ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The top of Great Smoky Mountain Cannabis Co.’s website has a clock ticking down the hours, minutes and seconds until it starts selling marijuana to adults for recreational use.

When the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians-owned medical marijuana dispensary opens at 10 a.m. Saturday, the Qualla Boundary will be the first place in North Carolina to legally sell the drug to adults for recreational use.

“The most direct benefit is that cannabis consumers both residing on tribal territories as well as the nearby area will have a source for regulated, tested, high-quality cannabis and cannabis products that are safer than what they’re likely to be able to obtain in the unregulated market,” NORML Political Director Morgan Fox said.

In September 2023, U.S. Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC-11) introduced the Stop Pot Act to withhold certain federal funding from states and tribes that permit the use of recreational marijuana. Edwards’ action came as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians was set to vote on whether to legalize the sale and use of recreational marijuana on tribal lands.

“I remain steadfast in my opposition of legalizing recreational marijuana in the mountains of Western North Carolina. The data is overwhelming on the harmful effects of marijuana, and my views on protecting our youth have not changed,” Edwards said Saturday.

Fox believes recreational sales in Cherokee could serve as a road map for the state.

“In a larger sense, I think that the operation of this location should be able to show policymakers as well as the general voters what a regulated cannabis system looks like,” Fox said.

“Given that North Carolina doesn’t even have a functioning medical cannabis system right now, I think one of the hangups for many people for supporting legislation to allow for medical or adult use within the state is that it’s difficult for them to conceptualize what a regulated cannabis system looks like.”

He pointed out that 24 states now have legalized recreational use of marijuana for adults.

“It’s something that the states that haven’t needed to actively consider in order to save resources, increase tax revenue as well as stop punishing people for using a substance that is, that’s objectively safer than alcohol,” Fox said.

HOPES ARE HIGH FOR STATE’S FIRST LEGAL MEDICAL MARIJUANA JOINT

According to a sales forecast from Whitney Economics, the 2024 forecast for legal adult-use and medical sales in the United States will top $31.4 billion, an increase in overall sales of $2.6 billion from 2023.

“I’m sure that there will continue to be some lawmakers that want to keep burying their heads in the sand and are unwilling to look at the mountains of evidence showing the relative safety of cannabis compared to other substances as well as the successes that other states have had in regulating this and ignore the fact that not a single state has ever tried to roll back its legalization laws,” Fox said.

Here’s the weekend schedule for Great Smoky Mountain Cannabis Co.:

  • Saturday: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. the sales floor will be open and 10 a.m.-midnight the drive-through will be open
  • Sunday: 10 a.m.- 10 p.m. the sales floor will be open and 8 a.m.-midnight the drive-through will be open