The Great Smoky Cannabis Company is in North Carolina on land that belongs to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. It is almost the end of its second day of being open to people aged 21 and up.
The Great Smoky Cannabis Company at 91 Bingo Loop Rd in Cherokee opened yesterday at 10 a.m. and is open to everyone 21 and older, even if they are not from the Cherokee Tribe. Already, over 1,000 people have come in.
There were worries that police might arrest people who buy marijuana on tribal land and then leave, but since marijuana is still banned in North Carolina, no arrests have been reported involving store customers.
As of this writing, the store had only been open to people aged 21 and up for 20 hours, which suggests that charges could still happen. But the fact that no one has been arrested during this time suggests that the cops may not be as focused on it as was first thought.
A lot of people were excited when the store opened yesterday, and there were about 300 people waiting in line. At 1am, nine hours before the store opened, the first person in line was already there.
The Great Smoky Cannabis Company used to be a bingo hall but was completely redone for $50 million. It opened on April 20 and only served tribe members with medical marijuana cards at first.
On July 4, recreational sales began, but they were still only open to members of the tribe. But as of September 7, the store will let all customers aged 21 and up in and have a wide range of cannabis goods available.
In North Carolina, having up to half an ounce of marijuana is a misdemeanor that doesn’t get you jail time if you’re not on tribe land. Having; having.5 to 1.5 ounces is an infraction that can get you up to 120 days in jail. If you have more than 1.5 ounces, you could spend three to eight months in jail.
It became legal for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to use medical marijuana in 2021. In November 2023, tribe members passed an ordinance asking the tribal council to make marijuana legal for recreational use. The next year, the council did just that.
“Today’s opening of the Great Smoky Cannabis Company for recreational marijuana use by adults is a big step forward for our tribe and the start of a new era of growth and opportunity,” said Principal Chief Michell Hicks.
“As a Tribal government, this is our right to stand up for our sovereignty.” Let me take a moment to thank each and every person who worked hard, gave their time, and was passionate about making this day possible.
Michell ends by saying, “Your hard work has been a big part of making this vision come true, and I’m sure this is just the start.”