Marijuana is a controversial plant that can be grown in as fast as two months and in most climates. Some enthusiastic growers have even found creative ways to make it thrive indoors, especially during the time recreational CBD was banned in all American states.
Scope
In this article, we hope to leave you with answers to some questions about this plant.
- What is THC, and how does this figure in the legality of CBD?
- In what states is it legal to use CBD oil?
- Is CBD oil legal in Colorado?
- What are the requirements if I want to sell hemp products like CBD oil?
- What is Full Spectrum CBD oil?
Marijuana will continue to be a hot topic for years to come, and we hope to answer the legal questions surrounding this in the United States, especially for people interested in purchasing CBD oil.
What is Cannabis Sativa?
Marijuana, or Cannabis sativa as it is scientifically called, is a plant that has been cultivated by people around the world for centuries. The fiber from the plant has been used in Asia for fabrics, and the ancients were able to include its products in their rituals to prompt people into trances. Although it can be taken both as food and drug, today, its most prevalent use in popular culture is through smoking buds in rolled-up joints to attain a heightened state of mind. People have been known to practice this both for casual and therapeutic purposes.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the principal psychoactive component of Cannabis sativa. In 2018, President Donald Trump signed the Farm Bill (Agriculture Improvement Act), which mandated that only hemp products containing a 0.3 percent potency of THC or less can be traded in the market. This was the noted quantity of THC for safe use, although there has yet to be a recorded incident of THC overdose. A 1972 experiment even tested the toxicity of THC for dogs and monkeys and found no significant adverse effects.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that having a bad reaction to marijuana is unlikely. It would be more reasonable to expect those who consume its products for recreational purposes to die from fatal accidents while under the influence than by the properties of CBD alone. At present, medical marijuana exists in several dietary supplements and other CBD products not only in the US market but all over the world.
CBD Oil
Cannabidiol, or CBD oil, is a hemp-derived chemical that only presents minor amounts of THC. It is a hemp product widely used for the treatment of seizures, chronic pain, and anxiety. A relatively new drug, under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, it can only be considered legal if tested to confirm not more than 0.3 percent of THC content.
THC is only one of the cannabinoids present in the hemp plant. Full-spectrum CBD oil refers to oil derived from hemp that contains more cannabinoids apart from THC. At least one study has found this type of CBD product more helpful in treating inflammation where other derived CBD hemp is usually applied.
Is Marijuana Legal in the US?
Because of the hardy nature of the plant and its many practical uses, it became a staple in many cultures in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The legal restrictions for the possession and the use of marijuana for whatever purposes only began in the 20th century, following earlier bans on major drugs like opium and heroin.
Many advocates for the legalization of marijuana over the years have seen the ban as a political act meant to control the movements of immigrants. CBD’s very consideration as an illegal drug has been a heavy subject matter for debate in several countries.
American CBD regulations
In the United States, the illegality of the recreational use of CBD products began with the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, which monitored the importation, cultivation, possession, and/or distribution of the controversial plant. It took three-thirds of a century before the first US territories finally legalized its recreational use once again when Colorado and Washington passed initiatives to amend their laws.
In the State of Colorado, recreational marijuana was legalized via Amendment 64 passed in November of 2012. As early as only three years after, the number of teens who used hemp for recreational purposes was even seen to decrease, despite the warnings from oppositions of the popular initiative. CBD in Colorado has since been welcomed by citizens with the opening of shops, with some residents even deciding to grow their own industrial hemp.
Is Hemp Oil legal in Colorado?
Amendment 64 has made CBD legal in Colorado. Under federal law, marijuana persists as an illegal substance under Schedule I, the same classification for drugs like heroin, codeine, and morphine. To declassify marijuana as a controlled substance, its medical value must first be proven through government-mandated clinical trials. But even today, it is perfectly okay to buy CBD products over the counter in stores like Walgreens, especially in states like Colorado that have legalized its use.
CBD oil in Colorado has even proven to be quite popular. The presence of CBD infused in several food products, and even lotions attest to its demand, and these items can be bought in both brick and mortar stores and online.
Epidiolex
Although the Farm Bill relaxed regulations surrounding CBD, it also affirmed the control of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over hemp-derived products like hemp oil. As of this writing, the FDA has approved only one drug consisting of CBD oil in its purified form. Epidiolex is a CBD oil used as an oral solution to treat the Lennox-Gastaut (LGS) and Dravet syndromes. These are extremely rare forms of epilepsy, with only 4 percent of persons with epilepsy classified as having LGS, and Epidiolex has been seen to improve the quality of life of patients significantly.
Those wanting to buy CBD oil in Colorado have chosen medical marijuana as an alternative to pharmaceuticals. Epidiolex, being hemp-derived, has made it a popular choice for parents of children with LGS. This is true for citizens of other states that have also decriminalized its use, that there is no license needed in Oklahoma for oil derived from industrial hemp.
Do you need a license to sell CBD products in Colorado?
Growing industrial hemp and selling CBD products are two different matters that require their own registrations. For industrial hemp growers, the license may be acquired from the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), while for businesses, registration must be filed at the Colorado State Licensing Authority. Engaging in the hemp oil business assumes that you already have suppliers who grow CBD in Colorado. These hemp farmers must have their own commercial registration from the CDA before entities are recommended to apply for their own licenses.
Application requirements
The considerations for retail applicants for CBD in Colorado are similar to those already observed in other states like Michigan. For example, you cannot be allowed to sell hemp products if you work at any government office at both the local and the national level. You will also be rejected if you have had an illegal substance-related conviction in the past decade before your application. Background checks will be conducted by the state, so there is no use concealing this information when the form is filled out. Also, and as to be reasonably expected, applicants must be at least 21 years of age and must have been residing in the state of Colorado for at least two years prior.
Those seeking to sell CBD in Colorado are also tasked to check with their own localities for other requirements needed to proceed. There are also different classifications for retail licenses, with the most basic one being the Retail Marijuana Store license.
Conclusion
As long as you are older than 21, it is perfectly legal to buy CBD and other hemp products in Colorado. Provided that the THC content is never more than 0.3 percent, full-spectrum CBD oil and other CBD products are legal to purchase not just in Colorado but also in other states that have decriminalized CBD. More American states have legalized medical marijuana than the 11 states that have legalized its use for non-medicinal purposes, and these are Alaska, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
With its existence in nature, the illegality of marijuana has long been seen as a political issue. Today, as CBD becomes more normalized in nations like the United States, the outlook for this natural product is positive even as conservative countries continue to ban its mere possession. The relaxation of laws can pave the way for more scientific studies around this plant to hopefully uncover more of its benefits that the ancients have enjoyed before modern times. For now, those who find the need for CBD products can find refuge in places that now allow its sale at the nearest health food stores so they can alleviate symptoms of depression and find relief for the pain.
