Although the 2018 Farm Bill technically legalized hemp and hemp-derived cannabinoids across the United States (including CBD oil in Ohio), individual states are making up their own minds about these products. Rather than get into trouble by accident, it’s always a good idea to read up on laws in your particular state.
While some states are open to CBD products and cannabis in general, others are barely allowing CBD on the shelves – even though CBD is entirely non-intoxicating.
If you live in the Buckeye State and are wondering about getting your hands on some quality CBD oil, then you’re in luck. A recent turn of events has placed the odds in your favor. So, let’s find out what’s really going on with CBD oil in Ohio.
General Cannabis Laws in Ohio
In September of 2019, House Bill 523 (HB 523) was passed into law. This law allowed the use of medical marijuana for qualifying patients over the age of 21. The list of qualifying conditions is actually fairly long, but the truth is that getting a medical marijuana card in Ohio is pretty difficult.
Although the bill is in place, the Ohio medical cannabis program has a lot of issues that need sorting. For example, the first dispensaries didn’t open until January 2019, and even then, there were only four dispensaries in the whole state. This means that access to cannabis has been really restricted. Nevertheless, there are plans to slowly expand.
Licensing issues are taking a while to sort out, and right now dispensaries are only selling “hemp flower.” Apparently, Ohio officials have said that more products will be available “later in 2019”, which is pretty vague.
Luckily, it is still possible to buy CBD oil in Ohio? Without a prescription, most people will have you believe you can buy hemp-derived CBD legally. While this is (mostly) true, there is a little more to the story than this.
CBD Laws in Ohio
Until recently, Ohio officials banned the sale of CBD oil in a general sense. Even CBD derived from hemp had to be sold in a licensed medical marijuana dispensary, despite the fact that CBD is not medical marijuana.
This revelation was hard on businesses who were already selling CBD, as before this point, it had never been illegal. But the Ohio Board of Pharmacy suddenly decided that residents needed a prescription.
Fortunately, this rule didn’t really work out. Although brick and mortar stores had to stop stocking CBD oils, there was seemingly no legislation preventing people from ordering online. In fact, most preferred buying CBD online in Ohio anyway because they could view third-party lab reports, read brand reviews, and research the brand before buying.
More recently, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a bill into law which legalizes hemp cultivation in the state. Farm groups have applauded this bill, which has more or less put Ohio in line with the federal government since the passage of the new Farm Bill.
Prior to this new bill, hemp was still considered a Schedule I drug, despite its lack of THC. Thankfully, state government officials have "turned a page" so to speak and it is (again) possible to buy CBD oil in Ohio.
CBD Oil For Sale in Ohio: The Guidelines
- Hemp grown in Ohio must contain less than 0.3% THC
- CBD products must contain less than 0.3% THC in order to comply with state law
- The state must keep track of where any hemp is grown
- All hemp cultivators must obtain a license from the Ohio Department of Agriculture (it is still a regulated crop)
- Anyone with a felony related to controlled substances within the last 10 years will not be allowed to grow hemp in Ohio
Where to Buy CBD Products in Ohio
Now that CBD is more or less legal in Ohio, it’s possible that it will start popping up in stores again. At the time of writing, it’s too early to tell – but it seems likely that this will be the case. With big names like CVS and Walgreens stocking CBD in other states, there is even the possibility that you might be able to find CBD in Ohio in places like this. Only time will tell.
Regardless, we still recommend ordering your CBD online. As well as the safety concerns we mentioned above (such as having the ability to view laboratory analyses for the products), it is also a general rule of thumb that the best "non-dispensary" CBD oils are from online-only manufacturers.
However, you'll want to avoid sites like Amazon, because as it appears to be against the company’s policy to sell CBD on the site. They do sell "hemp oil extracts," but take a closer look at the product description and you'll see there is no mention whatsoever of CBD or specific CBD content.
At PureKana, every one of our CBD products contains 0.3% THC or less, meaning they comply with CBD laws in Ohio. Of course, we all know how quickly these laws can change, so we'll be sure and keep you updated with any changes.
Final Thoughts: Is it Okay to Buy CBD in Ohio?
In short, it is perfectly allowed to buy CBD oil in Ohio. Thanks to the Hemp Farming Bill, residents of the state can now purchase products both online and in-store without worry.
Here at PureKana, we ship all of our CBD products - vapes, tinctures, capsules, gummies, etc - to Ohio. A few more restrictions are in place for the cultivation of hemp itself, but this is not really an issue for consumers as long as you're not planning on growing hemp for commercial purposes.
Taking a daily CBD supplement can help to support general health and well-being, and it can working alongside a healthy lifestyle to keep you in good, well-balanced shape.
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