There have been several bipartisan attempts over the years to legalize medical marijuana in North Carolina, but all have failed.

Now, shifts at the federal level and the outcome of upcoming elections could change the landscape. Several legislative candidates running in the March primary, including many Republicans, have told The News & Observer and the Charlotte Observer they support medical marijuana legalization, and if elected, they could alter the vote split enough to move a bill forward.

The N&O and Observer reached out to all candidates in North Carolina running in contested legislative primaries with questions on their viewpoints on several topics like taxes, health care, and whether they support legalizing medical marijuana use — and why or why not.

More than 60 responded to the N&O questionnaire.

Here’s a look at their responses to the marijuana question.

Party split

When asked whether they supported legalizing medical marijuana use, just over 66% said they would. Many said that legalization would be contingent on restrictions being put in place, such as licensure requirements and age limits so minors can’t access the product.

In terms of the political split, 91% of Democrats said they would support it, while 9% did not provide a clear answer for or against legalization.

Meanwhile, 42% of Republicans backed legalization, 19% did not, and 39% did not provide a clear answer for or against.

For example, John Powell, a Monroe Republican running for House District 55, said he approached “the issue of medical marijuana with caution. Any consideration must prioritize strict regulation, clear medical necessity, and strong safeguards against misuse. I remain concerned about diversion, dependency risks, and impacts on adolescents and those with substance abuse histories. Public safety, accountability, and careful oversight must guide any policy discussion.”

Powell is running against Republicans Richard Miller and Clancy Baucom for the seat currently held by Republican Rep. Mark Brody, who is not seeking reelection.

Miller did not reply to The N&O questionnaire. Baucom, a Marshville Republican, said he believed “more research has to be done before legalizing it for medicinal purposes. We also need to study the results from other states and the societal impacts of legalization.”

Past efforts failed

Past efforts to legalize medical marijuana in North Carolina include legislation led by Senate Rules Chair Bill Rabon, a Southport Republican, who in 2023 revealed publicly that he used marijuana illegally while undergoing chemotherapy for cancer in an effort to advance the measure.

The bill — and other identical ones later filed or folded into other legislation — would pass the Senate but fail in the House (both led by Republicans), where then-House Speaker Tim Moore, now in Congress, said there was not enough support within the Republican caucus to move it forward. In 2025, Rabon did not file it again.

That’s despite House Speaker Destin Hall saying early in the 2025 session that new House Republicans could be more open to what the Senate sends over to them.

Democrats in both the House and Senate largely favor legalization.

Overall, 44% of House candidates and 33% of Senate candidates are in favor of medical legalization. There are several more House candidates facing contested primaries who replied to the N&O questionnaire than there are Senate candidates.

Any candidate who wins the primary would then need to win the general election in November. However, most seats heavily favor one party, meaning that party’s nominee is often likely to win.

North Carolina’s legislative session is slated to begin in April and typically runs for several months.

Changes from President Trump on down

Several things changed in 2025.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in late December moving marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III classification. The shift does not legalize marijuana but recognizes its potential medical uses.

Meanwhile, many hemp-derived products are set to become illegal in November unless federal or state lawmakers act. A last-minute provision tacked onto a federal government funding law last year in December narrowed the definition of legal hemp.

Hemp and marijuana both come from the cannabis plant. The law distinguishes them based on levels of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Hemp must contain 0.3% or less of delta-9 THC by dry weight. Anything above that threshold is considered marijuana, even though the plants can look and smell the same. The cannabis plant contains other compounds beyond delta-9 THC, including delta-8 THC, which can cause a high, and cannabidiol, or CBD, which does not.

North Carolina does not regulate many of these products, meaning minors can legally access them, despite repeated efforts by lawmakers to reach agreement on rules.

Chris Karazin, CEO of the North Carolina–based hemp retailer and manufacturer Carolindica, previously told The N&O he saw a “lot of opportunity here for the government — both state and federal — to be very happy and successful in properly regulating this market, compared to trying to go a prohibition route.”

Meanwhile, most states have legalized marijuana in some form — medical, recreational or both — and public opinion polls consistently show broad support for legalization. But North Carolina has not followed suit.

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