Part I.

Titles the act as the STRONG Act of 2025.

Part II.

Sets out the NCGA’s findings of fact related to opioid use, substance use disorders, medical cannabis, and fentanyl.

Part III.

Amends GS 90-95 by changing the following penalties for a person who commits trafficking in opium, opiate, or heroin: (1) makes it a Class E felony when the amount is two grams or more, but less than 14 grams (was, Class F felony for four grams or more but less than 14 grams), to be sentenced to a minimum of 90-120 months in prison (was, 70-93 months), and decreases the fine from $500,000, to $250,000 when the substance is heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil; (2) makes it a Class D felony when the amount is 14-28 grams (was, Class E felony), to be sentenced to a minimum of 180-225 months in prison (was, 90-120 months), and decreases the fine from $750,000, to $500,000 when the substance is heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil; and (3) makes it a Class B1 felony when the amount is 28 grams or more (was, Class C felony), to be sentenced to a minimum term of life without parole (was, 225-282 months in prison), and increases the fine from $1 million to $2 million when the substance is heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil. Adds that a law enforcement agency investigating these offenses may intercept, endeavor to intercept, or procure any other person to intercept or endeavor to intercept, any wire, oral, or electronic communication, subject to applicable laws and constitutional requirements. Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2025.

Amends GS 14-18.4 by increasing the penalty for: (1) death by distribution through unlawful delivery with malice of certain controlled substances from a Class B2 felony to a Class B1 felony, (2) death by distribution through unlawful sale of certain controlled substances from a Class B2 felony to a Class B1 felony; and (3) aggravated death by distribution through unlawful sale of certain controlled substances from a Class B1 felony to a Class A felony. Applies to offense committed on or after December 1, 2025.

Amends GS 90-95 by adding the following. Makes it a Class B1 felony for any person 21 or older who commits an offense under GS 90-95(h)(4) (trafficking in opium, opiate, opioid, or heroin) on property used for a child care center, or for an elementary or secondary school, or for a playground, or within 1,500 feet of the boundary of real property used for those purposes. Provides that persons 21 or older who commits an offense under GS 90-95(h)(4) (trafficking in opium, opiate, opioid, or heroin) on property used for a public park, shopping mall, or transit station, or within 1,500 feet of the boundary of real property used for those purposes will have their minimum term of imprisonment increased by 36 months. Applies to offenses committed on or after December 1, 2025.

Part IV.

Appropriates $10 million in recurring funds for 2025-26 from the General Fund to the State Bureau of Investigation to support and expand its Drug Task Force. Effective July 1, 2025.

Enacts GS 90-95.2A establishing the nine-member State and Federal Drug Interdiction Task Force within the Department of Public Safety to encourage and effectuate collaboration between State and federal entities for the interdiction of illegal controlled substances within the state. Sets out provisions governing election of a chair, a quorum, and per diem, and travel and subsistence expenses. Requires the Task Force to report the specified NCGA committee on any findings, legislative proposals, and other information that would aid state and federal law enforcement in the interdiction of illegal controlled substances with the state.

Amends GS 17C-6 by expanding upon the powers of the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission, and GS 14E-4 to expanding upon the powers of the North Carolina Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission, to include training on opioid detection for criminal justice officers and justice officers, as applicable. Applies to in-service training occurring on or after January 1, 2026.

Part V.

Amends GS 90-113.73 to also require dispensers and prescribers to report on their DEA number for prescriptions for xylazine and nitazenes. Provides that a dispenser is not required to report when (1) xylazine or nitazenes are provided directly to the user in a quantity not more than a 48-hour supply, or (2) xylazine or nitazenes are a component of a compound prescription that is dispensed in dosages of 100 milligrams or less. Makes additional conforming and technical changes. Applies to acts occurring on or after December 1, 2025.

Appropriates $3.5 million for 2025-26 from the General Fund to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services (Division) to upgrade data analytics and automation within the Controlled Substances Reporting System. Effective July 1, 2025.

Requires the Division to work towards connecting the Controlled Substances Reporting System to federal data sharing networks through data sharing agreements with federal agencies to track cross-border drug trafficking trends and submit a progress report to the specified NCGA committee and division by December 1, 2025.

Part VI.

Appropriates $35 million for 2025-26 from the General Fund to the Division, to be allocated in the specified amounts for fentanyl overdose education and prevention, expansion of State-funded medication-assisted treatment programs, expansion of community-based rehabilitation programs, and rural drug crisis response. Also states the NCGA’s intent to establish a certification process for charitable, nonprofit, faith-based rehabilitation centers for individuals with opioid use and other substance use disorders and allows the Division to use the specified amount of funding to study and develop recommendations on this issue, with a report due to the specified NCGA committee and division by May 1, 2026.

Part VII.

Enacts new GS 105-153.12 establishing an income tax credit for businesses with employees who successfully complete substance use disorder counseling and have been employed for at least eight months, equal to $2,500 per eligible employee. Limits the credit to $50,000 per taxable year for each eligible business. Sets out how the provision applies to pass-through entities. Requires the business to obtain and submit documentation about the employee’s completion of counseling, but provides that the employee may disclose, but is not required to disclose, protected health information. Effective for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025.