No active alertUpdateNorth Carolina
North Carolina General Assembly Moves to Regulate Hemp and Kratom
North Carolina is taking legislative action to establish a regulatory framework for hemp-derived and kratom products.
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North Carolina
TicketableHemp only · THC restricted
Updated 4 months ago
Current legal overview
Hemp is licensed as agriculture with no medical or adult-use programme, and the state has moved to restrict intoxicating hemp-derived products.
Accessible status — Ticketable: Conduct drawing a civil citation or fine rather than criminal charges.
- Latest change
- Jul 9, 2026
- Last reviewed
- Oct 1, 2026
Evergreen law guide
North Carolina licenses hemp cultivation and handling under a state plan approved by the federal agriculture department. There is no medical or adult-use cannabis programme. The state has applied its controlled-substance law to certain intoxicating hemp-derived products, and enforcement has resulted in citations against retailers.
This means the lawful category in the state is narrow: fibre, grain and low-THC non-consumable applications, with consumable intoxicating products exposed to enforcement.
Business impact
Retailers carrying hemp-derived cannabinoid lines face citation exposure in North Carolina, and product claims are the usual trigger. Growers should keep sampling and testing records current.
Intelligence feed
Approved reports and guides filed under North Carolina.
Severity
3 reports
No active alertUpdateNorth Carolina
Poll: 63% of North Carolina adults support legalizing recreational marijuana, including a majority of Republicans
A SurveyUSA poll for WRAL and WSOC released Oct. 16 also found 74% support for legal medical marijuana. Neither is legal in North Carolina.
No active alertUpdateNorth Carolina
On Aug. 4, the North Carolina House declined to vote on a bill that would ban most hemp THC products; it remains in committee
House Bill 328 would treat products with more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container as controlled substances and set an age-21 rule. The Senate approved it 37-6 in July; as of Oct. 17 it was still in the House Rules Committee.
LegislationRead report
Law-change thread
Each node is a tracked legal change, newest first.
- North Carolina General Assembly Moves to Regulate Hemp and KratomLegislative proposal
- Poll: 63% of North Carolina adults support legalizing recreational marijuana, including a majority of RepublicansPublic opinion poll; no change in state law.
- On Aug. 4, the North Carolina House declined to vote on a bill that would ban most hemp THC products; it remains in committeeLegislation