North Carolina Senate Passes Bill to Cap THC and Set Age Restrictions for Hemp-Derived Products 

The North Carolina Senate last week passed legislation that would cap THC content in hemp-derived products at 0.4 milligrams per container – in line with federal standards set to take effect in November, WNCN reports. The bill would also impose an age restriction of 21-years-old on purchases of hemp products that contain THC. 

Eric Stahl, owner of Modern Apotheca, told WNCN that the “legislation is throwing the baby out with the bathwater” and would get “essentially” outlaw “99% of the products” the company sells.  

“It’s getting rid of every single retailer, farmer or manufacturer in North Carolina who carries or manufactures these products and replaces them with nothing other than a ban to make them completely illegal.” — Stahl to WNCN 

State Sen. Michael Lee (R) told WNCN that lawmakers are seeking to “protect children” from the products. 

“And so that’s really the sense of urgency that we’ve leaned into,” he said in an interview with WNCN. 

Stahl countered that his business would “never” want intoxicating products to “end up in the hands of children, adding that “the average user of hemp products today in North Carolina are women 45-plus.” He noted that he has pressed lawmakers for regulations, rather than an outright ban, including mandatory ID checks, testing, and stronger industry oversight. 

The proposal also includes a ban on synthetic kratom and the sale of kratom products to anyone under 21 and adds xylazine, a veterinary sedative often found in illegal drugs, to the state’s Controlled Substances Act as Schedule III drug.   

If approved by the House and signed by the governor, the age restrictions would take effect immediately, while the new THC standard would take effect in November.