Is CBD Oil Pennsylvania Legal – Find Out Here [2021 Update]

While, over the years, researchers have found CBD to have a lot of health benefits, regulations about weed are different from state to state, including Keystone State.

When it comes to Pennsylvania, the exciting bit is that medical marijuana became legal in Pennsylvania before CBD oil ever did. Pennsylvania legalized medical marijuana in April 2016 and initiated a medical marijuana program. A couple of months later, in July 2016, the Industrial Hemp Research Act came into effect and legalized the production of hemp as well as CBD oil.

Even more impressive, though medical marijuana was legalized before CBD in this state, retail shops were already selling CBD oil since 2015. Medical marijuana also became availed to the residents of the state in February 2018 through the medical marijuana program. However, the CBD oil products being sold in Pennsylvania at the time were imported from other states that had legalized the production.

Is CBD oil Legal in Pennsylvania?

Thankfully, yes! CBD is legal to sell, buy, and use in Pennsylvania. However, there is a catch – the oil has to be derived from industrial hemp.

CBD has sometimes been considered illegal since 1970. This resulted from the Federal Controlled Substance Act categorizing all types of cannabis as Schedule I drugs, including hemp. This restricted CBD freedom because being in this category meant that it was defined as a substance that could potentially be abused, could cause addiction, and not accepted for any medical use. And for the longest time, CBD in Pennsylvania and other states weren’t legal. 

Therefore, the act stood in the way of any research that could help prove the benefits of using cannabis. The passing of the Hemp Farm Bill in 2014 was the beginning of change. The Bill recognized the difference between low-THC yet high-CBD type cannabis and marijuana.

The Bill defined marijuana as a substance with more than 0.3% THC and hemp-derived CBD less than 0.3% THC by weight. President Donald Trump then signed the 2018 Hemp Farm Bill in December 2019, which removed hemp from the Controlled Substance list. 

Under this law, hemp, as well as hemp-derived products, is eligible for growth, processing, and usage. Luckily, Pennsylvania has fully embraced the ruling on hemp; hence they don’t consider it a Schedule 1 drug and have made CBD products in Pennsylvania legal. 

The ruling also required that CBD oil and other hemp-derived products, follow all the provisions provided by the FDA and federal law. Hence, any CBD products sold in Pennsylvania is required to contain less than or 0.3% THC. THC, also known as tetrahydrocannabinol, is responsible for the ‘high’ caused by cannabis.

However, it’s not all beds and roses in PA because there are still some murky spots about the legality of products containing CBD oil. Though the state-enforced the Bill, the legality of CBD products in this state is determined by the variety of the cannabis plant they are derived from.

The state requires that CBD derived from the hemp to be extracted and sold to users be cultivated through the PA’s industrial hemp pilot program. The state statutory code, section 3.701 to 710, permitted the pilot program initiative to grow industrial hemp.

Though it is assumed that the pilot program is more of a formality, you are legally free to buy and use CBD products derived from hemp anywhere within the state. You don’t even require a doctor’s prescription to purchase CBD oil.

Only qualified patients with a doctor’s prescription are allowed to use CBD oil sourced from cannabis. This is because Pennsylvania upholds guidelines that require CBD cannabis oil to follow the guidelines pertaining to medical marijuana since 2016.

Recreational use of cannabis in PA is, however, still considered illegal in the state. If you are found in possession of recreational marijuana, you risk a fine of $500 and 13 months of jail time. You are also required to be 18 years and older to use CBD hemp oil.

However, due to restrictions by in-store policies in a bid to conform to norms and laws, some shops can push the age limit to 21 years. Hence, to be on the safe side, have your ID ready just in case you walk into a store that requires you to avail one.

Thanks to Governor Tom Wolf, who signed Senate Bill 3 into law in 2017, Pennsylvania became the 24^th state to adopt medical marijuana legislation. As of February 2018, dispensaries had started selling medical marijuana products to patients with prescriptions.

Rachel Levine, the Health Secretary in Pennsylvania, approved to expand the dispensary option menus in April 2018 to include marijuana flower based on the idea that it could be vaporized because the Bill outlawed smoking.

The state Department of Health also authorized several health conditions that qualified for medical marijuana use and declared that patients needed to present a medical marijuana license from a doctor to the authorized dispensaries. The Department of Health went a step further in June 2019 and launched the first-in-the-nation medical marijuana research program. The program intends to partner with about eight clinical registrants with universities that have been approved to conduct clinical research on the medical conditions qualified by the state. Since then Pennsylvania CBD remains easily accessible.

Why You Should Buy CBD Oil Pennsylvania Online?

Online sellers have been selling CBD oil for a couple of years now, even though it was only made legal in 2019. The Bill also makes CBD products permitted in most states, even those that have banned cannabis oil.

With online CBD oil shopping, you will not only get your oil delivered right to your doorstep but also enjoy the benefits of online shopping. For instance, you will be exposed to all sorts of CBD oil brands, unlike only a limited number of products and brands if you opt to shop online.

With online shopping, you also have the chance to choose a brand you can trust. The online world is vast and allows you to do your homework as extensively as possible. You will be able to pick out a few trustworthy brands that never compromise on their quality.

You will also find more CBD product options online than you will in local shops. While looking for CBD oil, you may also want to try topicals, edibles, and even pet products. On top of that, purchasing CBD oil online is both safe and discreet.

You will also be able to make sure that the product contains no more than 0.3%, is organic and non-GMO. Third-party lab results and online reviews will help you make sure that you are buying from a reliable brand.

Where to Buy CBD Oil in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania residents who have been diagnosed with conditions qualified by the state are required to obtain a medical marijuana card. Only patients with medical marijuana cards for the listed medical conditions by the state are allowed to purchase CBD in Pennsylvania from state-licensed dispensaries.

However, usual residents can purchase hemp-derived CBD products from brick-and-mortar shops within Pennsylvania. You can find Pennsylvania CBD in the form of oils, capsules, tinctures, and edibles sold in vape stores, head shops, and food shops within the state.

While you can still order your CBD from online retailers, you can find CBD shops for hemp-derived CBD products in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Erie, Allentown, Upper Darby, Reading, Scranton, Lancaster, Bethlehem, Millcreek, Altoona, Harrisburg, York, Haverford, Wilkes-Barre, State College, Penn Hills, Lower Paxton, Norristown, and Hempfield.

Final Thoughts

Pennsylvania is definitely one of the few states to accept CBD oil products. In this state, CBD oil derived from hemp can be used as a therapeutic product and as a medical remedy to treat and relieve physical and mental ailments. While CBD products are easily accessible in Pennsylvania, we recommend that you always read the guidelines before purchasing to make sure the THC remains within the limit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources

• 2020 PENNSYLVANIA HEMP PERMIT APPLICATION
• General Permit Standards and Requirements for Hemp

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