tax revenues ranging from $33 million to more than half a billion dollars. Council members argue that channeling North Carolina marijuana sales into licensed outlets would generate similar funds to support health education programs, youth prevention initiatives, and stronger enforcement against illegal operations. Without such a framework, the unregulated trade remains a wild frontier where quality controls are nonexistent and criminal networks profit freely.
A core concern involves protecting younger residents. The council stresses that a carefully designed adult-access model, complete with strict age verification, low-tetrahydrocannabinol product options, expanded health warnings, product-recall authority, and access to medical guidance, would limit youth exposure far more effectively than the current system. Marijuana remains fully illegal under state law, yet demand persists and drives the shadow economy. At the same time, related hemp-derived items with varying tetrahydrocannabinol levels have proliferated in retail settings, often without adequate safeguards, even as federal rules tighten.
The advisory group, which includes law enforcement professionals, public health specialists, industry representatives, tribal members, and state legislators, has focused its early work on consumer safeguards, prevention strategies, and market design. Future phases will examine enforcement, criminal justice impacts, revenue allocation, and alignment with federal standards.
Lawmakers return to session soon, and the final recommendations are scheduled for release by the end of 2026. Proponents believe this measured step toward legalization offers the clearest path to reducing harm from the illegal marijuana market while delivering tangible fiscal and safety gains for the state.
Reference
The push for regulation centers on public safety and economic benefits. States that have implemented controlled adult use systems report annual tax revenues ranging from $33 million to more than half a billion dollars. Council members argue that channeling North Carolina marijuana sales into licensed outlets would generate similar funds to support health education programs, youth prevention initiatives, and stronger enforcement against illegal operations. Without such a framework, the unregulated trade remains a wild frontier where quality controls are nonexistent and criminal networks profit freely.
A core concern involves protecting younger residents. The council stresses that a carefully designed adult-access model, complete with strict age verification, low-tetrahydrocannabinol product options, expanded health warnings, product-recall authority, and access to medical guidance, would limit youth exposure far more effectively than the current system. Marijuana remains fully illegal under state law, yet demand persists and drives the shadow economy. At the same time, related hemp-derived items with varying tetrahydrocannabinol levels have proliferated in retail settings, often without adequate safeguards, even as federal rules tighten.
The advisory group, which includes law enforcement professionals, public health specialists, industry representatives, tribal members, and state legislators, has focused its early work on consumer safeguards, prevention strategies, and market design. Future phases will examine enforcement, criminal justice impacts, revenue allocation, and alignment with federal standards.
Lawmakers return to session soon, and the final recommendations are scheduled for release by the end of 2026. Proponents believe this measured step toward legalization offers the clearest path to reducing harm from the illegal marijuana market while delivering tangible fiscal and safety gains for the state.
Reference
