Federal confusion about CBD and hemp is giving state lawmakers in three of the most conservative parts of the country a reason to back cannabis legislation that addresses the cannabidiol conundrum.
Indiana’s Senate voted this week to legalize all CBD oil products in Indiana that contain up to 0.3% THC, Indianapolis TV station WTHR reported.
The bill was expanded from 0% THC after confusion about CBD’s legal status prompted police citations followed by official apologies.
Another Midwestern state, Missouri, is taking another look at authorizing hemp production.
According to Missourinet, hemp legislation now has the backing of the Missouri Farm Bureau after failing in the state last year.
And in Georgia, where some epilepsy patients can possess CBD oil but no one can make it, a state House committee gave unanimous approval this week to a bill to allow limited cannabis cultivation, The (Macon) Telegraph reported.
Georgia’s governor, Republican Nathan Deal, opposes cannabis cultivation for CBD oil.
But Republican House Speaker David Ralston joined lawmakers in other conservative states in calling on Congress to resolve the confusion.
Though Congress has authorized hemp production since 2014, the Drug Enforcement Administration says that CBD oil derived from hemp remains illegal, an interpretation being challenged next month in federal court.
“Maybe it’s time that the emphasis be put on Washington as opposed to the state level,” Ralston said.
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