North Carolina’s Only Legal Marijuana Sales: A Look Inside the Cherokee Reservation’s Operation
As support for legalizing marijuana in North Carolina grows, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has been operating a legal marijuana sales business on their reservation since September 2024. The Great Smoky Cannabis Company in Cherokee is the only place where recreational marijuana can be legally purchased in the state, and it’s been a rapid success.
Channel 9’s Dave Faherty got an exclusive look at the operation, which includes an indoor grow facility, packaging areas, and a production line for making gummies and edibles. The company has 70 greenhouses filled with tens of thousands of plants, and a newly expanded indoor grow area is set to open soon.
Customers from all over, including out-of-state visitors, flock to the dispensary to purchase one of the 300 products made from marijuana. Rick Foley, a customer from Georgia, uses the marijuana to manage his melanoma and prostate cancer symptoms. “It helps relax you, takes away nausea, and helps with pain,” he said.
The business has been a game-changer for the reservation, with over 32,000 customers in just six weeks earlier this year. Employees at the dispensary are inspired by the positive impact their products have on customers, including those with serious health conditions.
While the dispensary is currently the only legal marijuana sales operation in North Carolina, the general manager, Forest Parker, welcomes the possibility of statewide legalization. “We just want to be the gold standard for health and safety,” he said.
However, there are rules in place to ensure responsible use of the products, including a ban on transporting cannabis off tribal lands and restrictions on public use. Despite this, neighboring counties have reported no marijuana arrests linked to the Cherokee dispensary.
