Bill > H1161

This bill proposes to amend the North Carolina Constitution to allow for the medical use of cannabis, also known as marijuana, for patients with debilitating medical conditions. If approved by voters, it would establish a regulated system for the acquisition, possession, cultivation, manufacture, delivery, transfer, or transportation of cannabis exclusively for medical purposes, protecting patients, their physicians, and caregivers from prosecution and penalties. The bill also outlines the creation of a "North Carolina Medical Cannabis Act" which would define terms like "debilitating medical condition" (including conditions like cancer, glaucoma, and severe pain), "qualified patient," and "designated caregiver," and would establish protections for these individuals. It would also create a regulated supply system managed by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, requiring licenses for medical cannabis centers, producers of cannabis-infused products, and producers of medical cannabis, with associated fees and reporting requirements. The bill specifies that cannabis-infused products would be exempt from certain definitions of "drug" and "food" under state law, and that sales of cannabis and related products would be subject to the general sales tax rate. The proposed constitutional amendment would be submitted to voters on November 4, 2014, and if approved, the new laws would take effect on December 1, 2014.