What the New Federal Hemp Law Means for North Carolina

What the New Federal Hemp Law Means for North Carolina

The federal government has passed a new spending bill that includes language banning hemp products containing THC. This would affect THCA flower, Delta-9 hemp gummies, vapes, chocolates, beverages, and other products that many adults in North Carolina rely on for sleep, pain relief, stress management, and relaxation.

Understandably, this has created a lot of confusion. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Nothing changes right now

The bill includes a one-year delay before any ban takes effect. During this period:

  • All current hemp products remain legal.
  • Retailers can continue operating as they do today.
  • States will not be required to change their laws immediately.

Our store remains open, our products remain fully compliant, and nothing about your shopping experience changes.

2. The law doesn’t distinguish between synthetics and safe, natural hemp

Much of the debate in Washington focused on synthetic THC products being sold without proper regulation. Unfortunately, the final language in the bill does not target synthetics specifically. Instead, it sweeps in all hemp products that naturally contain THC, including high-quality, lab-tested THCA flower and Delta-9 hemp edibles sold in responsible retail environments.

At PhenomWell, we don’t sell synthetics or anything marketed to children. We sell safe, compliant, adult-use hemp products supported by third-party lab results.

It has been frustrating to see the debate shaped by misunderstandings about responsible hemp retailers. In the past month, large marijuana corporations and national alcohol groups dramatically increased their lobbying efforts because hemp competes directly with their products. That pressure—rather than anything happening in small, well-regulated shops—seems to be driving much of the discussion.

3. There is still a strong path forward: the Farm Bill

Lawmakers in both parties have already acknowledged problems with the hemp language. Fortunately, this is not the end of the story.

The most realistic and immediate opportunity to fix this is the upcoming Farm Bill, which will be negotiated this year. It is very possible for Congress to clarify:

  • the difference between natural hemp and synthetics,
  • the importance of age restrictions and labeling, and
  • the need to preserve access to safe hemp products for adults.

There is already significant momentum among farmers, industry groups, veterans’ organizations, seniors, and bipartisan lawmakers to rewrite the hemp language in a more balanced, science-based way.

4. What this means for our customers

We are committed to:

  • full transparency
  • clear communication
  • legal compliance
  • and responsible, adult-only sales of safe hemp products

We’ll continue keeping you informed as the situation develops. When it becomes the right moment for consumers to contact lawmakers, we’ll provide names, phone numbers, and simple talking points to ensure your voice is heard.

For now, the most important message is simple:

Nothing changes for the next year, and there is real potential for this to be fixed.

Thank you for supporting our local small business. We will continue to serve you with quality, safety, and customer care.

Back to blog