Rapidly growing sales of hemp are poised to help North Carolina farmers that are still transitioning away from once-profitable tobacco plants. But they're up against complaints from police officials that say smokable hemp makes enforcing marijuana laws more difficult.
The conflict between farmers and law enforcement is over legislation that would ban smokable hemp after next year's elections. A state House committee approved the measure, delaying the proposed ban for a year. They're hoping that tests will be developed to better distinguish legal hemp from illegal marijuana.
An official from the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police says the plants are too similar for street officers to tell the difference.
The compound CBD in hemp is said to help with pain, anxiety, and inflammation. But there's currently limited scientific research to support those claims.