What Is SB265? The Hemp Bill North Carolina Actually Needs

Introduction: The Hemp Crossroads in North Carolina

In 2025, North Carolina’s booming hemp industry is at a legislative crossroads. One path leads to a corporate power grab and product bans (HB328), while the other provides clear regulation, safe access, and small business protections. That second path is Senate Bill 265 (SB265) — and it may be the most important cannabis legislation in our state’s history.

Yet, many North Carolinians don’t even know what SB265 is. In this article, we’ll break it down, explain how it compares to HB328, and share what you can do to support fair, balanced hemp regulation.


What Is SB265?

SB265, officially titled The Protecting Our Communities Act, is a bipartisan hemp regulation bill introduced in early 2024. It was created through collaboration between legislators, public health advocates, industry experts, and small business owners to ensure that hemp-derived products are:

  • Safe for consumers

  • Clearly labeled and lab-tested

  • Restricted appropriately for minors

  • Available to adults who need them

  • Regulated transparently by the legislature

It’s the result of years of compromise and grassroots input — unlike HB328, which was fast-tracked by special interests.


Why SB265 Was Introduced

Since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp federally, North Carolina’s hemp economy has grown exponentially. However, the state lacked a formal framework for in-state regulation. That led to a patchwork of rules and some bad actors in the marketplace.

SB265 was introduced to solve this — not by banning hemp, but by finally giving the state a clear, consistent regulatory structure.


Key Provisions in SB265

Here’s what SB265 does right:

Requires independent lab testing for all hemp-derived products
Mandates COAs (Certificates of Analysis) to ensure safety and cannabinoid content
Creates packaging and labeling standards that prevent appeal to minors
Enforces age restrictions for intoxicating products (21+)
Protects non-intoxicating products like CBD for broad consumer access
Keeps legislative oversight intact — power stays with elected lawmakers, not just the Governor
Supports farmers and existing hemp businesses through fair compliance timelines

This is real, common-sense regulation that prioritizes both safety and access.


HB328 vs SB265: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Provision SB265 HB328
Product Potency Cap No arbitrary limit 10mg total cap (all products)
Age Restrictions 21+ for intoxicating cannabinoids Same — but bans most products anyway
Lab Testing Required ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
COAs Required ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
Packaging Rules Clear standards to prevent appeal to minors Similar
Minor Access Restrictions ✅ Yes ✅ Yes
Access to Non-Intoxicating CBD ✅ Protected ❌ Threatened or banned
Support for Small Business ✅ Supports existing operators ❌ Would wipe out 80% of businesses
Legislative Oversight ✅ Kept with the NC General Assembly ❌ Power shifted to Governor
Corporate Cannabis Influence ❌ None ✅ Modeled on Big Marijuana playbook

Why the Industry Supports SB265

Organizations across the state — including small farms, independent retailers, wellness clinics, and consumer advocates — widely support SB265 because it strikes the right balance:

🔹 It doesn’t criminalize consumers.
🔹 It protects jobs and entrepreneurship.
🔹 It keeps unsafe or mislabeled products off the shelves.

It proves that we can have safe, regulated cannabis without banning the very products that gave rise to North Carolina’s thriving hemp economy.


Why SB265 Hasn’t Moved Forward — Yet

Despite broad support, SB265 has been stalled in committee. Meanwhile, HB328 — a bill that mirrors 80% of SB265 but adds dangerous provisions — is being pushed forward instead.

This delay isn’t about policy. It’s about politics and pressure from large, corporate marijuana interests and policymakers who would rather centralize power than listen to stakeholders on the ground.

The industry has done its job. The research has been done. Now, it’s up to the public to demand action.


What’s at Stake If We Don’t Pass SB265

If SB265 is ignored and HB328 passes instead, North Carolina will lose:

  • A $2+ billion industry

  • Over 100,000 jobs

  • Access to legal CBD and other wellness products

  • Opportunities for minority- and veteran-owned businesses

  • Consumer trust in a fair and transparent policy process

And perhaps most importantly: our ability to decide locally what cannabis policy looks like — without corporate interference.


What You Can Do to Support SB265

📞 Call Your State Senator
Especially Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, who has the power to advance this bill. Tell him you support SB265 and oppose HB328.

📣 Educate Others
Most people don’t understand the difference between these bills. Share this post. Talk to your community. Use your voice.

💰 Donate to Advocacy Groups
Support organizations working to keep SB265 alive and fight back against harmful legislation.

🗳️ Stay Engaged in Local Politics
Hemp isn’t the only issue where special interests try to overstep. Keep showing up.


Conclusion: SB265 Is the Regulation We Need

HB328 may have louder lobbyists, but SB265 has what really matters — the people’s support.

This bill is proof that smart cannabis policy is possible. It doesn’t pick winners and losers. It doesn’t ban products people rely on. And it doesn’t hand power to politicians behind closed doors.

It protects our communities — just like it says.

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