Although hemp production has been legalized in North Carolina under the state’s pilot program as allowed under federal law, adult-use or recreational use of marijuana has not been legalized. The use of hemp extract has been approved for the treatment of intractable epilepsy, however, cannabis is not authorized for medical purposes. Applications for the cultivation of industrial hemp are currently handled and processed by the Plant Industry Division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA) and reviewed for approval or denial at the next scheduled meeting of the Industrial Hemp Commission. Other divisions of the NCDA would regulate any retail uses of hemp or products derived from hemp. The state does not currently have a hemp production regulatory plan approved by the USDA under the 2018 Farm Bill and its implementing regulations, but it is expected North Carolina will continue to operate its industrial hemp pilot program under the 2014 Farm Bill until at least September 30, 2021.
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