North Carolina Explores Cannabis Research Bill as EBCI Tribal Program Remains Sole Access Point

15 April 2025

North Carolina is taking a cautious step toward legalizing medical marijuana with a newly proposed bill that would allow limited access through state-approved scientific research. The legislation, filed on April 14, 2025, aims to legalize cannabis use for individuals enrolled in medical studies and reflects the state’s historically slow and measured approach to cannabis reform.

The proposal, formally titled the Cannabis Treatment Research Act (House Bill 984), would permit qualified patients to use medical cannabis—but only if they are participating in research studies approved by the state’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). These studies must be conducted by licensed hospitals, universities, pharmaceutical manufacturers, or medical research organizations registered with DHHS.

If enacted, the law would allow participants to possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis during the course of their study. Any unused cannabis would be required to be returned to designated law enforcement collection sites. The bill also outlines a registry system to track eligible participants and includes privacy protections and legal safeguards for both patients and researchers.

The move comes amid growing public support for broader medical cannabis legalization. A recent statewide poll found that over 70% of likely voters support allowing patients access to medical marijuana. However, despite years of debate and multiple proposals, North Carolina lawmakers have yet to enact a comprehensive medical cannabis law—leaving the state behind many of its neighbors in terms of access.

Tribal Cannabis Program Remains the Only Access Point for North Carolina Patients

For now, the only legal option for medical cannabis in North Carolina exists outside of the state’s legislative framework. On tribal lands in the western part of the state, a medical marijuana program has been operating since September 2024. The program, managed independently by a federally recognized tribe, allows adults—including non-tribal North Carolina residents—to purchase medical cannabis if they have a qualifying medical condition.

Any resident of North Carolina who meets one of the designated medical conditions under the tribal program can seek certification from a licensed medical provider. Once certified, patients are eligible to purchase cannabis from the tribe’s dispensary. However, under current regulations, all cannabis products purchased from this facility must be consumed on tribal lands. Transporting marijuana off the reservation remains illegal under state law, regardless of a patient’s medical certification.

The tribal dispensary has become an important—albeit limited—resource for patients who otherwise lack access to medical marijuana within the state. Yet the restrictions on consumption and travel highlight the legal gray areas and logistical hurdles that patients continue to face.

Restrictive Scope Raises Concerns

While the new research-focused bill may broaden legal access in theory, critics argue that the proposal falls short of meeting the needs of patients who are not able or willing to enroll in formal studies. The bill does not define which medical conditions would qualify for participation, instead requiring a physician to certify that cannabis is likely to benefit the patient more than harm them.

Supporters of broader legalization have expressed concern that tying access to research may delay more comprehensive medical cannabis reform and could impose unnecessary barriers for those with chronic or life-threatening conditions. Additionally, there are ethical concerns around the use of placebo-controlled studies in patients with serious illnesses when treatment alternatives may exist.

Looking Ahead

If House Bill 984 is passed, it would go into effect on July 1, 2025. While it represents a notable development in North Carolina’s cannabis policy landscape, it remains to be seen whether this research-based approach will serve as a stepping stone toward a full medical cannabis program—or a substitute for it.

Until then, for many North Carolinians, access to medical marijuana remains restricted to a single, sovereign-operated dispensary and bound by the limits of tribal jurisdiction.