Gov. Josh Stein announces new council to explore legalizing THC products for adults in NC
AND TEACHERS THINK THURSDAY
NIGHT ON WRAL NEWS AT 6
BREAKING RIGHT NOW ONLY ON
WRAL, GOVERNOR JOSH STEIN
ANNOUNCED HIS SUPPORT FOR
LEGALIZING THC, INTOXICATING
PRODUCTS LIKE MARIJUANA FOR
ADULTS. HE SAT DOWN EXCLUSIVELY
WITH OUR LENA TILLETT TO
EXPLAIN WHY HE BELIEVES
LEGALIZING THESE PRODUCTS WILL
HELP PROTECT CHILDREN IN THIS
STATE. FROM THE SURGE OF
HARMFUL PRODUCTS ON STORE
SHELVES AND LENA. THE GOVERNOR
IS FORMING AN ADVISORY COUNCIL
ON THIS ISSUE. THAT'S EXACTLY
RIGHT, JERROLD. IT WAS A
FASCINATING INTERVIEW. GOVERNOR
STEIN TOLD ME WE HAVE REACHED
A CRISIS POINT WITH THE
CANNABIS MARKET IN NORTH
CAROLINA. SO HE'S TRYING TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THIS
BRAND-NEW STATE ADVISORY
COUNCIL HE ANNOUNCED WITH ME
TODAY IS JUST A FIRST STEP.
BUT YOU PROBABLY NOTICED IN
YOUR COMMUNITY.
>> MORE AND MORE VAPE SHOPS
POPPING UP ACROSS THE TRIANGLE
IN NORTH CAROLINA. PRODUCTS
LIKE CBD AND HEMP DERIVED THC
DO NOT EVEN HAVE AGE
REQUIREMENTS ON THEM. AND YOUNG
PEOPLE ARE USING THEM WRAL'S
ON REPORTING HAS SHOWN MANY OF
THESE PRODUCTS HAVE ILLEGAL
LEVELS OF THC IN THEM. GOVERNOR
STEIN WANTS ALL OF THESE
PRODUCTS TO BE ILLEGAL FOR
PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 21.
SO I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE
BEGINNING. HE WAS RELUCTANT TO
SAY THAT HE'S IN SUPPORT OF
LEGALIZING MARIJUANA BECAUSE
HE SAID YOU CAN GET HIGH FROM
SO MANY CANNABIS PRODUCTS.
AND THAT'S THE ISSUE HE'S
TRYING TO SOLVE.
>> DO YOU SUPPORT AGAIN THE
LEGALIZING RECREATIONAL
MARIJUANA USE FOR ADULTS AND
IS THERE A CERTAIN AGE WHERE
YOU THINK THAT THAT SHOULD
HAPPEN? YEAH. SO I'M JUST GONNA
SET MARIJUANA SIDE AND NOT
TRYING TO POSITIONAL BECAUSE
COCAINE, MARIJUANA AND HEMP
HAVE NO MEANING IN TODAY'S
WORLD.
>> IT'S ALL CANNABIS. CANNABIS
IS THE PLAN. IT HAS BOTH OF
THESE TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS.
I BELIEVE THAT ADULTS SHOULD BE
ABLE TO USE CANNABIS WITH
INTOXICATING THC. IF THEY WANT.
SO, YES, I DO SUPPORT THAT.
BUT WHAT I REALLY SUPPORT IS
MAKING SURE THAT KIDS CANNOT
BUY IT.
BY LAW. TODAY IN NORTH
CAROLINA, THEY CAN. THAT IS
ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE TO ME,
WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB
PROTECTING OUR KIDS. BUT WE
ALSO HAVE TO DO A JOB
PROTECTING ADULTS WHO ARE
PURCHASING THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE
NO IDEA. THERE'S NO INDEPENDENT
LAB REQUIREMENT. THERE'S NO
LABELING REQUIREMENT. THERE'S
NO REQUIREMENT THAT THEY SAY
WHAT CONCENTRATION OF THC THERE
IS. THAT'S THE OUT HOW MUCH THC
IS IN THESE PRODUCTS. NO
ONE KNOWS.
>> SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS
NEW ADVISORY COUNCIL. IT WOULD
BE MADE UP OF MEMBERS OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT. BOTH DEMOCRATS
AND REPUBLICANS, PEOPLE FROM
THE AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY AND
ALSO THE EASTERN BAND OF
CHEROKEE INDIANS. THAT LAST
GROUP WAS KEY BECAUSE IT IS
LEGAL NOW TO BUY AND SELL
RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA ON
TRIBAL LANDS BECAUSE ITS
SOVEREIGN TERRITORY. A LOT OF
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT GOVERNOR
SIGNED TOLD ME HE FRANKLY WANTS
TO ASK THEM HOW IT'S GOING.
SO WRAL DID REACH OUT TO
SENATOR BILL RAVEN. HE'S A
REPUBLICAN WHO'S A FIERCE
ADVOCATE FOR LEGALIZING MEDICAL
MARIJUANA, AN EFFORT THAT HAS
REPEATEDLY DIED IN THE
LEGISLATURE. THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE TOLD US THAT RAVEN WOULD
BE ON THIS COUNCIL. WE'RE
WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM HIM.
COMING UP ON OUR NEWS AT 7,
YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR MORE OF
MY INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR,
INCLUDING WHY HE'S ALSO CALLING
FOR THE EXPUNGEMENT OF RECORDS