Gov. Josh Stein launches cannabis task force, seeking to regulate THC and study pot legalization in NC
TO GO TO COURT.
>> WE'RE FOLLOWING BREAKING
NEWS IN ONLY ON WRAL. GOVERNOR
JOSH STEIN TODAY TELLING ME
HE NOW SUPPORTS LEGALIZING THC,
INTOXICATING PRODUCTS SUCH AS
MARIJUANA FOR ADULTS. BUT THE
REASON WHY MAY SEEM COUNTER
INTUITIVE, HE SAYS BRINGING
REGULATION TO THE STATE'S
BOOMING CANNABIS INDUSTRY.
WE'LL PROTECT CHILDREN GETTING
THEIR HANDS ON HARMFUL PRODUCTS
WITH VAPE SHOPS IN UNREGULATED
PRODUCTS POPPING UP ACROSS THE
STATE. THE GOVERNOR SAYS PEOPLE
ARE GETTING HIGH AND IT'S LEGAL
TO DO SO. RIGHT NOW I SAT DOWN
WITH STEIN AT THE GOVERNOR'S
MANSION TODAY. HE ANNOUNCED IT
IS NOW FORMING A NEW STATE
ADVISORY COUNCIL MADE UP OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT LAWMAKERS. PEOPLE
IN THE AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY
AND MORE TO STUDY THE PROS AND
CONS OF LEGALIZATION.
IT'S NO LONGER RELEVANT.
YOU CALL THIS MIGHT WANT TO
CALL HIM.
>> HE'S WILLING TO GET TOO
HIGH. IS IT AN INTOXICATING
AMOUNT OF THC? AND WHAT I WANT
TO DO IS BRING ORDER TO THIS
MARKET BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID,
IT IS THE WILD WEST OUT THERE.
THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM
WHERE THIS PRODUCT, WHICH IS
A DRUG, IT CAN GET TOO HIGH.
HE'S FOR SALE OUT THERE WITHOUT
ANY RESTRICTIONS ON HOW IT'S SO
TO ME, IT'S INSANE. WITHOUT
A HOME. I BELIEVE ADULTS SHOULD
BE ABLE TO DRINK ALCOHOL IF
THEY CHOOSE. BUT WE HAVE A
SYSTEM THAT ENSURES THAT WE'RE
PROTECTING KIDS. YOU CANNOT BE
UNDER 21 UPI. 21 OR OLDER TO
BUY ALCOHOL HAVE TO GO TO A
SPECIAL STORE. YOU HAVE EXACTLY
KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW MUCH PROOF
WHAT IS THE ALCOHOL PROOF OF
THIS PRODUCT? IS THERE ANY
OTHER INGREDIENT IN THIS
PRODUCT? ALL OF THIS IS NO.
WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING
SIMILAR THAT PROTECTS THE
PUBLIC WHEN IT COMES TO THC.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO BRING
ORDER TO THE WILD WEST. THAT
IS NORTH CAROLINA. I MEAN, IT'S
REALLY IRONIC THAT IN SOME WAYS
THE MOST LIBERAL.
PRO MARIJUANA ADULT USE
STATEMENT. COUNTRY IS NORTH
CAROLINA. IT'S NOT COLORADO.
IT'S NOT MASSACHUSETTS. AND
IT'S NOT THE STATES THAT
LEGALIZED IT IN CREATED A
REGULATORY STRUCTURE TO SELL
IT. IT'S NORTH CAROLINA WHERE
WE HAVE NO RULES WHATSOEVER.
THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. IT'S IN
THE LEGISLATURE'S SUPPOSED TO
BE THE BODY THAT CREATES THESE
RULES AROUND THIS. YEAH.
AND THEY'VE BEEN WRESTLING WITH
IT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
YOU HAVE THE HOUSE HAS BEEN
TRYING TO WRESTLE WITH THE VAPE
SHOPS. IF THE SENATE THAT'S
BEEN LOOKING AT THE ISSUE OF
MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND THEY'VE
BEEN IN CONFLICT. AND SO PART
OF WHAT I WANT THIS ADVISORY
COUNCIL TO DO IT IS TO GET ALL
OF THE STAKEHOLDERS AROUND THE
TABLE TOGETHER.
REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC
LEGISLATORS ON THE HOUSE SIDE,
REPUBLICAN DEMOCRAT LEGISLATORS
ON THE SENATE SIDE, PUBLIC
HEALTH FOLKS, PUBLIC SAFETY,
FOLKS WE WANT EVERYBODY TO COME
TOGETHER TO SAY WHAT SHOULD
IT LOOK LIKE IN NORTH CAROLINA?
I THINK THAT ANYBODY WHO LOOKS
AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN NORTH
CAROLINA, WHO REALLY
UNDERSTANDS IT AND A LOT OF
PEOPLE TO YOUR POINT EARLIER,
THEY HAVE NO IDEA JUST GO INTO
A VAPE SHOP. ASK THE COURT WHAT
PRODUCTS? WE'LL GET ME THE MOST
HIGH AND THEY WILL GIVE YOU
SOMETHING. AND AND IT WOULD GET
TOO HIGH IF YOU WERE TO TAKE
SO THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.
SO IF WE DON'T ACCEPT THE
STATUS QUO, WHAT DO WE WANT?
THE REALITY TO ACTUALLY BE?
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS ADVISORY
COUNCIL. I HOPE WILL HELP US
TO ANSWER.
>> AND SO MANY PEOPLE CALL THIS
SYSTEM RIGHT NOW. THE WILD WILD
WEST. SO THERE IS ALSO A
CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMPONENT TO
THIS ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED.
THEN ATTORNEY GENERAL STEIN
IN TWENTY-TWENTY WHEN HE WAS
SERVING ON THEN GOVERNOR
COOPER'S TASK FORCE LOOKING AT
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IN A
NUMBER OF WAYS.
>> AND HE TOLD ME THEN THAT ON
THAT TASK FORCE THAT THEY WERE
RECOMMENDING DECRIMINALIZING
SIMPLE POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA
AND EXPUNGING THE RECORDS OF
PEOPLE CONVICTED OF THOSE
CRIMES HE PICKED UP THEIR.
HOWEVER, HIS VIEWS HAVE EVOLVED
>> FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS
CRIMINAL RECORD. WE SHOULD HAVE
A PROCESS TO EXPUNGE THOSE
CRIMINAL RECORDS SO THAT YOU'RE
NOT HAMPERED FOR WHAT IS A
PRODUCT. IT TODAY IS AVAILABLE
DOWN THE STREET.
>> THIS IS A CHANGE, THOUGH,
FROM IN TWENTY-TWENTY BECAUSE I
ASKED YOU DIRECTLY IN
TWENTY-TWENTY IF YOU AGREED
WITH LEGALIZATION AND YOU SAID
IT WAS TOO COMPLEX, BUT YOU DID
BELIEVE THAT DECRIMINALIZATION
WOULD BE THE FAIREST APPROACH.
HOW TO DO CHANGE IF
YOU GO ON ANY STREET AROUND
ANY HIGH SCHOOL OR ANY COLLEGE
CAMPUS. THESE VAPE SHOPS ARE
PROLIFERATING LIKE MUSHROOMS.
THERE, EVERYWHERE. SO THE
PREP A LIBERATION IS SO MUCH
GREATER TODAY. THEN IT WAS 5
YEARS AGO. WE LIVE IN A CHANGED
ENVIRONMENT. AND SO I'M
REACTING TO REALITY. THE
REALITY IS AND TALKS GETTING
THC IS WIDELY ALMOST
UNIVERSALLY AVAILABLE IN NORTH
CAROLINA. AND THERE ARE NO
PROTECT PROTECTIONS FOR OUR
CHILDREN AND THEY'RE HONESTLY
NO PROTECTIONS FOR ADULT USE
USERS BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S IN THESE PRODUCTS.
OKAY. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT
AGAIN. THAT TASK FORCE
RECOMMENDATION FROM
TWENTY-TWENTY. YOU PRESENTED
THAT TOO. I'M SURE THE
LEGISLATURE. READY TO GO.
THEY DIDN'T TAKE IT OUT.
THEY DIDN'T LIVE WITH THIS
EFFORT. BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE
THE WORLD IS DIFFERENT TODAY IN
2025 AND IT WAS 5 YEARS AGO
BECAUSE THESE VAPE SHOPS ARE
EVERYWHERE BECAUSE THEIR STORY
AFTER STORY OF TEENAGERS JUST
LIKE YOU DESCRIBED GETTING
THERE, BUYING THESE PRODUCTS
CONSUMING THESE PRODUCTS AND
HAVING TERRIBLE PHYSICAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL A YOUNG MAN WHO
WENT TO COLLEGE OF MY SONS.
I HAD A PSYCHOTIC EPISODE BASED
ON WHAT HE CONSUMED FROM THE
STORES BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S IN THEM. AND I DON'T
WANT TO LIVE IN THAT WORLD.
>> FOR MORE OF MY INTERVIEW
WITH GOVERNOR STEIN. YOU CAN
GO TO WRAL DOT COM. WE'RE ALSO
FOLLOWING A LOT OF REACTION
TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE