North Carolina’s Proposal Could Protect Smoke Shops Across the Country, But it Needs Your Support
North Carolina might save us all. A new state bill may be the industry’s best option to save itself from demise when new federal cannabinoid bans take effect in November. And it could use your support.
SB265, also known as the Protect Our Communities Act, is a proposal championed by smoke shops across the state that would create clearer rules for growing and selling cannabinoids. If it’s successful, the model could be exported to other states, potentially saving the entire industry.
Right now, North Carolina’s hemp industry operates in a gray area, with no age restrictions or product testing requirements. The result is that bad faith retailers can sell sub-par products, and kids can easily get their hands on dangerous materials. Industry groups like THCa North Carolina and The North Carolina Responsible Business Association hope that by helping the state create a common-sense regulatory structure, smoke shops will be saved from the severe federal restrictions that will go into effect in November.
The bill calls for a “common sense” approach to regulation: 21+ purchases, independent testing, clear labeling, and licenses for growers, sellers, and distributors.
The federal government has traditionally shied away from imposing its standards on industries that have strong state regulations. The hope behind SB265 is that, by creating a system that doesn’t appeal to minors and ensures safe products, federal regulators won’t implement the full cannabinoid ban in November.
If nothing passes, however, there’s a good chance the feds will step in. That worry stems from a provision in the federal government shutdown deal that President Trump signed in November 2025, which effectively bans products with cannabinoids like Delta-8, Delta-10, and THCA flower at the federal level. It’s set to take effect November 12, 2026.
The Protect Our Communities Act could secure a future for the livelihoods of North Carolina citizens and smoke shops.
The best way to support the effort is by adding your name to a pro-SB265 petition. You can learn more about the bill and sign a digital petition by following the link to the Protect the Plant campaign, which is supported by dispensaries, smoke shops, and advocacy groups across the state.
The petition’s creators emphasize that the bill protects more than the medicine many use to treat pain and sleep better. The hemp industry employs thousands of people in the state and brought in millions in taxes. That kind of hit could lead to terrible results in an already volatile economy.
SB265 is a way for the hemp industry to prove that it’s mature and has Americans’ best interest at heart. It’s also, potentially, our last stand.
Show your support and sign the petition here: https://thcanorthcarolina.com/protect-the-plant-nc
