NC bill could bar people under 21 from buying hemp-derived products

North Carolina lawmakers are considering a bill to prohibit individuals under 21 from purchasing hemp-derived products, including smokable hemp and kratom, following a reported case of a 14-year-old emergency room patient. The House Agriculture and Environment Committee approved a rewritten version of Senate Bill 59, which imposes fines on businesses that sell these products to minors. The bill includes amendments to cover kratom and will next proceed to the House Rules Committee.