North Carolina Lawmakers Advance Bill To Make Hemp Permanently Legal

#Hemp and #CBD’s temporary legalization status in #NorthCarolina is coming to an end, prompting the General Assembly to act. A bill in North #Carolina would ensure that hemp and CBD remain legal in the state beyond this month. Members of the state #Senate approved the legislation which would permanently remove hemp from North Carolina’s list of controlled substances. The bill passed the chamber by a unanimous #vote. As was the case in some other states, North Carolina greenlit the #cultivation of hemp following changes to how the federal government treats the plant in the last decade. Since “hemp farming became legal under federal law in 2014, there are about 1,500 hemp growers and more than 1,200 processors in North Carolina registered under the #USDA Domestic Hemp Production Rule,” but the state always regarded it as “a pilot program, which is scheduled to end in #June.”

A poll in April found that a majority of North Carolina voters are in favor of both #medicinal and recreational #pot. 72% of voters in North Carolina believe medical cannabis should be legal, including 64% of #Republicans, 75% of #Democrats, and 78% of #Independents. The General Assembly, a spokesperson for the Democratic governor said: “Studies have shown medical marijuana can offer many benefits to some who suffer from #chronic conditions, particularly #veterans, and the Governor is encouraged that North Carolina might join the 36 other states that have authorized it for use.