The Hemp Farming Act of 2018 legalized all industrial hemp and industrial hemp-derived products containing no more than 0.3 % THC. Oils, tinctures, topicals, and even some infused edibles are among the available products in this class. The US Department of Agriculture is in charge of enforcing rules and regulations pertaining to food safety and quality.
While the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) retains control over the addition of hemp-derived CBD to food products, it will no longer be able to market or regulate CBD labeling or therapeutic claims.
In this article, we will take a look at the legality of CBD in Virginia.
Is CBD Legal In Virginia?
Despite Virginia’s strict marijuana laws, hemp has long piqued the state’s interest. The state of Virginia in 1997 passed House Joint Resolution 565. According to this resolution, a six-member subcommittee is appointed to investigate the economic benefits of industrial hemp production in the state, as well as the obstacles that stand in its way.
When HJ 656 was a success, in 1999, HJ 94 was passed to commemorate the Secretary of Agriculture, DEA Director, and ONC Director for allowing controlled experimental industrial hemp cultivation in Virginia. At the time, federal law prohibited the cultivation of hemp, but by handing control of the program over to federal agencies, hemp cultivation was made legal under certain conditions.
More industrial hemp cultivation legislation was introduced in the following years to further define the new program. House Bill 699, passed in 2016, clarified several aspects of the program, including the fact that anyone with a license cannot be prosecuted for cultivating, manufacturing, processing, selling, or distributing industrial hemp products, and authorized the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services to adopt regulations regarding a licensing program.
Despite being passed in 2018, House Bill 532 did not meet the requirements of the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, so it was quickly followed up by Senate Bill 247, which replaced the current licensing system and ensured that Virginia met the requirements of the Hemp Farming Act. The Virginia Plan to Regulate Hemp Production was submitted to the USDA on January 15, 2020, and is currently being reviewed.
Where Can You Legally Buy CBD In Virginia?
Five licensed pharmaceutical processors offer CBD oil in Virginia. Before the 2018 Hemp Farming Act was passed, you needed an industrial hemp grower, dealer, or processor license to own any hemp-derived CBD products. CBD products derived from hemp are now legal in all fifty states and can be purchased at any standard brick-and-mortar store or online without restriction.