On behalf of Apotheca, our employees, our customers, and the many North Carolinians whose livelihoods depend upon the state’s hemp industry, we offer our sincere gratitude for your willingness to listen, engage, and carefully consider the consequences of House Bill 328.
When we came to Raleigh, we did not come to disrupt the legislative process or create conflict. We came humbly and respectfully to ask that common sense prevail—and to ensure that the people whose jobs, businesses, farms, and families would be directly affected had an opportunity to be heard.
We also recognize that the concerns underlying this debate are real. Protecting children, ensuring product safety, establishing responsible age restrictions, and holding businesses accountable are goals we share. Apotheca has consistently supported sensible regulation, comprehensive product testing, clear labeling, and strong safeguards preventing sales to anyone under the age of 21. These principles are not obstacles to our industry. They are essential to its future.
Our most visible advertising campaign, “Gummies for Granny,” has appeared on billboards and television screens across North Carolina. While the name may be lighthearted, its message reflects something important: the people who visit our stores are not part of some narrow counterculture. They are parents, grandparents, veterans, retirees, working professionals, and neighbors from communities across the state. They come from every political party and every walk of life.
Few issues in American public life create meaningful agreement among Republicans, Democrats, and independents. Sensible cannabis policy is one of them. We see that common ground every day in our stores. Our customers may disagree about many things, but they overwhelmingly agree that adults should have access to safe, responsibly produced products—and that those products should exist within a clear and well-regulated marketplace.
North Carolina now has an opportunity to lead the nation.
The state’s hemp industry represents an estimated $4.4 billion in economic activity and supports more than 16,000 jobs, many of which pay above-average wages. It is creating opportunities for farmers, revitalizing storefronts, supporting local communities, and generating new economic activity throughout the state. Apotheca is proud to be a North Carolina company and, for the third consecutive year, an Inc. 5000 honoree. Our growth is only one small part of a much larger North Carolina success story.
We believe thoughtful legislation can accomplish what everyone wants: keep products away from children, require meaningful testing and accountability, protect responsible businesses and their employees, support North Carolina agriculture, and generate substantial revenue for the state. These goals do not have to compete with one another. With the right framework, they can reinforce one another.
That is the work ahead of us.
We respectfully ask North Carolina’s elected leaders, regulators, farmers, industry representatives, and consumers to come together and develop a model that can become a national standard. Let us demonstrate that difficult legislation does not have to be divisive. Let us show that public safety and economic opportunity can coexist—and that people with different political perspectives can still work together toward a responsible solution.
North Carolinians are tired of constant conflict. We hear it from our customers every day, and they are also your constituents. They want leaders who listen, businesses that act responsibly, and laws grounded in fairness, safety, and common sense.
Thank you again for listening to them—and to us. We stand ready to work with every elected official, regardless of party or previous position, who wants to help build a safe, responsible, and prosperous future for North Carolina.
This moment should not mark the end of a fight. It should mark the beginning of a partnership.