A new North Carolina Senate proposal would create a 21-year-old age requirement for purchasing or possessing hemp products, including foods and beverages infused with delta-8 or delta-9. WRAL News reports.

Bipartisan Senate Bill 59 passed the House Rules Committee on Wednesday. The proposal would also set the age requirement for purchasing kratom at 21.

The issue is popular with both Republicans and Democrats, and Gov. Josh Stein (D) has also called for better regulation of the products, but previous efforts have failed.

“We have the good sense to put an age limit on these types of products, which is the lowest hanging fruit there is.” — Rep. state Rep. Jimmy Dixon (R), in a statement to the House Agriculture and Environment Committee

A spokesman for the governor’s office said the administration is reviewing the bill.

“Earlier this year, the NC Cannabis Advisory Council issued an interim report with informed guidance to the General Assembly to address the unregulated sale of cannabis in North Carolina, including recommending a minimum age requirement,” the spokesperson said in the report. “The governor is eager to work with the Legislature to protect our children and bring order to this Wild West marketplace.”

If passed into law, the age limit would go into effect on December 1, 2026.

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe (R) last week signed into law the Intoxicating Cannabinoid Control Act. In a statement, the governor said “the legislation ensures that Missourians know that products sold in their communities are safe, regulated and kept out of the reach of children.”

“For too long, bad actors have exploited loopholes to market intoxicating products — including candy-like candy or similar products — without meaningful oversight or accountability.” – Kehoe, in one press release

The bill aligns the state definition of hemp with the new federal definition, bringing the regulation of hemp-derived cannabinoid products under existing cannabis regulations.

President Donald Trump (R) on Nov signed an expense bill which included new federal regulations on hemp products that effectively criminalize hemp-derived THC and redefine hemp as “grown for the use of the whole grain, oil, cake, nut, husk, or any other non-cannabinoid compound, derivative, mixture, preparation or manufacture of the seed” and “grown for the purpose of human consumption or other products made from its flesh.” an immature hemp plant grown from seeds that do not exceed” 0.3% THC. The new regime will take effect this November.

Missouri law requires unlicensed entities to cease manufacturing or selling hemp-derived cannabinoid products.

The bill also prohibits cannabis distributors or other authorized parties from keeping records or sharing identifying information of regulated consumers of cannabis products, unless the consumer consents to the creation or retention of records in writing.