Gov. Josh Stein's Advisory Council on Cannabis released an interim report the week of April 3, 2026, with a final report due in December, NC Newsline reported. The council proposes a legal, regulated adult market with protections for medical users.
It would bar sales to minors and regulate products by total THC, with standardized lab testing and labeling. The General Assembly has not passed a law regulating cannabis sales. The article does not address expungement or past convictions; the state's interim report says expungement of prior convictions is still under exploratory discussion.
Why it matters: North Carolina still has no legal route for people with past cannabis convictions, and this is a proposal, not a law.
Source: NC Newsline, 2026-04-03. Forgotten Prisoner's account is based on this reporting.