By L.A. Williams
Christian Action League
June 15, 2024
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which began to sell so-called “medicinal” marijuana on the Qualla Boundary in April, will make the psychoactive drug available to anyone 21 and over by mid-August following the tribal council’s 8-2 vote on June 6. Last September, EBCI members approved a referendum by more than 70 percent to allow recreational use of pot on tribal lands.
“The Cherokee, wonderful people that they are, have made a tragic mistake. Once, they endured immense suffering on the ‘Trail of Tears.’ Now, the legalization of recreational marijuana threatens to create another trail of tears,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “This time, the tears will fall because of marijuana’s various health hazards.”
That list, Creech said, includes mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and an increased risk of psychosis, especially among younger users who will gain access. Long-term use can also lead to respiratory issues, cognitive impairments and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, an increasingly prevalent illness marked by uncontrollable vomiting and severe stomach pain.
According to Yale Medicine, about 10% of people who start smoking cannabis will become addicted, and 30% of current users already meet the criteria. Addiction rates are higher for those who begin to use frequently at a young age.
Creech said increased instances of impaired driving on the Qualla Boundary and other lands are inevitable and that studies in other states have shown a correlation between marijuana legalization and increased traffic accidents and fatalities. Rep. Mike Clampitt (R-Swain) has said that he opposes recreational cannabis for that very reason.
“We’ve got enough issues with people impaired on our highways, byways and waterways,” Clampitt told the Smoky Mountain News. “We don’t need to add to that.”
Even so, Cherokee leaders seem more focused on potential revenue from marijuana sales than on the dangers of drug use. Qualla Enterprises, the only pot dealer authorized by the tribal council, predicts that its dispensary could generate $385 million in gross sales during its first year.
“While tax revenues from the legalization of recreational marijuana are expected, they will likely be offset by the increased costs to healthcare, law enforcement, and social services needed to address addiction and related problems,” Creech warned.
He raised what he called a “crucial aspect” that seems to be overlooked in news stories about this issue — the potential negative impact on tourism in Cherokee.
“Despite the presence of casinos, the reservation is otherwise a high-traffic tourist destination with a strong family-friendly image. The presence of legal recreational marijuana and the kind of crowd it will draw is likely to deter families and other tourists who prefer a drug-free environment,” Creech said. “For decades, Cherokee has drawn a diverse range of visitors seeking cultural experiences and natural beauty without the influence of recreational drugs. Again, for everyone concerned, this is an egregious error by the Cherokee people.”
According to the Associated Press, even after the new law is implemented in August, it will remain illegal to consume marijuana in public and to possess or consume marijuana within 100 feet of a school, daycare facility, church or hospital, among other locations. Pot users headed off the Qualla Boundary should keep in mind that marijuana possession remains illegal throughout the rest of the state.
Cherokee lands are in both Swain and Jackson counties. And Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran has said he will enforce the law.
“They need to educate their people up there that when they come off the boundary, they’re in a different world,” Cochran told the media. “We’ll educate them if we catch them with it. We’ll charge them for it.”
Rep. Mark Pless (R-Haywood) said he opposes marijuana use and that the path the Cherokees have chosen shows what could happen across the state.
“This is where North Carolina will go: If we allow it to be medicinal, it will become recreational very quickly,” Pless told WLOS.
