EBCI to sell recreational cannabis to enrolled members
While cannabis will be available to tribal members, it’s still not known when non-enrolled adults will be able to purchase it. Great Smokies Cannabis Company photo
Cherokee is moving one step closer to full adult recreational cannabis use.
The newest advance will come July 4 when the Great Smoky Cannabis Company will be allowed to legally sell marijuana to adults over the age of 21 who are enrolled members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians or any other federally recognized tribe.
The news of enrolled members being able to purchase cannabis products from the dispensary came within the last week as the tribe’s dispensary, Great Smokies Cannabis Company, announced on its website.
However, non-enrolled members will have to wait likely at least a couple of months.
The catalyst for the latest development came last month when EBCI Tribal Council voted to legalize adult recreational use of cannabis products. That vote came about nine months after EBCI members voted overwhelmingly to legalize the sale of marijuana and other cannabis products for all adults, even non-North Carolina residents, over the age of 21.
At a May 30 work session, EBCI Attorney General Mike McConnell said he believed it’ll still be about two to three months before Qualla Enterprises has the capacity to “open the adult use doors,” meaning at this point, it could still be a month or two until marijuana is able to be sold to anyone over 21, whether they’re enrolled or not.
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The medical marijuana program, approved in 2021, will still serve those with EBCI-issued cards. The cannabis control board accepts applications from North Carolina residents over the age of 21. The cost for issuance to residents is $100 and $50 for enrolled EBCI members. There are several approved conditions, including anxiety disorder, eating disorders and cancer. Applications can be submitted at ebci-ccb.org.
The tribe expects its cannabis industry to quickly evolve into a cash cow. Neither medicinal nor recreational cannabis is currently legal in North Carolina, Tennessee or South Carolina, and in Virginia and Georgia, only medicinal marijuana is legal. Qualla Enterprises anticipates employing somewhere around 500 people and making enough money by fiscal year 2026 to send the tribe $260 million in profits. It’s also expected to make money for the tribe through generating a tribal levy, akin to a sales tax.
The Great Smoky Cannabis Company dispensary is located at 91 Bingo Loop Road. Anyone wishing to purchase cannabis products from the dispensary must present a valid tribal membership card, along with proof of age, if not listed on the tribal membership card.
