A recent article in The Assembly shines a spotlight on the injustice that Emancipate NC clients—and countless others across North Carolina—continue to face.
Ten years after the state legalized hemp, North Carolina still hasn’t updated its crime lab testing methods. That failure leaves residents vulnerable to unconstitutional searches, arrests, and prosecutions.
The reality is simple: hemp and marijuana are indistinguishable by sight or smell. Yet law enforcement officers are still permitted to claim “odor” alone as probable cause. This outdated practice not only undermines constitutional protections but also perpetuates racially biased policing, disproportionately targeting Black and Brown communities.
North Carolina cannot keep clinging to broken practices that punish people for legal behavior. Until the law and testing standards catch up, Emancipate NC will keep fighting to hold police accountable and protect our communities from harm.