Dear Mary Jane - Why Are Ohio CBD Oil Laws and Regulations So Confusing?
Dear Mary Jane,
I went to my local store to buy my usual CBD oil and found it no longer there. Since then I have been told that CBD oil is no longer legal in Ohio if it is derived from a HEMP plant, but CBD oil derived from a MARIJUANA plant is legal in Ohio? How can this be true?
Signed,
Ken Fused
How does Marijuana CBD Oil differ from Hemp CBD Oil?
Dear Ken,
You are asking a really good question which confuses everyone from Ohio citizens to its lawmakers! Turns out there are two different kinds of CBD oil. One is extracted from the hemp plant, marijuana’s cousin. Throughout history, hemp plant products have been commonly used for industrial purposes such as to produce rope, soap. oils, paper, and fabric. The hemp plant contains 3-5% CBD and .3% THC, whereas the marijuana plant contains 18-20% CBD and much higher levels of THC. (Up to 87% these days!)
It is important to note that the weaker, less potent CBD derived from Cousin Hemp is not subject to any medical research or testing standards like the CBD extracted from specially bred marijuana plants. CBD oils extracted from marijuana have been tested (along with elements like THC, CBDv, CBDN, CBG, CBC, etc) and proven effective for over 24 diseases and illnesses ranging from autism to Parkinson’s disease to nausea to tumor reduction. This explains why the marijuana plant has been used for a wide range of medicinal purposes for centuries, all over the world, in its multiple forms.
As hemp-derived CBD products gain recent popularity, it is important for consumers not to be taken advantage of. There are numerous commercial brands and claimed uses for hemp derived CBD. However, there is no required standards for ingredients, potency, or safety. This even concerns the FDA who are trying to set up consistent, effective and safe standards right now.
Unfortunately, Ohio has a nonsensical law specifying that “ALL CBD PRODUCTS” must now be purchased in one of Ohio’s newly licensed dispensaries since medical marijuana just become legal. Anywhere else in our country, citizens can buy hemp-derived CBD oils and products right at their local markets or online. This concerns our legislature. However, until Ohio changes this law and lifts this ban (which is being addressed right now by our lawmakers), residents will remain confused and uncertain what products to buy, from where, in which form, for what purposes.