When the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 was passed, hemp products were legalized in the United States, and each state had the power to create a framework for the hemp and hemp-derived products they’d allow. So what’s the legal status of CBD in Florida. Many law changes have taken place in Florida, but we now have a reasonably firm set of regulations that businesses and individuals can abide by

If you’re new to Florida or don’t yet know the intricacies of CBD laws in the state, take note of some of the following information.

Legal Status of CBD in Florida

The Hemp Farming Act 2018 wasn’t a free-for-all act that allowed all businesses and individuals to use and consume hemp products to their heart’s content. Instead, it allowed responsible companies and manufacturers like Joy Organics to operate within the confines of new laws to ensure everyday Floridians could legally access the health products they desired.

The act made industrial hemp cultivation federally legal and paved the way for a legal distinction between marijuana and hemp. Hemp is cannabis that contains less than 0.3% THC by dry weight, whereas marijuana is cannabis with more than 0.3% THC.

In Florida and every other state, the US Food and Drug Administration can also regulate therapeutic claims, CBD labeling, and CBD as a food additive. However, there is still some confusion in the market since it hasn’t yet revised its rules on CBD product regulation.

Low-THC CBD Oil Is Legal for Qualifying Patients

Even before former President Donald Trump signed the Hemp Farming Act 2018, Florida was already making its own CBD laws. In 2014, Florida lawmakers legalized low-THC CBD oil for medical marijuana patients who qualified for it and were registered in the state program.

This medical marijuana program allowed those with terminal illnesses, seizures, cancer, and muscle spasms to purchase, possess, and use medical cannabis with 10% or more CBD and up to 0.8% THC, as long as their doctor approved.

CBD-Specific Laws in Florida Are Evolving

For a few years now, we’ve been able to purchase a wide variety of hemp-derived products like gummies, tinctures, lotions, and balms, and Florida has spent a lot of time making sure their laws suit as many people as possible.

In July 2019, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 1020, which expanded on the laws defined within the Hemp Farming Act. This senate bill explicitly legalized hemp and described it as a plant with less than 0.3% THC by dry weight to align with the federal standard.

SB 1020 also outlined the laws around hemp extracts and defined any substance from legal hemp plants that don’t contain controlled substances as legal. As a result, hemp-derived cannabinoids were officially no longer controlled substances in 2019.

However, all CBD businesses that grow and make hemp and its extracts must apply for a state license. Those products must also undergo testing with an independent licensed laboratory to certify that they don’t have contaminants and contain no more than 0.3% THC.

All state laws are different, which is why it can be so important to find out CBD laws for the state you plan on visiting or living in. Ensure you’re aware of all Florida’s CBD laws before purchasing high-quality CBD products from reputable suppliers and manufacturers.