The 2018 Farm Bill and the Hemp State Advantage
Welcome to the New Cannabis Marketplace
The first in a series of articles explaining the cannabis products on offer in a hemp state.
In the evolving landscape of American cannabis policy, the 2018 Farm Bill marked a turning point by making hemp-derived products legally accessible across the nation. This change created a new marketplace where consumers could explore a wider variety of cannabis options, all while staying within the bounds of federal law.
To the casual observer, cannabis in America is still split into two camps: "marijuana states"—where regulated dispensaries sell high-potency products under the watchful eye of state governments—and "hemp states"—where a slightly more flexible approach prevails. But this distinction is more about legal classifications than chemistry. If you’re buying cannabis in North Carolina, a hemp state, you’re still getting the same cannabinoids as someone strolling into a licensed shop in California. The only difference? Labels, language, and a whole lot of bureaucratic hoop-jumping.
The Farm Bill That Changed Everything
Before 2018, all cannabis was federally illegal, a holdover from the panic-induced policies of the War on Drugs. But with the passage of the Farm Bill, hemp—defined as cannabis containing less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC—became legal nationwide. Entrepreneurs and chemists realized that this legal definition allowed for the production of high-quality cannabis products that meet federal requirements while offering consumers a diverse range of cannabinoid experiences.
THCA vs. THC: A Legal Distinction, Not a Chemical One
This brings us to one of the biggest points of consumer confusion. In marijuana states, you’ll see THC percentages on product labels. In hemp states, it’s all about THCA. But here’s the kicker: they’re the same thing. THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) is just THC in its raw, unactivated form. The moment you apply heat—whether by smoking, vaping, or baking—it decarboxylates into Delta-9 THC, which is what actually gets you high.
So when you walk into a hemp dispensary in North Carolina and see THCA flower, you’re not getting some mysterious, weaker alternative to "real" weed. You’re buying the same high-potency cannabis that’s sold in California or Colorado, just with different labeling. The only reason dispensaries in legal marijuana states don’t bother listing THCA separately is because they don’t have to. They just call it THC and move on. In contrast, hemp states have to play a game of linguistic gymnastics to keep their products compliant with the Farm Bill.
What This Means for Consumers
For buyers in hemp states, the real takeaway is this: don’t let legal jargon throw you off. The cannabis you’re purchasing is the same cannabis being sold in legal marijuana states; it just has to be marketed differently to stay within federal guidelines. But here’s the twist—because hemp states operate in a different regulatory environment, they often have access to a wider variety of cannabinoids than marijuana states do.
In North Carolina, for example, you can walk into a shop like Apotheca and find a selection of not just THCA products, but also a wide array of novel cannabinoids that many marijuana states don’t even bother with. This means consumers in hemp states have more choices, but with that comes the responsibility to be well-informed. Understanding how cannabinoids work and how they interact with your body is crucial, especially since many of these compounds are still poorly understood even by industry experts.
The Bottom Line
Hemp and marijuana aren’t two different plants—they’re just different legal definitions of the same thing. THCA is THC, and the reason you see the distinction in hemp states is purely for compliance, not because the product is fundamentally different. And if you’re in a hemp state like North Carolina, you actually have access to a broader spectrum of cannabis products than someone in a tightly regulated marijuana state. The only catch? You’ve got to know what you’re buying.
Welcome to the new frontier of cannabis commerce, where knowledge is power, legal classifications matter, and the only thing separating hemp from marijuana is the fine print.