Hemp ban showdown crowds NC Capitol as lawmakers push bill

Hundreds of protesters packed the North Carolina Capitol as Republicans pushed HB 328 to ban most intoxicating hemp products and impose stricter age limits, with the measure having passed the Senate and a House vote delayed. Gov. Josh Stein backs some provisions but opposes a near-total ban, while law-enforcement groups back stricter controls and hemp-industry onlookers warn of economic disruption as lawmakers decide the bill’s fate alongside budget and elections changes.