CBD Oil, is it Legal? It’s complicated – CBD Oil Lawyer

CBD Oil, is it Legal? It’s complicated – CBD Oil Houston Lawyer

What is CBD Oil?

CBD oil (cannabidiol) is one of over 113 known cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. What it lacks in psychoactive effects, it makes up for in health benefits and can assist in treating such ailments as: seizures, anxiety, depression, arthritis, sleep deprivation and PTSD. To date, CBD Oil remains unregulated by the Food and Drug Administration causing wide discrepancies in the product’s ingredients and quality. This matters, because it is how the oil is processed that impacts its legality.

Is CBD Oil Legal?

Before diving into the legality of CBD Oil under both federal and state law, we must understand how the two regulatory bodies interact. Federal law applies to the nation as a whole, whereas state law applies only to that particular state. Simple enough.

The supremacy clause says that if federal and state laws clash, federal law prevails. So, if a there is a contradiction between federal and state law, when you are in the state you can follow the state law, but the feds can still pick you up if the activity is illegal under federal law.

What Is CBD Oil legal under Federal Law?

Yes, if it is produced within federal guidelines. For CBD oil to fall within the DEA’s guidelines it must “consist solely of parts of the cannabis plant excluded from the Controlled Substance Act of marijuana.” That is, it must come from the “mature stalks of such plant, fiber produced from such stalks, oil or . . . and other . . . derivative, mixture, or preparation of such mature stalks.”

What Is CBD Oil legal under Texas Law?

CBD is legal at the state level where marijuana is legal for recreational use (e.g. Alaska, California, Colorado, DC, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont). Twenty-nine states (and counting) have made marijuana legal for medicinal use in various quantities and CBD is also considered legal under those state laws, irrespective of the THC content of the source of the oil. Remember though, under federal law there are strict guidelines, so the CBD oil with higher concentrations of THC may be legal in Colorado, but illegal under federal law.

Is CBD Oil Legal in Texas?

No, unless you fall within the qualifications set by the Compassionate Use Act. That is:

• You possess CBD Oil in conformity with Texas State Law (made from the mature stalks of the Cannabis sativa plant); or
• You are prescribed the use of medical CBD oil and
• You use “low-THC” CBD.

Texas defines “low-THC cannabis” as having no more than 0.5% THC. In contrast, the feds define “low-THC cannabis” as having no more than 0.3% THC.

If you don’t fall within this exemption then possession of CBD oil containing any amount of THC is against Texas law and you could be punished up to 180 days in jail and/or up to a $2000 fine. That being said, our Houston CBD Oil Lawyers have received phone calls from persons accused of possessing CBD Oil who have initially been charged with felonies. This is because authorities are often unsure what the oil is.

In the end, be careful out there. Know what you are purchasing and even more importantly know what you are putting in your body. CBD Oil made from the mature stalks of the Cannabis sativa plant are likely in conformity with both Federal and Texas State law. If you choose to indulge, look for a products advertised as “industrial hemp” or “mature hemp.”