Just like in the rest of the United States, yes, CBD is legal in Indiana. In fact, Indiana has gone quite a bit farther to codify and regulate CBD sale and usage than most other states. Said differently, CBD is fully legal in Indiana, but producers and sellers of the substance operating in the state might face considerable hurdles.
That’s why most Hoosiers still buy their CBD online, regardless of any improvements that may have taken place in the state market. Over the course of this guide to CBD laws in Indiana, you’ll start to understand their point of view.
Overview of CBD in the United States
CBD is a legal substance in the United States that is usually considered “hemp,” not “marijuana.” A series of bills in the mid-2010s re-classified CBD products as industrial hemp — so long as those products contain less than 0.3% CBD.
- In 2014, Congress passed a Farm Bill creating a loophole for CBD commerce
- This loophole was officially recognized with the 2018 Farm Bill, leaving it to states to establish their own hemp programs
- Ever since, CBD has become a larger part of American life
- Americans use CBD for everyday aches and pains, sleep, and anxiety
- CBD has also shown impressive promise as a treatment for various serious conditions
- While states can regulate their own CBD economies, there’s very little they can do about CBD produced and shipped in from other parts of the USA
CBD Laws in Indiana: Is CBD Legal in Indiana?
Yes, CBD is legal in Indiana. The state has created special protections for low-THC hemp extract, and it has not created any laws that are in conflict with the federal protections of CBD already in place with the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills.
Where CBD laws in Indiana might be a bit different from what the average person might expect are in their complexity and severity. Despite lacking any real enforcement power, Indiana has established strict guidelines and punishment for hemp cultivation, which — notably — have no bearing on hemp products originating in other states.
Indiana CBD Laws to Know
Indiana has passed a string of bills since 2014 designed to regulate the state’s hemp market. When he was still Governor of Indiana, Mike Pence signed into law the state’s 2014 Industrial Hemp Bill. Following pieces of hemp-related Indiana legislation include:
- HB 1148 (2017): Expanded CBD access for qualified medical patients
- SB 52 (2018): Officially legalized low-THc CBD
- SB 516 (2019): Established the Indiana Hemp Advisory Committee
Importantly, Senate Bill 516 also effectively banned hemp flower in Indiana by making smoking it in public a criminal offense. Indiana residents can still, technically, smoke CBD flower at home, though.
Legal THC Limit for CBD Products
Federal law dictates that any Cannabis sativa products containing less than 0.3% delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are industrial hemp, not the illegal drug marijuana. Indiana law mirrors this THC limit, designating cannabis products “hemp” if they fall under this limit and “marijuana” if they contain more than 0.3% THC.
Age Limit to Buying CBD
Indiana has not established any age requirements for purchasing CBD. So, if Indiana law enforcement officers were to become interested in your hemp product, they’d care about its THC content, not your age.
Rules on Purchasing and Selling CBD in Indiana
Compared to other states, Indiana has established quite stringent guidelines for hemp cultivation and production. These guidelines also extend to CBD retailers, often making it difficult for residents to purchase CBD oil and other product types at physical stores.
Ironically, the regulations that prevent customers from buying CBD have nothing to do with the process of buying CBD: Rather, they’re restrictions placed on the producers and sellers of CBD products, which, nonetheless, serve the end purpose of making CBD products more expensive and harder to find for Hoosiers.
CBD Product Labeling Requirements
By its own admission, the state of Indiana has “strict labeling requirements for hemp products” and “penalizes retailers” for failing to follow them. This is no idle threat: In the spring of 2024, Indiana state police raided 57 CBD stores, confiscating products they claimed violated labeling regulations.
Testing Requirements for CBD Products
Some of the CBD products confiscated in the 2024 Indiana CBD raids were also flagged for failing to follow proper testing requirements. While proper testing is necessary for transparency when selling CBD products, it’s unclear what the state’s proper role is in enforcing testing requirements.
Licensing and Regulations for CBD Stores
It is not legally required to gain any special type of licensing to sell CBD products in Indiana. As the state’s recent hemp raids show, however, even following proper licensing protocol is no protection against legal overreach. Many affected business owners reported that their CBD products were confiscated because they weren’t exclusively sold to epileptic patients, an incorrect interpretation of Indiana law.
Types of CBD Products Legal in Indiana
On paper, all types of CBD products are legal in Indiana as long as they contain less than 0.3% THC. Even in the case of smokable hemp CBD flower, the only “ban” in place is against smoking it publicly.
Indiana’s current legal developments regarding CBD are nothing short of alarming, however, to anyone with a stake in the hemp industry’s future. If CBD products can be confiscated from Indiana shops under such flimsy pretexts, why wouldn’t every Indiana resident choose to shop for CBD online instead?
Where Can You Buy CBD in Indiana?
The best place to buy CBD in Indiana is online. The state’s position on in-person CBD sales remains unclear, and many retailers have stopped selling the cannabinoid entirely after recent raids carried out by state police. Let’s take a look at the available options in a bit more detail:
Online
What with police raids and low product availability, Searching for CBD near you in Indiana can be a headache. Buying CBD online is better than it’s ever been, however, with brands like Colorado Botanicals coming to the fore by offering certified, high-quality CBD products for fair prices. Shop for CBD online and leave confusing Indiana regulations behind.
Food Co-Ops
Out of the remaining Indiana retailers that still carry CBD products, independent food co-ops and natural food stores are your best bet. For the managers and operators of these establishments, CBD is often a movement even more than it is a cannabinoid. Call ahead or use our store locator to make sure your local co-op carries Colorado Botanicals.
CBD Speciality Stores
Indiana state police largely targeted CBD specialty stores in 2024 raids. Many of these stores have entirely shut down, and others carry significantly reduced selections of CBD products. Don’t count on Indiana CBD stores to even be in business still, but try to support your local economy if you find them on the Colorado Botanicals store locator.
Vape Shops
Vape shops were also targeted in the Indiana 2024 CBD raids. Given that Indiana State Police have been raiding these shops for THC even before 2024, it would be very dubious to count on any remaining vape stores carrying high-quality CBD products.
Grocery Stores
In many states that are friendly to hemp, grocery stores carry CBD products. Given Indiana’s stance on CBD, though, it’s unlikely that any big-box retailers or supermarkets in the state still carry hemp — if they ever did.
Are CBD Gummies Legal in Indiana?
The legal status of CBD gummies in Indiana is the same as it is for all other CBD products. Finding CBD gummies nearby in Indiana might be made difficult, however, by the state’s recent stance on CBD and cannabis law in general.
Are Delta-9 Gummies Legal in Indiana?
Gummies containing delta 9 THC are only legal in Indiana if they contain less than 0.3% THC. Even then, don’t count on brick-and-mortar retailers to carry any edible CBD products. Your best bet, as with all things CBD in Indiana, is shopping online.
Is Delta-10 Legal in Indiana?
Indiana has famously banned delta-8 products, but this ban does not extend to delta-8’s fellow THC analogue, delta-10. Though intoxicating, this cannabinoid is fully legal in Indiana.
Is CBN Legal in Indiana?Â
Indiana does not have an official stance on cannabinol (CBN), a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in hemp. Therefore, as long as CBN oil and other products containing this cannabinoid also include less than 0.3% THC, they are good to go in Indiana. The same applies to CBG oil, which contains cannabigerol.
FAQs
Can I buy CBD oil online in Indiana?
Yes, anyone in Indiana can buy CBD online. The state’s regulations on CBD apply only to purchases made in the state. Legally speaking, purchases made online do not take place in Indiana, even if you are in Indiana when you make them.
Can I buy CBD products without a prescription in Indiana?
Yes, a doctor’s prescription is not required to purchase CBD products in Indiana. Doctors in Indiana can prescribe CBD for certain conditions, though.
Is marijuana-derived CBD legal in IN?
CBD is only legal in Indiana if it contains less than 0.3% THC. If it contains more than this amount, it is considered “marijuana-derived” and is illegal.
Can I take CBD across state lines from Indiana?
Yes, carrying substances like CBD over state lines is protected under the US Constitution. Whether you’re headed for North Carolina, Florida, or any other American state, you can even fly with CBD given the TSA’s new stance on hemp and cannabis.
Is there a difference between hemp and marijuana CBD in Indiana?
Yes, Indiana state law makes a distinction between CBD derived from hemp and CBD derived from marijuana. This distinction ultimately boils down to the same 0.3% THC threshold observed on the federal level.
The Bottom Line: Buying CBD in Indiana
Whether you’re personally in critical need or you’re just buying CBD for dogs, getting your hands on hemp of any kind is getting increasingly difficult in Indiana. With it even being possible to sign up for a CBD subscription box online and never worry about your CBD needs ever again, many Hoosiers are opting to avoid their state’s tumultuous local market, enjoying the improved quality and variety available online instead.