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CBD Oil in Vermont
It is no secret that CBD (cannabidiol) is widely available for purchase and consumption throughout the United States, including within the state of Vermont. But just how legal is it to buy or consume CBD in VT? A lot of people turn to the internet’s search engines asking these very questions:
“Is CBD legal in Vermont?”
“Where / how can I buy CBD in Vermont?”
“What are the CBD laws in Vermont?”
Broadly speaking, yes, CBD is legal in Vermont. But in this cannabis conversation, it is important that we talk about the distinction between hemp and marijuana. CBD products typically come from one of two major sources: the hemp plant or the marijuana plant. Though both are cannabis plants, they differ greatly when it comes to the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
This distinction has confused many people in the past (including state and federal law enforcement agencies), but slowly and surely, a legal framework has sorted things out.
THC is the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana that gets a user “high.” Marijuana-derived products typically contain heavy amounts of THC, while hemp-derived CBD products contain very little THC and thus cannot intoxicate the user.
In most states it remains illegal for members of the general public to use or distribute products derived from marijuana. This is not entirely true in Vermont — and recreational use is also allowed. In fact, Vermont has some of the most progressive stances on cannabis in the United States: it was the first state to legalize recreational marijuana use. (Recreational marijuana became legal in Vermont after the passage of H.511; Governor Phil Scott signed the bill in to law on January 23, 2018.)
But marijuana and marijuana-derived products are still illegal at the federal level and many state controls remain in place when it comes to the commercial side of dispensing marijuana.
On the other hand, the situation is very different for hemp. CBD products that are derived from hemp and contain little THC (less than 0.3 percent according to law), were legalized at the federal level in 2018. President Donald Trump signed the Farm Bill of 2018 (Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) into law on December 20 of that same year. This removed a lot of uncertainty about the legality of a fast-emerging commercial hemp industry and it legalized industrial hemp nationwide.
So, is CBD Oil legal in Vermont?
Even after the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, the legal framework that one must navigate to understand hemp’s status can be a bit confusing. Luckily, the Green Mountain State is pretty straight forward on this matter.
Yes, CBD oil is legal in Vermont. (As Highland Pharms’ CBD products are hemp-derived, we will focus in on hemp-derived CBD in this discussion.)
Vermont recognizes hemp as an agricultural product that can be grown, processed, possessed, distributed, and commercially traded within the state. Hemp-derived CBD and products containing hemp-derived CBD oil are fully legal in Vermont and can be purchased and consumed by the general public. It is not uncommon to find hemp-derived CBD products in retail environments and convenience stores across the state.
What are the current CBD laws in Vermont?
What is ironic about Vermont is this: while today Vermont has some of the most progressive cannabis laws on the books, they were also one of the first states to ban the growing of cannabis back in 1915. Most of the recent cannabis laws passed in Vermont have been centered around the push for legal marijuana, but this has been positive for hemp as well.
Little changed on the legal cannabis front for nearly a century. But then as we entered the 2000s, a lot changed quite quickly. The state’s medical cannabis program was activated in May of 2004. Governor James Douglas did not sign Senate Bill 76, but allowed it to pass without his explicit support or disapproval. During this time period he expressed reservations about the march toward legalized recreational cannabis, but also expressed sympathy for those who sought access to cannabis for medicinal purposes, such as treatment for intractable epilepsy.
This program was supplemented with additional legislation in June of 2007 when Senate Bill 7 passed; Douglas again abstained from offering a signature or a veto on the matter.
Decriminalization efforts succeeded in June of 2013 when Governor Pete Shumlin signed HB200 into law. This bill turned marijuana possession of one ounce or less into a civil infraction, removing the threat of criminal penalty.
Recreational legalization of marijuana happened with the passage of H.511 in 2018, “An act relating to eliminating penalties for possession of limited amounts of marijuana by adults 21 years of age or older.”
The 2018 federal Farm Bill made clear that all cannabis classified as hemp is legal at the federal level. Vermont‘s current laws are in alignment with this. While the cultivation of hemp is regulated by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, there are no state laws banning the sale, possession, or use of hemp-based CBD in Vermont.
Can I purchase CBD oil in Vermont?
You can purchase CBD oil and CBD-oil-based products in many retail environments across Vermont. But did you know that you can also purchase them directly from the Highland Pharms website? You can have them shipped directly to your door, without the hassle of ever leaving home.
We hope you will take some time to browse our offerings at Highland Pharms while you are here!
Because our products are all cleanly produced from legal hemp, they are safe to ship, no matter where you reside in Vermont. We will ship to Burlington, Montpelier, Newport, Rutland, or anywhere in between! We offer hemp-derived CBD in an expansive selection of formats including drops / tinctures, capsules, gummies, creams, lotions, vape oil, and even pet treats!
And placing an order is a simple process! You are not required to submit any form of ID, doctor’s notes, or prescriptions, nor are you required to participate in state medical programs of any kind to place an order for our hemp-derived CBD products. It’s as easy as a few clicks!
SOURCES:
Vermont to allow medical marijuana (nbcnews.com)
2018 United States farm bill – Wikipedia
Hemp in Vermont: history, hype, and hope | Opinion | northstarmonthly.com
Cannabis in Vermont – Wikipedia
Vermont CBD and Marijuana Laws – [Updated 2019] (cbdeducationonline.com)