North Carolina council urges regulated cannabis market amid unregulated hemp sales

A state advisory council created by Gov. Josh Stein is recommending a regulated adult-use cannabis market for North Carolina, even as intoxicating hemp gummies, vapes and drinks remain freely available at gas stations and vape shops statewide with no age restrictions preventing minors from purchasing them, according to the Raleigh News & Observer.

Stein has called the state’s unregulated cannabis market “the Wild West” and urged lawmakers to create a safe, legal market for adults that protects children. Hemp is legal in North Carolina, but some products contain compounds such as delta-8 THC that cause intoxication.

Legislative action is far from certain. Two top Republican lawmakers have already spoken out against legalization, and the legislature has repeatedly failed over the years to reach agreement on medical marijuana or hemp regulations. Lawmakers return to Raleigh on April 21.

Health risks for young people are a central concern in the debate. Rep. Timothy Reeder, an emergency physician and Ayden Republican, has cited a significantly higher likelihood of psychosis among young adults who use marijuana. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has linked cannabis use to earlier onset of psychosis in people with genetic risk factors for psychotic disorders.

Meanwhile, the council’s interim report found that North Carolinians spent about $3 billion on illegal marijuana in 2022, making the state the second-largest illicit cannabis market in the country. North Carolina is one of only 10 states without a regulated adult-use marijuana market or medical marijuana program. The council’s final report is not due until December 2026.