Visit any wellness center, gas station, or superstore, and the chances are, you’ll come across CBD. Oils, intoxicating edibles, and such topical creams and refreshing nitrided silvers, American stores bring such use. Also, when people are giving it out almost everywhere, you would think that buying it is as easy as buying some vitamins. And then you finally get to the cashier, and they ask for your ID. Or more often the burning question: how old do you have to be to buy CBD?
The answer is more complicated than one would assume. Be it alcohol or smoking, one statutory age does not cover everything. It all depends on the state, city, jurisdiction, even the store. This article will cover the law; it will compare the states, age limit matters, there will also be reasons for the variation of some states, why some are 18 and the others are 21.
The 2018 Farm Bill and Federal Legislation
How old do you have to be to buy CBD? It all starts with the very legislation that allowed CBD to become more mainstream—the 2018 Farm Bill. This landmark legislation radically altered the cannabis landscape in the U.S. It drew a legal line between hemp and marijuana, both of which come from a single cannabis plant.
The distinguishing factor is only one molecule named delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (in short THC) which makes one feel “high.”
It refers to a cannabis plant, where the THC component is 0.3% or less of its dry weight.
Cannabis plants that have THC at a concentration of more than 0.3% are considered as marijuana.
The 2018 Farm Bill effectively delisted hemp from the controlled substances list, which opened the floodgates for the legal medicinal and commercial exploitation of hemp products, such as CBD on the federal level. There was no age requirement for legal marijuana sales previously. The legislation did not impose any age restriction on the sale of these substances in the nation. That is the major reason why legislation regarding the purchase of CBD becomes very confused.
Alright. So, the Problem is Solved, or How Old Do You Have to Be to Buy CBD? In Most Cases
There is no federal law on this issue; nevertheless, every state seems to be on the same page. Almost all states now the minimum age for purchasing hemp derived CBD products is 18. This is consistent with the age of majority which allows individuals to sign agreements and make personal choices regarding their bodies.
However, a number of consumers can’t access it as various states and counties have decided to increase the minimum age to 21. This is usually the case when states put CBD in category of improvised smoking devices such as tobacco and electronic vaping devices. Ever since the Tobacco 21 amendment of the federal law was implemented, most states have changed their laws to include CBD particularly CBD containing devices such as CBD vape pens or even products such as the hemp flower. This is because a blanket 21 plus policy for all products in a store with tobacco is easier to manage.
Therefore, to answer the question of ‘how old do you have to be to buy CBD’, it usually 18 years of age, however one must always bear in mind that it is not always the case, deafeningly one may have to be 21 years of age. The main thing is the law of the given state which we will consider shortly.
Age Limits for CBD Purchase in Various States
CBD purchase and consumption laws differ from state to state. A full table of how old people have to be to actually buy CBD oil in all 50 states is in the table below. Please always bear in mind that such regulations may exist at the level of a particular city or a county and that any retailer can introduce a policy of 21 and above.
| State | Minimum Age for Hemp Derived CBD | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 18 or 21 | The law doesn’t regulate age requirement but retailers choose to apply 18 or 21 years old per customer. |
| Alaska | 21 | Recreational marijuana laws included CBD as one of the substances. |
| Arizona | 18 | CBD extracted from hemp is accessible to everyone over 18 years old in this state. However, in order to purchase dispensary items, one has to be 21. |
| Arkansas | 18 | Statutory laws regarding age limits do not apply, but retail outlets usually apply a standard of 18 years. |
| A state other than New York | 18 or 21 as well | 18 for any hemp product except tobacco. Most tobacco and every non tobacco product purchased from a dispensary should be handled by the end user who is 21 or older. |
| A state of Colorado | 18 or 21, whichever is greater | Must be 18 and over to buy regular hemp (such as seeds), but 21 to purchase products from an established marijuana vendor. |
| Connecticut State | 18+ | You have to be 18 years to be able to purchase cannabidiol products. |
| Status – Delaware | Age: 18 | A roundabout age restriction is 18 although some stores may observe a 21 age limit. |
| Florida State | 21 years | According to state laws, one cannot be under 21 years when buying any hemp related product. |
| Georgia intracountry | 18+ years | 21 years is how old do you have to be to buy CBD in that state. |
| Hawaii island | Some 18 or 21 | 18 is usually the minimum age, however some municipalities and certain outlets have a 21 and over rule. |
| The state of Idaho | 18 years | The only CBD option that is fully accepted is the zero-THC one. The age of the person is presumed to be 18 years. |
| The State of Illinois | 21 years old | CBD in this state is governed as cannabis, thus every consumer would have to be 21 and above. |
| Indiana | 18 or 21 | Passed a bill that raises the age for CBD to 21. |
| Iowa | 18 years of age | Consumption or purchase by individuals who are below this age by law is prohibited. |
| The Great State of Kansas | 18 years | There are no hard and fast rules like age, but the generally accepted ban is 18. Only CBD products without THC are permitted. |
| The State of Kentucky | 18-21 | 18 is popular, although some establishments, in particular, vape bars, will require 21. |
| Louisiana | 18 years | How old do you have to be to buy CBD products that aren’t meant for smoking? 18 years in everyone’s case. |
| Maine, U.S. | 21 years | CBD is managed in line with cannabis laws, which are over 21 years old. |
| Maryland State | 18/21 | Ordinarily 18, unless it is smokable cannabis products in which case, it is 21 and above. |
| Massachusetts | 21 | CBD falls in the same category as marijuana and therefore the allowable age is 21. |
| Michigan | 18 | Eighteen is the age limit for buying CBD. |
| Minnesota | 21 | State law sets the minimum legal age for apprenticeships at 21 for the products derived from hemp and its cannabinoids. |
| Mississippi | 18 | 18 is for every CBD product. |
| Missouri | 18 | There is really no age restriction, but stores tend to impose an eighteen-and-above policy. |
| Montana | 18 | At the bare minimum, one has to be 18 to buy CBD. |
| Nebraska | 18 | And since the state has not specified, the age 18 or 21 specified by retail stores is applicable. |
| Nevada | 18 or 21 | 18 for hemp derived CBD but 21 for the ones from the dispensary. |
| New Hampshire | 18 | Must at least be aged 18 to buy CBD. |
| New Jersey | 21 | Since the state allows the use of cannabis for recreational use – there are age restrictions on the sale of cannabinoid products to individuals under 21. |
| New Mexico | 18 | There is a recommended certain age to which a person can buy this product, and it is 18. |
| New York | 21 | New York State Order prohibits the sale of CBD to anyone below the age of 21 years. |
| North Carolina | 18 | You should be more than 18 years old to purchase hemp goods. |
| North Dakota | 18 | Retailers in general require you to be 18. |
| Ohio | 18 or 21 | 18 is the legal age however most shops make it 21 years old. |
| Oklahoma | 18 | There is no law, but 18 was used as the industry standard otherwise. |
| Oregon | 21 | The purchase usage of cannabinoids is permitted only by individuals aged 21 years as regulated by the Oregon Cannabis and Liquor Commission. |
| Pennsylvania | 18 | To buy CBD products one must be 18 years. |
| Rhode Island | 21 | The age of 21 is enforced by the state law governing the procurement of CBD. |
| South Carolina | 18 | How old do you have to be to buy CBD? 18. |
| South Dakota | 18 | However, 18 is the legal age for any purchases to be made. |
| Tennessee | 21 | The State raised the adult age limit for hemp derived products to 21. |
| Texas | 18 | There is no state minimum age of filling the listeners, so, it is assigned as 18 legally. The habit, however, is different and most often it is set at 21, in most states even for the cities and the stores. |
| Utah | 21 | In Utah, the child must be of age 21 and above before they are allowed to purchase any CBD products. |
| Vermont | 18 or 21 | Perhaps generally 18, but regarding cigarettes consisting of hemp or hemp related purposes, the age is mostly increased to 21. |
| Virginia | 21 | The law of Virginia states that only 21 year olds can buy any hemp derived product. |
| Washington | 18 or 21 | Products with Hemp are available for sale to individuals who are 18 or older. Products available in the store are 21 and above. |
| West Virginia | 18 | The legal age of purchase is 18 years. |
| Wisconsin | 18 | CBD purchase is restricted to people over 18 years. |
| Wyoming | 18 | People can start buying legally at 18 years. |
Why Do They Card and Require You to be of Legal Age to Buy Certain Items?
Perhaps you are in a place where it is allowed only if you are 18, but the health food shop or the vape store still refuses to sell to you unless you are of legal age (21+). It is nothing out of the ordinary or unusual. Private commerce permits control over individual policies, and for several reasons, they often opt to do so by having a higher age requirement.
To begin with, liability is minimized. A broad minimum age of 21 for all products ensures that they cannot accidentally allow the sale of certain products to minors. This is quite common in smoke shops and vape stores, as the main products there are subject to Federal Tobacco 21 regulations. It is easier for their staff to enforce these requirements if they just apply the same policy to CBD. Second, the surrounding jurisdictions can be different. A city or a county ordinance can have a lower bar than a state level law. A store owner has to lockstep both the state and the local law, so a store owner will generally apply the higher restriction. This affects how old you have to be to buy CBD in which you reside.
Marijuana Derived CBD Versus Hemp Derived CBD – Importance of This Distinction in Age Limit
Depending on how products are classified – and particularly by the source materials – how old do you have to be to buy CBD questions become more understandable. For instance, in respect of CBD derived from hemp and CBD from marijuana, the laws are totally different.
CBD Derived from Hemp
It has already been mentioned that these products have insufficient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); less than 0.3 percent. Availability is not an issue since they are found in local, national, and also international baskets. The critical issue about these products, however, is which age defines their availability, and this is determined by state laws, either 18 or 21.
CBD From Marijuana Plants
Cultivated products, which have over 0.3% THC, fall into this category. An individual cannot purchase these products unless there is a marijuana policy adopted in the state and they do so from a licensed marijuana dispensary. Such products have tough and non-flexible age restrictions:
- Recreational: Must be 21 years of age or older, and cannot afford any deviations from this age.
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