Now CBD is all over the place.
Pharmacies and gas stations sell it, as do other stores. Several massage spas in the D.C.-area area sell lotions, oils, and sprays with “CBD-infused relaxation.” Dog kennels sell CBD gummy bears for pets. Cafes sell CBD coffee.
Here’s a weird fact about how these products became so popular in such a short time: Selling them is against the law, so you can’t do that either. That’s true even though the 2018 Farm Bill didn’t make it illegal to make CBD from hemp plants.
What’s even more weird is that buying CBD products is legal at least sometimes.
America has had a long history of both using and criminalising cannabis. This paradox is one of many in that long history. In the past, cannabis has been used to relax and as part of mass incarceration. It has also been used for medical reasons, like to fight the side effects of cancer chemotherapy.
CBD and the FDA
The FDA has banned the sale of CBD in any unapproved health products, dietary supplements, or food, except for the drug Epidiolex, which is the only one.
People who make health claims about CBD can get in trouble with the FDA if they sell or market products that involve interstate trade of the cannabis extract.
All of this is important for people who sell or use CBD because the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act says that the FDA must make sure that the amount of chemicals we eat or put on our bodies is safe. This means that the FDA must make sure that the amount of chemicals we eat or put on our bodies is safe.
Because hemp and CBD are becoming more and more legal, the FDA is having a hard time. To do its job, the agency must make sure that foods, drugs, and dietary supplements are safe. But already, CBD products are all over American stores.
The CBD CheatSheet
Here’s a cheat sheet to help you understand the laws that apply to CBD.
- The 2018 Farm Bill made it legal to grow and sell hemp and its extracts, so they can be made and sold. If you grow hemp in the United States, you can’t have more than 0.3 percent THC in it (tetrahydrocannabinol). A lot of things that have a lot of THC are called “marijuana,” which is illegal in the United States. It’s also a “schedule 1” drug by the DEA, which makes it illegal.
- Pollination and sexual reproduction can cause hemp plants to grow marijuna that is full of THC by mistake. Cannabis plants are usually either male or female, but they can also be both. The pollen from cannabis plants can travel for miles in the wild, so it’s not hard for a field to be pollinated by something that doesn’t belong there. If your CBD comes from a marijuana plant, it’s against the law. If your CBD has too much THC (more than 0.3%), it’s illegal.
- People who want to get the CBD and THC out of their plants use the same process. This means that THC, chemical solvents or pesticides can get into CBD when the extraction is done wrong.
- A drug called Epidiolex is the only health use of CBD that has been approved, even though there are many other possible benefits. Any health products, supplements, or food that don’t come from the FDA can’t contain CBD. This drug for epilepsy is the only one that can use CBD.
- If CBD comes from a hemp plant that doesn’t have more than 0.3 percent THC, you can buy it under federal law. Some states, however, still have rules about how much CBD you can have.
Where to Buy
People who buy things have to make sure they are good. It’s important to look for a COA and a third-party test to make sure that the extracts are of the best quality.
People who buy things from online stores often get third-party lab results and certificates of authenticity from them.
A lot of big health food stores also have a lot of CBD products on the shelves. These kinds of companies should also give third-party lab results.
Avoid products made by companies that don’t want to give you the information or put vague labels on their packaging.
Conclusion
Products made from hemp that don’t have more than 0.3 percent THC are legal in the federal government, but some state laws still say they’re not. On the other hand, CBD products made from marijuana are illegal at the federal level, but some state laws allow them. Check local laws, especially if you’re going to be away from home. Because the FDA hasn’t approved non-prescription CBD products, which may be mis-labeled, keep this in mind as well.
People should always be careful when they use CBD, and they should never use it in place of their regular medicine unless a doctor or healthcare professional tells them that it is safe to do so.
You should always choose a product that has a Certificate of Analysis (COA) when you buy CBD. The COA tells you which compounds the product has.