“At the moment, there is no restriction regarding age for buying these intoxicating cannabis cannabinoids. Children do buy and use them every day.”
By Lynn Bonner, NC Newsline
North Carolina legislators have introduced at least nine bills in the last year to regulate products such as gummies and drinks containing hemp compounds.
The majority of bills are aimed at making it illegal for teens to purchase snacks, drinks or vapes containing cannabinoids derived from hemp. They also aim to prevent them from being sold on school grounds. At a news conference on Wednesday, legislators and sheriffs discussed one of these bills, House Bill 680 – The Protect Children from Cannabis Act.
It would be illegal to purchase hemp-based products from shops without a license. Alcohol Beverage Control Commission, and Alcohol Law Enforcement would be given investigative and enforcement power.
Rep. Timothy Reeder, R-Pitt, one of the primary sponsors, said: “There is currently no age limit for purchasing intoxicating cannabis cannabinoids. Children use and purchase these products every day.”
Onslow County Sheriff Chris Thomas stated that vape shops opened in the county near schools, to benefit from the younger customer base.
The young customer is loyal, so it seems that sellers are focused on them, said he.
The state Senate attached the legalization of medical marijuana to the House’s bill last year. This led to the failure of an attempt to regulate hemp-cannabinoids snacks and ban them from school. Since several years, the House and Senate are at odds over medical marijuana.
Reeder believes that parties who are interested in the regulation of edibles, will come together and pass a law this year. He added, “I do hope that we will be able to pass a bill this session.”
According to the Child Fatality Task Force’s annual report, emergency room visits related cannabis in North Carolina have risen by over 1000% in older teens and 600% in children younger than 17, since 2019. A 2018 federal law legalized hemp.
It was recommended by the task force that sales of hemp or cannabis products to children under age 21 be prohibited, along with child-resistant packaging.
This article was originally published in NC Newsline.
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