NC House advances bill prohibiting hemp-derived products under 21

On Wednesday, the House Agriculture and Environment Committee voted to give a favorable report on SB 59, which would prohibit hemp-derived and Kratom products intended for consumption from being possessed or sold by anyone under the age of 21. The bill was voted on and passed through to the House Rules Committee.

A Proposed Committee Substitute (PCS), a rewritten version of the bill, introduced by Rep. Jimmy Dixon, R-Duplin, outlines prohibitions on hemp-derived products for anyone under 21, and Rep. McNeely, R-Iredell, explained the amendment, which adds Kratom to the 21+ age restriction. 

“We’ve also added Kratom in,” said McNeely. “I feel like it needs to be a part of this conversation, and this is also kind of boilerplate from bills that I have ran for the last three years on Kratom products. And it basically identifies them and says you have to be of 21 years of age to purchase and possess them.” 

Dixon explained his motivation behind this move: “I think this is universally accepted by all of us here, as well as a large number of our constituents out there. My purpose for doing this is to draw a little bit of public attention.” 

He indicated that there are and will be ongoing conversations surrounding issues related to cannabis. 

“But, ladies and gentlemen, to be sure, we’ve got the good sense to put an age limit on these types of products,” said Dixon. “That is the lowest hanging fruit that there is there.” 

Dixon told the story of a 14-year-old from his district who was hospitalized due to these products. 

“This is just an attempt to do the most elementary thing possible,” said Dixon. “To work towards a resolution of this very, very complicated issue.”

McNeely emphasized his support and his efforts to put these bills together. 

“It’s sadly comical when a 14-year-old can go in and buy the product, and they get caught selling it to a 10-year-old, when the 10-year-old could have went in and bought it himself,” said McNeely. “We definitely got a problem. I hope we keep bringing this to light and we get something accomplished before we get out of short session. And this is our start.”

Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford, expressed a desire that the definition be broad enough to cover the “manipulation of molecules.” She indicated that this was her concern because “this is what happens with manufactured opioids and hallucinogens.” 

Staff indicated the bill language was broad enough to cover any future manipulation. 

“NC House advances bill prohibiting hemp-derived products under 21” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.