Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Marijuana Legalization Measure (September 2023)

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Marijuana Legalization Measure
Flag of Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.png
Election date
September 7, 2023
Topic
Local marijuana
Status
Approveda Approved
Type
Referral		Origin
Lawmakers

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Marijuana Legalization Measure was on the ballot as a referral in Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians on September 7, 2023. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported this ballot measure to legalize the possession and use of cannabis for persons who are at least 21 years old and require the EBCI Tribal Council to pass legislation to regulate the marijuana market.

A "no" vote opposed this ballot measure to legalize the possession and use of cannabis for persons who are at least 21 years old and require the EBCI Tribal Council to pass legislation to regulate the marijuana market.


The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians required that registered voter turnout at the election be at least 30% for the referendum to pass.[1]

Election results

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Marijuana Legalization Measure

Result Votes Percentage

Approved Yes

2,464 69.98%
No 1,057 30.02%
Results are officially certified.
Source

Overview

What was this measure designed to do?

The measure, Res. No. 633, was designed to allow for the possession and use of cannabis for adults at least 21 years old, and would allow for the EBCI Tribal Council to develop legislation to regulate the cannabis market, allowing for the purchase of cannabis within the Qualla Boundary.[2]

What was the status of marijuana for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians?

Prior to the election, there was a medical marijuana program in place that was approved by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Council in 2021. This program provided for members of the tribe, as well as residents of North Carolina, to apply for a medical marijuana card. Medical marijuana and recreational marijuana, however, was illegal in North Carolina as of August 2023.[2]

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Marijuana Legalization Measure was as follows:

“

Do you support legalizing the possession and use of cannabis for persons who are at least twenty-one (21) years old, and require the EBCI Tribal Council to develop legislation to regulate the market?

”

Full text

The full text of the ballot measure is available here.

Support

Arguments

  • Forrest Parker, general manager of Qualla Enterprises: "Adult use is critically important to the business, if you look at it from a revenue standpoint. It is the ultimate business model for us. Think how many more people will walk through the door. Fundamentally, we’re prepared to handle it."

Opposition

Arguments

  • Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Rep. Michael Stamper: "I don’t have any reason to think that it wouldn’t pass, but I do fear the immense support to push to get us into a deeper market that we don’t really have the financials to support right now would be overwhelming and it could cause some fiscal issues down the road. With that in mind, it would be best to not give this question until we’re at a point where we can financially support a recreational program. Right now, we’re just trying to get medical off the ground."
  • U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R): "If the tribal referendum passes, the Cherokee area will be the only place in North Carolina to buy legal recreational marijuana. People from all over the state and the surrounding areas will be driving to Cherokee and likely the EBCI’s other non-contiguous tribal lands to buy it, light up and party. It also means many would be leaving the reservation and hitting the road high. There is also the very real possibility of “drug tourism,” where bad actors will capitalize on the influx of partying travelers to western North Carolina and offer other types of illicit, hard drugs for sale, and the criminal activity that would inevitably follow. This could strain our resources to a breaking point, as local law enforcement would stop enforcing marijuana laws, which is what we’ve observed in several U.S. cities."


Path to the ballot

On July 13, 2023, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Council agreed to place the referendum on the ballot for September 7, 2023 by approving Res. No. 633 (2023). Res. No. 633, which was sponsored by Rep. Teresa McCoy, passed by 56-38, with 6 absent.

See also
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Seal of Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.png

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, "Code of Ordinances," accessed August 2, 2023
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council, "2023 -4202," accessed August 18, 2023
Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Eastern_Band_of_Cherokee_Indians,_Marijuana_Legalization_Measure_(September_2023)&oldid=9218504"