Hemp growers are watching closely after President Trump ordered marijuana reclassified under federal law, a move that could reshape the industry.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ Local hemp growers and business owners are closely monitoring a major federal policy shift that could reshape their industry after President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing federal authorities to reclassify marijuana under federal drug law.
The executive order, signed earlier this month, directs the Justice Department to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the federal Controlled Substances Act, meaning it would be classified alongside substances considered to have moderate medical value and lower abuse potential.
“For the most part, it is viewed as a win in some regard, because it is a move forward,” Natacha Andrews, president of the National Association of Black Cannabis Lawyers, explained.ย
Andrews said the move carries potential benefits for states like North Carolina that have not legalized medicinal cannabis.
“In states such as North Carolina that have elected not to legalize medicinal cannabis, this is in some ways, a big win for populations that need that medication and are unable to otherwise obtain it,” Andrews said.
The order comes just months after Gov. Josh Stein launched a cannabis advisory council to explore the regulation of THC products. The move could shift conversations around marijuana in the Tar Heel State, where only hemp is currently legal.
“I think what we will see is there will be a lot of questions as to how people in this hemp/CBD space can convert over to whatever the ultimate program looks like for cannabis,” Andrews said.
As part of the order, the White House encouraged Congress to update how hemp-derived cannabinoid products are defined and regulated. Mike Mangelicola with Happy Camper Dispensary and Lounge hopes the move will protect CBD products from being swept into stricter federal drug rules.
“From an optimistic standpoint, they are actually looking at it as something that is beneficial, which is great,” Mangelicola said.
The federal rescheduling and any new hemp regulations will take months of administrative and potentially legislative work. But some remain optimistic about what’s to come.
“It does put more research in place and allows for more capacity to kind of look into this plant as it can be used for medicine, which is great because it is beneficial,” Mangelicola said.
For now, the hemp industry remains hopeful that this executive action could eventually mean more research opportunities, better product standards and stronger market confidence. But industry leaders say time will tell as regulations are developed.
Contact Myles Harris at mharris5@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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