Cannabidiol (CBD) oil is legal under United States federal law, regardless of a prescription.
With the varying and sometimes contradictory cannabinoid-related laws, it’s not uncommon to be confused on CBD’s legality status. But, CBD is legal to purchase and consume under federal law, provided that it is extracted from hemp. Hemp is a non-psychoactive variety of Cannabis sativa L. that contains less than 0.3% THC.
In the United States, CBD itself is not specifically listed in the United States Controlled Substances Act like the psychoactive compound, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The US government, which specifies which parts of cannabis plants are prohibited, excludes hemp’s “mature stalks” and “oil or cake made from the seeds” and “sterilized seeds” from its definition of “marihuana.”
This means that CBD oil products that are derived from these “not marihuana” parts of imported hemp plants are not federally banned, and the natural cannabinoids in hemp-derived products are exempt from DEA enforcement. While hemp cannot be legally cultivated in the U.S. except under state-regulated programs, hemp-derived oil has been a legal import in the U.S. for decades.
However, every state jurisdiction takes a unique approach. Individual states may govern hemp-derived CBD. As a general rule, hemp-derived CBD is more often than not accessible.
For those seeking the healing properties of CBD, this is good news. Hemp, naturally abundant in CBD, is grown in many countries around the world. There are thousands of different cultivars of hemp, and the ones that are used to produce high-CBD oil container significantly higher concentrations of CBD than others.
Once extracted from the stalks and seeds of hemp, pure CBD hemp oil can be taken directly or infused into products like tinctures, liquids, capsules, and topicals. With demand for high-CBD hemp oil now higher than ever, there are a wide variety of CBD hemp oil products available for purchase at retailers or online with delivery straight to your door.
CBD has shown in studies to potentially possess a variety of therapeutic benefits, including the capability to reduce seizures. You can learn more about CBD’s therapeutic properties, as well as how to take CBD hemp oil and how to read product labels by visiting our education page.
