Is CBD legal everywhere?

Nowadays, it is very common to hear about the use and benefits of cannabidiol, also known as CBD, which is one of the substances presents in flowers from the cannabis family, but which provides a more therapeutic effect. 

While CBD has become a somewhat famous substance for the benefits of Hemp flower, there is currently confusion as to whether this compound is legal or illegal worldwide. With this in mind, we will be talking a lot more about the legality of CBD around the world. 

Why is there confusion about the legality of CBD? 

There is currently a great deal of confusion regarding the legality of CBD, and it is because, in effect, the substance is not legal in all countries or those that claim to have it legally classify it into different classes for use. 

While cannabidiol is a substance of cannabis Sativa, most laws related to the plant separate it into two subclasses, depending on the amount of THC in the plant. These subclasses are marijuana and hemp. 

In most national laws, cannabis with more than 0.3% THC is considered marijuana. Hemp, on the other hand, is any cannabis plant with generally less than 0.3% THC. CBD can be extracted from both hemp and marijuana, but we can see that depending on which subclass is extracted, we find less THC, the illegal substance in cannabis. 

On the other hand, CBD derived from hemp or marijuana can be divided into three main categories: fully legal, medicinal, and strictly controlled, and this is what creates some confusion as to the legality of CBD. 

Is Hemp flower a drug?

Hemp flower is a variety of cannabis, so if it is considered a drug, however, hemp flower has a better amount of THC than marijuana, and this is what differentiates one from the other, and the effects that these can have. 

Hemp flowers do not contain a large amount of psychoactive THC, but they do contain cannabidiol (CBD) and more and more studies show its positive effects on the immune system. It is effective for insomnia, stress, anxiety, digestive problems, headaches, joint pain, and respiratory diseases.

In which US states is it legal to sell and consume CBD?

As mentioned before, CBD has different classifications of use in most US states. However, currently, 47 US states have laws that allow the use of CBD as well as medical marijuana. 

We will now talk about the categories that CBD presents to be used, which are three. The first category is the one in which CBD is allowed to be used even for recreational purposes. On the other hand, the second category, and it is the one that most of the entities have, is the use of CBD for medicinal purposes. And finally, we have the category in which CBD is much more controlled and is usually illegal. 

 

Below we will tell you which US states fall into each category:

• Legalized CBD for all uses: Alaska, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Maine, Northern Marianas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington. Indian reservations of Flandreau Santee Sioux (South Dakota), Suquamish (Washington), Squaxing Island (Washington).
• CBD legalized for medicinal purposes: Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, North Dakota, Delaware, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Utah, West Virginia. Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
• Illegal: Idaho, U.S. Virgin Islands, Nebraska, South Dakota, American Samoa.

In which other countries is CBD legal?

In addition to the USA, where most of its states have CBD legally, nowadays this substance is legally consumed in many other countries, which we will tell you about below: 

In Europe, medical cannabidiol can be consumed legally in countries such as Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Holland, Romania, Spain, and Italy. In addition, CBD is legal in the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, and Switzerland and is not considered a controlled substance.

As for Latin America, certain countries have largely legalized CBD, such as Uruguay, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, and Peru. 

A brief history of the CBD legal discussion

The legal status of cannabis consumption referring to the use of cannabis as an addictive substance has been and is the subject of debate and controversy for decades in the world. However, taking into account that different studies have confirmed the therapeutic properties of CBD, since the 20th century there have been discussions about the legalization of CBD for medical use and beauty products. 

As we have seen, although cannabis is not legal in most countries of the world, the substance found in cannabis and considered medicinal, called CBD, has been legalized in different countries over the years, and this thanks to the great benefits it has been confirmed to have for the human body.