LEGAL HISTORY
CBD has a long and rich history with mankind. Humans have been cultivating cannabis since almost 4000 years BCE. In 1533, scientists and physicians began studying the medical benefits of cannabis. In the mid-1950s, when scientists could extract cannabidiol and prove that CBD is a non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant, the study and subsequent legal battle for CBD began. Now, almost 6000 years since the cannabis cultivation, it is now legal in all 50 states of the US and the FDA has begun to review CBD as a medicine.
Hemp-Based Replacements
Cannabis is not illegal because it can get you high, but because in the 1930s, big industry lobbied the government to outlaw hemp in any form because it directly threatened their long-established business models with its extremely-efficient applications in paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, paint, biofuel, agriculture and animal feed, building materials including insulation, and medication among others.
Now, hemp cultivation is still largely prohibited, but 26 states have passed legislation for specific research or commercial production of hemp. These states are paving the highway to the future by spreading awareness that hemp is an incredibly valuable resource for humanity and many of our current global problems could be solved by implementing hemp-based replacements for standard practices, including:
Agricultural Act of 2014
The Agricultural Act of 2014, also known as the 2014 Farm Bill, was essentially a pilot program for the hemp industry by legalizing core cultivation activities that have since enabled the hemp industry to grow in remarkable ways.
A Bright Future
In December of 2018, the House and Senate passed – and President Trump signed – the new 2018 Farm Act. (1)
The Act removes hemp – officially defined as cannabis plants containing less than .3% THC – from the Schedule 1 Controlled Substances list from a Congressional standpoint.
A few days after the Farm Bill went into law, the FDA issued a statement stating any hemp-based CBD product that is marketed as having therapeutic benefits or as a dietary supplement is illegal to sell unless the FDA has reviewed and approved it.
While still considered a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance by the DEA, CBD is "considered same" as any other agricultural commodity from a federal viewpoint, making it legal to grow and purchase in the United States.