Senate Committee to Consider Ban on Synthetic Hemp Products, Regulations for the Sale of Delta-9 Products and THC Drinks
Senate Committee to Consider Ban on Synthetic Hemp Products, Regulations for the Sale of Delta-9 Products and THC Drinks
Proposal prohibits anyone under the age of 21 from purchasing delta-9 products and bans hemp products from school grounds
Implements testing and packaging requirements
Raleigh, N.C. – Tomorrow, the N.C. Senate Health Care Committee will meet to consider a bill banning synthetic hemp products in the state and regulating the sale of delta-9 products, including drinks and gummies.
The new version of House Bill 328 prohibits anyone under the age of 21 from buying or possessing any hemp-derived consumable products. It also bans hemp-derived products from school grounds.
“Stores selling these hemp products are popping up in towns across North Carolina, and children are getting ahold of these products,” Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said. “We cannot continue to let our state be the Wild West when it comes to hemp. Without these regulations, the availability of these dangerous products is only going to get worse.”
The proposal sets a strict limit on the amount of delta-9 THC concentrate that can be present in the product, including drinks, and requires businesses to be licensed to sell the products. Additionally, the bill requires manufacturers to have their products tested before distributing them to retail stores.
“The lack of regulations in this space has led to a wide-open market with harmful consequences,” Sen. Amy Galey (R-Alamance) said. “This bill takes the appropriate steps to regulate these products and gives law enforcement the ability to enforce these regulations and hold bad actors accountable.”
House Bill 328 now sets out packaging requirements that will help consumers better understand what the product is, including, but not limited to a list of possible allergens, warning statements about use, the amount of hemp-derived cannabinoid in each serving of the product, and the total amount of hemp-derived cannabinoid in the entire package in milligrams. The packaging cannot include imagery or scenery that appeals to people under the age of 21, including, but not limited to, depictions of cartoon characters, superheroes, and video game characters.
“The proliferation of these products in our state and the marketing to lure young children to buy them is something we should all be concerned about,” Sen. Benton Sawrey (R-Johnston) said. “It is far too easy for these products to get into the hands of young children, and there is little to no recourse to stop it right now.”
The bill includes both civil and criminal penalties for violators and puts the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement in charge of enforcement.
The Senate Health Care Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 17, in LOB 544 to hear and vote on the bill.
Are you tired of being bombarded by paywalls and pop-up ads when trying to read the news? Do you believe that access to reliable political news should be free and accessible to everyone? Then we urge you to support NC Political News, a weekly electronic political news outlet.
NC Political News is committed to providing high-quality, unbiased political reporting with columnists from all political sides. Unlike other news outlets, NC Political News is free to read and supported by businesses who purchase ad space on our website and in our newsletter, which goes out Monday through Friday at 7:00 am. This means that readers like you can access the news without being asked to pay a cent or dealing with frustrating advertisements.
However, to continue providing this valuable service, NC Political News needs your support. If you believe in the importance of accessible, free news, we urge you to click the image below. Any amount of support is appreciated.
Together, we can keep the news free and help ensure our state stays informed and connected.
