This is a question that most people ask when they start considering whether to incorporate CBD into their healthy living routine. Is CBD legal? The concern is understandable since the issue of legality is still shrouded with confusion and misinformation, especially because different states and countries have different laws regulating the cannabis sector.
If you reside in the US, then you are lucky, since following the 2018 hemp bill, all CBD products with less than 0.3% THC are completely legal. But what happens when you go abroad? Do the same laws apply? Absolutely not.
In this article, we will mention some of the countries in the world where CBD is entirely legal. But before that, let’s start with the basics:
What’s The Legality Difference Between Hemp And Marijuana?
Before we delve deeper into the legality of CBD, it is crucial to understand that the law treats hemp and marijuana differently. This means that, while hemp-derived CBD may be legal in your country, it doesn’t necessarily mean that marijuana-derived CBD is legal too.
Hemp and marijuana both come from the same family plant; cannabis. So as you can imagine, these plants have a lot of similarities.
According to Tom Melton, deputy director of NC State Extension, the two plants even look and smell the same.
However, when it comes to chemical composition, effects, and in extension, legality, hemp, and marijuana are completely different plants.
While hemp contains less than 0.3% THC, marijuana may contain up to 30% THC.
What in the world is THC? THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is the other most common cannabinoid (chemical compounds existing naturally in cannabis) after CBD. It is the psychoactive compound in the marijuana plant.
In short, THC will get you high, but CBD won’t get you high.
So, in other words, cannabis with less than 0.3% THC is considered hemp while cannabis with more than 0.3% THC is considered marijuana
Legality Of CBD in The US
As mentioned earlier, following the 2018 hemp bill, hemp-derived CBD is legal in all of the 50 United States.
This means that you can legally sell, possess, cultivate, and transport hemp-derived CBD across state lines.
The same cannot be said about marijuana-derived CBD. This is because although some states have legalized its use, marijuana is still a banned substance according to federal laws.
If you live in the following states, however, you’re in luck since they allow the use of both medical and recreational marijuana:
- California
- Maine
- Colorado
- Alaska
- Nevada
- Massachusetts
- Washington
- Nevada
- Vermont
- Oregon
- Michigan
It’s only a matter of time before all forms of cannabis are entirely legal in the whole of the US.
What Happens When You Move Out Of the US?
Although you might be living in a state where CBD is legal, it is crucial to note that the moment you leave that state or country, you are no longer governed by those rules and you must comply with your new area of residence.
Legality Of CBD Around The World
Although there are still some countries that want nothing to do with any form of cannabis products, it is clear that the world is slowly appreciating the benefits of CBD to their health.
However, the rules governing the use of cannabis are different for each country.
Generally, most countries around the world have decriminalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes. However, there are countries that have legalized both medical and recreational marijuana. Still, there are some countries, especially in Asia and Africa, where possession of cannabis (whether hemp or marijuana) can land you in jail.
That said, the following countries allow the use of both recreational and medical cannabis:
- Canada
- Spain
- Uruguay
- Georgia
- US (previously mentioned nine states plus DC)
When it comes to medical use of CBD (marijuana or hemp), the list becomes longer:
- Greece
- Poland
- Israel
- UK
- Peru
- Italy
- Holland
- Columbia
- Australia
- Chile
- Canada
CBD Laws in Europe
In Europe, CBD laws are slightly different from those of the US.
According to the European Union, CBD is perfectly legal in Europe as long as it does not contain more than 0.2% THC.
Still, this does not mean that you can freely carry your CBD from one country to another. This is because different nations have varying legal policies regulating the use of cannabis products, and the European Union has little control over this.
For instance, in Italy, CBD with up to 0.6% THC is legal. On the other hand, countries such as Hungary, Bulgaria, Cyprus, etc. only allow 0.2% THC in CBD products.
There are other countries such as the Czech Republic where 0.3% THC is allowed.
Still, there are some European Countries that allow CBD use but only with a doctor’s prescription. These countries include:
- Slovakia (Where CBD is actually listed as a group 2 psychoactive narcotics)
- Austria
- Finland
- Germany
- Portugal
What does this mean? This means that you might want to understand the policies of the country you are traveling to as the laws may not always be the same.
So Is CBD Legal Worldwide?
We may not be able to list all the countries where CBD is legal or not, but by this breakdown, we can see that although CBD is being used all over the world, some countries still have strong stances against any cannabis product.
Even in countries where CBD use is legal, the policies differ drastically.
So to answer your question, no, CBD is not legal everywhere.
Do not assume that just because CBD is legal in your country, you can always pack it and travel with it anywhere in the world.
Piece of advice? Always read and understand the policies regulating CBD use in the country or state you are planning to fly to.
This content is a joint venture between our publication and our partner. We do not endorse any product or service in the article.
