North Carolina Hemp Regulation Bill Advances as Lawmakers Target THC Gummies and Drinks

The North Carolina Senate is moving quickly to advance legislation that would tighten restrictions on hemp-derived products, including THC-infused drinks and gummies. The proposal would ban sales to anyone under 21 and impose new licensing and labeling rules for retailers.

A Senate committee is expected to vote on the measure Tuesday morning, just as lawmakers prepare to wrap up the legislative session without passing a budget. The bill is a rewrite of House Bill 328, which previously passed the House in a narrower form that only banned Delta 8 and Delta 9 THC products on school grounds.

Senate leaders are pushing for a broader approach. Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger said that hemp products are widely available across the state and that children have been able to access them. He described the current situation as a “Wild West” and said stronger rules are needed to prevent harmful products from spreading further.

Under the Senate’s version of the bill, businesses would need to be licensed to sell hemp-derived products. The products would face limits on Delta 9 THC content, be subject to mandatory testing, and require updated packaging that includes clear labeling and avoids designs appealing to children.

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive compound in cannabis. While marijuana is still illegal in North Carolina, hemp is legal as long as it contains no more than 0.3 percent THC. However, some manufacturers have developed methods to extract and concentrate THC from hemp, producing items that may be technically legal but potent enough to cause intoxication.

Delta 8 and Delta 9 THC, both found in cannabis, differ in strength. Delta 9 is the compound most associated with the “high” of marijuana and is more potent than Delta 8, which occurs in smaller amounts and can be chemically modified to increase its effects. A 2023 investigation by WRAL confirmed the presence of these compounds in popular hemp-based products sold in North Carolina.

Senator Amy Galey said the lack of regulation has created a market where dangerous products are too easily accessible. She noted that emergency rooms have treated children who accidentally ingested THC gummies, mistaking them for regular candy. Galey called the bill a necessary step to protect public health and give law enforcement the tools to hold violators accountable.

While state lawmakers remain divided on full marijuana reform, public support for medical marijuana is strong. A recent WRAL News poll showed that 70 percent of North Carolina voters support legalizing cannabis for medical use. The Senate has passed medical marijuana bills in each of the last three years, but they have repeatedly stalled in the House.

Governor Josh Stein recently launched a task force to study cannabis regulation and legalization options. He called it ironic that North Carolina, with virtually no rules on THC products, currently resembles a pro-marijuana state more than others that have formally legalized and regulated cannabis.

📰 Original reporting by WRAL: NC Senate seeks ban on synthetic hemp and new regs for Delta 9 THC products