As North Carolina lawmakers prepare to reconvene in November, they face a crucial decision on how to regulate hemp-derived cannabinoids, which have the potential to be intoxicating. The state is one of the few where marijuana is fully illegal for both recreational and medicinal purposes, but there is growing pressure to consider legalization.
The North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis, established by Governor Josh Stein, has been working to develop a comprehensive approach to regulate cannabis sales and create a safe, legal market for adults while protecting minors. The council has been exploring various options, including testing and oversight, and has invited experts to share their insights.
Yasha Kahn, co-founder of MCR Labs, has been involved in cannabis testing for over a decade and has been advising the council. He emphasized the importance of transparency in testing and recommended that the state require all lab results to be made public and shared with state agencies. Kahn also cautioned against privatizing testing, as it can lead to consumer fraud and deception.
The council is also considering whether to use private labs or state labs to test the purity and potency of cannabis. Kahn suggested that establishing an accredited lab from scratch could take around a year and a half, while privatizing testing comes with risks.
Dr. Larry Greenblatt, state health director and co-chair of the advisory council, emphasized that while legalization is a possibility, it is not a foregone conclusion. The council’s final recommendations will be included in a report to the governor at the end of the year, and it will be up to the legislature to decide whether to use the information as the foundation for a cannabis market in North Carolina.
Meanwhile, neighboring Virginia is moving ahead with plans to legalize recreational cannabis, with regulators set to begin accepting applications for regulated dispensaries in February and a retail launch planned for July 1, 2027. The fate of the cannabis industry in North Carolina remains uncertain, but it is clear that the state will have to navigate a complex and evolving landscape in the coming months.
