North Carolina’s Hemp Sector Faces Uncertainty as Federal Ban Looms

Carolina’s once-booming hemp industry now stands at a crossroads. As a sweeping federal provision will soon ban THC in hemp products, many consumers, store owners, and farmers in the state are feeling anxious, unsure, and scared. A proposed ban on hemp in North Carolina in 2025 could drastically affect the state’s hemp ecosystem and access to wellness products. It could also hurt the livelihoods of small businesses. As the clock ticks toward 2026, the heart of North Carolina’s hemp community is shaken.

A Sudden Storm: What’s Driving the Crisis

In late 2025, lawmakers passed a funding bill that dramatically restricts THC content in hemp products. The law will ban anything with over 0.4 milligrams of total THC. This amount will make 99 percent of intoxicating hemp-derived products sold in North Carolina illegal. 

Many businesses see regulations as a threat to their survival and existence. At Redhead Hemp in Durham, store manager Hannah DeLange said the change would wipe out almost the entire inventory: from Delta-9 sangrias to THC caramels, “about 99.5% of their stock” is at risk. 

Farmers feel equally squeezed. Dana Rider co-owned Otherside Hemp in Buncombe County and stated his farm relies on full-spectrum hemp. They don’t grow CBD isolates, which is why, without THC-containing products, maybe their business will collapse. (see Rand Paul Fights to Save Hemp)

Local Reaction: Fear, Confusion, and Legal Limbo

Due to new federal restrictions, residents are confused about what will still be available. Consumers are worried about how the changes will affect their wellness routines and how they will affect them.

• Consumer Anxiety

Users from Raleigh, Charlotte, Durham, and other areas spoke up.  These don’t only use it recreationally. Many use full-spectrum hemp for wellness for pain, anxiety, sleep issues, or to cut back on prescription medications. As DeLange said, many customers have shared that hemp-derived drinks helped prevent them from drinking more heavily or taking prescriptions.

Their trusted products will not disappear overnight. It is not only the highest potency level that the suggested limit will ban, but it will also ban what they rely on.

• Store Shutdown Fears

Owners of hemp shops are bracing for worst-case scenarios. Eric Stahl, owner of Modern Apotheca in Raleigh, warned that the law “would make 99% of the products in my store illegal.”

Operators fear they will likely have to shut down completely. Surviving companies might have to switch to THC-free CBD isolates, but not everyone can make that transition.

• Legal Confusion

Amidst all this, the law in North Carolina is also changing. A bill moving through the General Assembly, House Bill 328, would stop the sale of consumables from hemp to anyone under 21 and make them illegal to possess.

Other proposed legislation would require licensing, stricter testing, and stronger oversight of psychoactive cannabinoids — including delta-8, THC-O, HHC, and more.

Many store owners are confused by the mismatch between state and federal rules.  Some wonder whether they will even be able to sell the hemp flower and THCA products in stock. Some businesses are unsure whether they will be able to continue operating if their stock becomes illegal with the new federal standard. (see Introduction to Legal & Medical Cannabis)

Voices from the Ground: Who’s Being Hit Hardest?

The federal ban is hitting real businesses and families because it is not abstract. Local small shops and farms have survived for a long time. However, they are not sure about the future.

• Redhead Hemp (Durham): DeLange and Emma MacAdam, co-owner of Redhead Hemp (Durham), have created a comfy “canna café” where customers can sip hemp teas and chill. Their community space may disappear if their THC-laced items get banned. 

• Otherside Hemp (Buncombe County): Rider and his crew think that strategies grown in the city won’t help them pivot — because their business relies on what the ban will eliminate. 

• Hemp and Barrel (Pineville): Matt Mitchell, who sells smokable THCa flower, candy, and drinks, told reporters his stock could be wiped out.

Consumer Pressure and Industry Pushback

The hemp industry in North Carolina is responding. Farmers and store owners are mobilizing and asking customers to call their MPs. They want to use the next year to lobby Congress, mobilize local lawmakers, and get regulatory carve-outs.

Lawmakers in North Carolina are currently considering bills to regulate hemp-derived cannabinoids. Supporters argue for a balanced approach — one that protects public safety without destroying small, legal businesses.

Why Consumers and Communities Care

People’s lives, well-being, and health have a stake in the debate about law and hemp. Trusted hemp products are important to communities all across North Carolina.  

• Wellness over intoxication: Most users opt for full-spectrum hemp not to “get high,” but to support health and help with insomnia, anxiety, or pain without alcohol or prescription drugs.

• Local economies: Hemp farms are helping rural counties, particularly those that previously relied on tobacco, restore their local economies. For some growers, hemp isn’t just a crop — it’s a lifeline.

• Regulatory fairness: Store owners often feel that they are being unequally targeted by regulators. The 2018 Farm Bill allows them to operate legally, and now they can lose everything overnight. 

• Community spaces: Hemp shops like Redhead Hemp are places to gather, not just to purchase. They make you feel welcome, safe, and respected.

What Comes Next for North Carolina’s Hemp Sector?

Store owners and hemp farmers have joined hands to create awareness and demand a change. Customers are being encouraged to contact the elected officials to express how hemp products have helped them.

Some retailers are exploring the opportunities of switching to non-THC products, though most of them admit it would damage sales. Farmers report that modifying their crops is a challenging endeavor, as undertaking a new crop requires money, equipment, and time, which many do not have.

As the federal deadline approaches, lawmakers in North Carolina may play a significant role in shaping the future regulations for hemp. The hope is that state-level guidance may offer some clarity, or at least help keep parts of the industry alive. (see Is the FDA’s CBD Stance Hurting American Businesses?)

Conclusion

North Carolina’s hemp industry is facing a crisis that is an unfortunate irony. The hemp plant, known for its benefits that don’t make one high, is now going to face federal rules that will make its benefits illegal. For many consumers, store owners, and farmers in cities such as Durham, Raleigh, Pineville, and Buncombe County, the threat is not theoretical – it’s real, it’s personal, and it’s urgent.

Whether the state and its people emerge from the legal haze will depend on how loudly and how effectively they organise, and how much attention lawmakers are paying. North Carolina’s hemp community holds its breath, hoping to be heard—before everything changes, and that will be the end.

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