Six Charlotte Juveniles Rob What They Thought was a Weed Store

Let's be clear you can't sell real weed in North Carolina lawfully, but there's this work around to Gummies and other "Hemp" like products that is totally legal.

The background 

Hemp and marijuana both come from the Cannabis sativa L. plant family. The primary difference is the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) they contain. 

Here's a breakdown of the differences:

1. THC content

• Hemp: Contains 0.3% or less of THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol) on a dry weight basis. This low level of THC means it is non-psychoactive and won't produce the "high" associated with marijuana.
• Marijuana: Contains more than 0.3% of THC. Some strains have 25% THC or more. This higher THC content causes the psychoactive effects. 

2. Legal status

• Hemp: Federally legal in the United States. The 2018 Farm Bill removed it from the Controlled Substances Act's definition of marijuana.
• Marijuana: Remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law. Some states have legalized its medicinal or recreational use. 

So Apotheca Dispensaries a franchised brand sells hemp, kratom and mushroom products, and these little thug dumbasses apparently thought it was real weed.

According to CMPD:

On July 30, six juvenile males entered the Cannabis Dispensary at 1501 East Third Street, assaulted an employee and stole merchandise. 

Providence Division officers responded to the scene and obtained witness descriptions and a direction of travel for the suspects. The suspects were observed boarding the light rail train headed in the direction of the Transit Center.  With the assistance of the Real Time Crime Center, Central Division officers, K9 and Professional Police Services, five of the six suspects were quickly apprehended. Officers recovered the stolen merchandise along with an airsoft pistol discarded by the suspects as they fled from the scene. 

The five juvenile suspects were interviewed by Providence Division detectives and were each charged with:

Common Law Robbery

Conspiracy to Commit Common Law Robbery

Resist, Delay, Obstruct

One suspect was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in reference to an unrelated secure custody order, and four suspects were released into the custody of their guardians. Through continued investigation, the sixth juvenile suspect was identified.

In North Carolina Juveniles are given special treatment. Their identities are hidden, their names are not disclosed and they are nearly always released to the custody of their parents.

These six should have been charged with armed robbery even if the gun was not real. Had the owners been armed they would have every right to eliminate the treat and we would have another sad story to tell.

The problem is charging them with armed robbery makes the crime a class "D" felony and puts it on the violent crimes list. The crimes stats in Charlotte are no more real than the mugshots in this story.