Community reacts after recreational marijuana legalized for tribal members in Cherokee

CHEROKEE, N.C. (WLOS) — Tribal members in Cherokee are now legally allowed to buy recreational marijuana. First, it was the sale of medical marijuana, which was approved in Cherokee earlier in spring. Now, recreational sales of marijuana are approved for adults aged 21 and up.

As of right now, the recreational sale of marijuana is approved only for tribal members, and it must only be used on the Qualla boundary.

Bill Devine is already using marijuana for medicinal reasons.

“If I can get off the pain medicine and [use] something that doesn't have no side effects, then I’m all for it,” he said.

Devine is wondering about the impact of this, now that recreational marijuana sales are taking place at Cherokee’s Great Smoky Cannabis Company.

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“My concern was: what was going to happen if the people that need the medical stuff — are they going to have enough supply of it?" Devine said.

He expects the place to get a lot busier with recreational sales available to Cherokee tribal members and other federally recognized tribe members. With its legality in Cherokee — a sovereign nation — Devine wonders if people will take it elsewhere.

“How many people are coming from all over to buy it here?... We'll see how that plays out,” he said.

Marijuana remains illegal in the state of North Carolina. Sheriffs from neighboring counties are watching.

“We’ll educate them if we catch them with it. We’ll charge them for it,” said Curtis Cochran, Swain County sheriff.

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Some residents, like Sue Cunniff from Jackson County, see the legalization of marijuana starting to catch on.

“I support it. I don't have any objections. I think that it's going in that direction, anyway," Cunniff said. "I think that there are more benefits than there are negative side effects."

Devine says Cherokee is taking the lead on marijuana in North Carolina.

“We got different people up in Raleigh, some saying yes, some saying no. People are going to have their beliefs about that. But we've come a long way since 1960,” Devine said.

Some, however, such as District 118 Republican Rep. Mark Pless, are very opposed to it.

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“It helps me to be able to stand where I’m at because this is where North Carolina will go. If we allow it to be medicinal, it will become recreational very quickly,” said Pless.

Recreational use of marijuana in Cherokee for the general public — 21 and over — is expected later this summer, with the requirement that it be used on the Qualla boundary.