01/13/2018
LEGALITY OF OUR PRODUCTS:
(YES - We are legal!)
Overview of H**p-Derived CBD Legality
H**p, by law required to be very low in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is the non-psychotropic version of cannabis with superfood status. In 2003, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services wrote patents on some of the cannabinoid molecules found in h**p, referring to them as "antioxidants and neuroprotectants."
Recently, h**p oils high in cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD), have gained fame due to the amazing evidence of their miraculous neuroprotective impact. Now, millions realize that these neuroprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory benefits extend to a variety of health applications, including neurological issues like mild anxiety, pain from exercise-induced inflammation, and dozens more significant issues.
Many Americans are confused over the legality of h**p because it is not available for general farming like corn or soybeans. Until 2014, only imported h**p was legal in the U.S. according to federal law. Thus, America is the largest importer of h**p products in the world, mostly from China, Canada and Europe.
There are only 3 ways to legally acquire CBD in the US:
1. Import
2. Get it from a medical ma*****na program
3. Via a domestic h**p program
How US Farm Trusted H**p Products are Legal:
The 2014 Farm Bill (Agricultural Act of 2014) changed the legal status of h**p in the U.S. Section 7606 conveyed to state Departments of Agriculture and institutions of higher learning the ability to grow, cultivate, process, and market h**p as long as research projects were conducted in accordance with corresponding state and federal laws.
While a small path to accessing this American grown superfood thus became available, it wasn't until an August, 2016, issuance of a Statement of Principles by the USDA (also co-signed by DOJ/DEA and HHS/FDA) that federal agencies had a legal basis for the broad federal acceptance of h**p. Recent clarification has removed most of the legal questions about the movement of h**p and h**p-derived products over state and international lines.
Legality of H**p & CBD products by Year:
Pre-2014
All cannabis, including h**p, is not federally approved, regulated or lawful except under DEA license as a Schedule 1 drug agricultural commodity (i.e., food).
H**p imports of material sourced from stalk and seed only had increased materially since a 2004 9th Circuit ruling where HIA won the right to import h**p products, expressly omitting inclusion of the h**p flower.
2014
US Farm Bill (Section 7606) creates a federal structure for state-level industrial h**p pilot programs engaging in growth, cultivation, and marketing. Corresponding state legislation and regulatory structure provides a federally legal architecture for low-THC h**p production.
2015
A U.S. Agricultural Appropriations Bill contains an amendment allowing for the movement of h**p plant matter, including seeds, across state lines.
Congress signs the Omnibus Act, which further protects the program by preventing federal monies from being spent to "prohibit the transportation, processing, sale or use of industrial h**p that is grown or cultivated in accordance with" Section 7606 of the U.S. Farm Bill.
2016
The USDA, in conjunction with co-signers from DEA/DOJ and FDA/HSS, issues a Statement of Principles that signify the federal acceptance of h**p.
NIFA, part of the U.S.D.A., announces that it will accept h**p-related projects for funding grants.
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) clarifies its support of h**p, h**p-derived CBD, and corresponding agricultural development for its farmers and processors.
Various other governmental actors, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, provide further written support for h**p as an agricultural commodity.
The KDA issues its 2017 Policy Guide, the nascent h**p industry's most significant regulatory guide.
2017
The 2017 Omnibus Spending Bill passes, including previous h**p language and clearly articulating state/international line transportation.
Expectations of the introduction of The H**p Farming Act of 2017 are high.
