Is CBD Legal in North Carolina?

Looking for the answer to the question, “Is CBD legal in NC?” For starters, CBD is completely legal in North Carolina so long as it conforms to all state and federal standards. You are going to want to pay attention to THC content, and make sure it remains under the 0.3% limit, and the CBD extract comes from the hemp plant – which we will get into later on in this article. “The N.C. General Assembly passed Senate Bill 313 in 2015, allowing the Industrial Hemp Commission to develop the rules and licensing structure necessary to stay within federal laws.” -N.C. State Law

Let’s go over some more about North Carolina CBD laws, licensing requirements in the state, and where to buy CBD in NC.

What is CBD?

Read full article: What is cannabidiol (CBD)?

CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive compound derived from cannabis. CBD shares the outer space of the cannabis plant with THC.

Studies continue to show that items like 1,000 mg CBD tinctures (as an example of the many different products on the market) may have a plethora of beneficial properties, with the most popular of these being: anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative,  pain relief, anti-seizure, and anxiety relief properties. In these medical field studies, CBD has proved its worth in a growing amount of trials.

It is important to understand exactly what CBD is when looking into if CBD is legal in NC.

Related: Driving on CBD – Is It Safe?

CBD is a Cannabis Derivative According to North Carolina Law

Cannabidiol is a cannabis derivative. That doesn’t mean that it is the same as marijuana, though. It simply comes from a cannabis plant.

Related: Is CBD Legal in Texas?

This is an important distinction to keep in mind when thoroughly answering the question, “Is CBD Legal in NC?”

CBD is also a non-psychoactive cousin of THC, which means CBD cannot, and will not, get you high. As long as your CBD is hemp-based, or comes from the hemp plant, it will not contain an amount of THC over 0.3%.

Related: What is the Difference Between THC and CBD?

Federal regulations on CBD currently require all CBD products to come from hemp in order to remain federally legal. A THC amount of 0.3% isn’t enough to get anyone high. In fact, this amount is so low that one  could drink an entire container of CBD oil (not recommended), and still not get high.

Supplementing with CBD is a great way to treat patients in a more natural way than other medications that have harsh side-effects. CBD research over the last few years is significant. Investments done in research and development are numerous.

The FDA is still figuring out their approval process for CBD, so until this is complete, CBD will not be able to achieve the status of a dietary supplement.

Why is CBD Illegal in Some States?

This is a tricky subject. Let’s begin by addressing the fact that while CBD is federally legal, each state has its own laws. While most states have followed the Farm Bill of 2018 footsteps, and do not regulate finished CBD products.

This is the case in North Carolina, where hemp byproducts have been reclassified as agricultural products separate from marijuana. Some of the more conservative states identify CBD and marijuana together, even though CBD is completely non-psychoactive.

For this reason, they have a set of strict laws. As time goes on though, states are continuing to soften these CBD laws. Thankfully, NC is a CBD friendly state.

How Did the Farm Bill Help Hemp in NC?

Related: What is Hemp?

The 2018 Farm Bill brought a revolution for hemp and hemp derived products. The cultivation of hemp became federally legal for recreational purposes when this was passed. This bill specifically removed hemp, which is now legally defined as cannabis containing less than 0.3% THC by weight, from the schedule I list of controlled substances.

This means that people can now use hemp gummies for pain relief, or other forms of relief, and do it 100% legally.

As of the writing of this article, cannabis as a whole is now set to be voted on for removal from this same list.

The United States FDA and CBD

The Food and Drug Administration has the authority of regulating CBD product labeling, monitoring therapeutic claims for CBD, and the usage of CBD for recreational and dietary purposes. The FDA, currently, does not allow the advertisement of hemp-derived CBD as a dietary supplement, or as an additive to food and beverages. The FDA must authorize any health claims that CBD products make. No medications to date have received this designation, except for the pharmaceutical drug Epidiolex.

Discover: Buy Soothe CBD Balm

While the Food and Drug Administration maintained this stance for years, it has softened these regulations and is considering appropriate legislation around labeling CBD as a dietary supplement. In addition, the Farm Bill has given the authority to states to allow or disallow the cultivation and business of CBD.

Let’s move on to CBD and its legal status in North Carolina.

Is CBD Legal in NC?

In anticipation of an agricultural pilot program need for hemp, the State of North Carolina introduced Senate Bill 313.

This bill was authorized in 2014. The law was changed slightly in 2016 via House Bill 992. Shortly after this, the Industrial Hemp Commission came up with some temporary rules up for discussion in February of 2017.

Related: What is CBN?

These new changes were approved by the Rules Review Commission of the Office of Administrative Hearings.

Are CBD Gummies Legal in North Carolina?

Yes, they are, as long as they meet the same requirements discussed earlier. You want to make sure and CBD gummies you buy in North Carolina are made from hemp (not marijuana), and contain less than 0.3% THC per gummy.

You can verify all of this by looking for products with a scannable QR code. This code is only applied if products have been third party lab tested. All of the New Phase Blends CBD for sale in North Carolina will have this code.

As a general rule of thumb, never buy any hemp CBD item that doesn’t have this QR code on it. Never.

Licensing Requirements for Hemp CBD in North Carolina

Possession of CBD requires no license for use in North Carolina. However, regulations are in place for hemp cultivation. To see a list of all requirements for cultivation and hemp sales, please click here.

This site will take you to a section that looks like this:

Once here, you can click on the different fields like seed type, reporting, licensing, or fees to see more information.

Related: The Differences Between Broad and Full Spectrum Explained

CBD Possession Limits in North Carolina State

There are no possession limits for finished CBD products as long as they abide by the NC State laws for hemp production and hemp products.

Is Weed Legal In North Carolina?

North Carolina has not made marijuana products recreational, yet. This means that THC remains a heavily controlled substance within the state. The North Carolina Compassionate Care Act is the most recent attempt by state legislation to legalize weed.

Where to Buy CBD in North Carolina?

To be honest, CBD products are all over the place in NC. Consumers can buy CBD oil and hemp derived CBD products from a variety of retail storefronts, gas stations, and kiosks within the state.

I want to caution you, though, to be extra careful on where you purchase your CBD products. New Phase Blends is a veteran owned and operated CBD company. We offer nothing but premium CBD products that come with a 30 day money back guarantee.

At least give us consideration before purchasing – I know you’ll be happy with your purchase.

In the summer of 2020, the FDA conducted a study on CBD products from different brands. It reported that roughly 25% of CBD products are either fake, under-dosed, or mislabeled. CBD is expensive.

Confused on what to buy? Check out our CBD starter kit. This kit comes with several different forms of CBD products. You can see which type you like best. Maybe you like them all, maybe you prefer a balm, or a CBD tincture. With this kit, there is no guessing. You get it all. A vast majority of people who buy CBD online from us are beyond satisfied, as hundreds of user testimonials report.

Summary – Is CBD Legal in NC?

Yes, CBD is legal in North Carolina. Here are some things to look for to make sure the CBD products for sale you’re interested in fall within the federal guidelines for use:

• Hemp-derived CBD is legal
• It must contain less than 0.3% THC (a broad spectrum CBD will contain almost no THC, while full spectrums can contain up to 0.3% – FYI)
• I recommend that the CBD labels include a QR code that scans to a third-party lab result
• Marijuana-derived CBD is not legal

That about wraps up covering the legalities of CBD within NC. If you are looking to purchase or possess CBD in North Carolina, you don’t have to worry – it’s 100% legal.

References

FDA: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-and-cannabis-research-and-drug-approval-process
North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture: https://www.ncagr.gov/hemp/

Is CBD Oil Legal in the United States? A comprehensive, state by state legal guide by NPB.