This piece is medically approved by Neil Shah, M.D.
The laws on cannabis seem to be constantly changing in the United States, and many people are unclear on the exact laws relating to hemp and CBD. For this reason, you might be wondering whether CBD is legal in your state.
Thanks to the laws on hemp that have been passed recently, CBD has become legal in more places. If you’re in the United States, then yes, CBD is legal in your state. However, the CBD needs to meet certain requirements in order to be legal.
Because all of our CBD products are derived from hemp, they’re legal all over the United States. Here’s what you need to know about the legality of CBD in your state.
What is the difference between hemp and cannabis?
Hemp and cannabis plants both contain dozens of chemical compounds called “cannabinoids”. CBD, which is short for cannabidiol, is a cannabinoid that’s found in abundance in both plants.
Another well-known cannabinoid is THC. Short for tetrahydrocannabinol, THC is a chemical in cannabis plants that makes you feel intoxicated (or high). CBD, in comparison, can’t cause you to feel intoxicated at all. This is most likely why they made CBD legal in all states.
According to the legal definition, hemp contains 0.3 percent THC or less. Anything more than 0.3 percent THC is considered cannabis. Because hemp contains so little THC, it should not make you feel intoxicated.
While hemp is sometimes grown to produce CBD products, it can also be cultivated for the production of fibers, fabrics, hemp seed, and even animal feed. In other words, the hemp industry includes so much more than just CBD.
Also Read: Would we recommend Green Gorilla CBD to you?
Is CBD (and hemp) legal in my state?
In short, yes—hemp is legal in every US state.
The 2018 Farm Bill made it legal to grow hemp throughout the United States. It also made it legal to produce, sell, and use hemp-derived CBD products. However, cannabis is still illegal in some states. In other words, if the plant or product contains more than 0.3 percent THC, it’s illegal in certain states.
To ensure that you don’t get into trouble with the law, it’s best to opt for hemp-derived CBD products that contain less than .3% THC. If you’re new to cannabis and hemp, this amount of THC is not enough to get you high. So legal CBD is safe enough for your grandmother.
Hemp-derived CBD vs cannabis-derived CBD
Some CBD is derived from cannabis, but at the moment, the majority of CBD extracts are derived from hemp.
Because hemp is legal on a federal level, all CBD products that are derived from hemp are legal in every state. These products should contain very little THC, so little that you will not feel intoxicated when you use them.
Also Read: The pros and cons of CBD oil.
There are also many CBD products out there that contain no CBD at all. This includes CBD isolate, which is pure CBD, and broad-spectrum CBD, which contains numerous cannabinoids but not THC. So if you see Isolate and Broad Spectrum on the label you know that those products will contain zero THC.
In Conclusion: Is CBD Legal in My State?
In summary, hemp-derived CBD products are legal in every state in the US. While cannabis-derived CBD is still technically illegal in some states, it’s relatively easy to get CBD derived from hemp throughout the country.
Sian Ferguson is a freelance writer based in Cape Town, South Africa and she has written for publications such as Healthline, Greatist, and Psych Central to name a few.
