A group of North Carolina lawmakers have introduced a bill that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana.
The bill would allow people over the age of 21 to possess small amounts of cannabis.
The state senators who introduced the bill say that marijuana prohibition, like alcohol prohibition before it, has been a wasteful and destructive failure that has had an unfair impact on people and communities of color.
They also said it diverts law enforcement resources from violent and property crimes.
If it passes, the bill, would put a 20% state tax on the sale, and municipalities would be able to enact another 3% tax.
The tax revenues would then be split up between a variety of new and existing programs; half would go into the general fund.
The bill would automatically expunge a conviction for a previous possession charge “no later than July 1, 2026.”
