Overview: CBD oil has been legal in Alabama since 2014, under very strict regulations and stipulations. In 2016, after a revision of the initial legislation, some things changed making it less strict and resulting in expansion of the laws regarding purchasing and the consumption of CBD oil. The CBD oil industry is expanding rapidly, with estimates that it will reach about $16B in the next few years.
CBD oil in Alabama aka the Heart of Dixie
The Alabama state regulations regarding the use of CBD oil are still among the strictest of all the US states. Still, while it is legal to use CBD oil in Alabama, said use is related to some strong conditions, and there are very strict laws regarding THC and marijuana for recreational. Below you will find all the important details, the differentiation of CBD and THC, and the laws related to use within the state of Alabama.
The basics about CBD
CBD is an abbreviation that stands for cannabidiol, a naturally occurring compound in the hemp plants, aka Cannabis Sativa. The cannabis plants produce about 113 cannabinoids, among which the most famous one is THC – a psychoactive compound that has strong regulations related to it and its use is strongly prohibited in Alabama.
There is a distinction between the cannabis plants: there are CBD-rich cannabis plants known as industrial hemp and THC-rich plants that are known as marijuana. In the further text, we are talking about industrial hemp, the raw material that gives us CBD.
CBD is not psychoactive but it does have strong medicinal benefits. It is this properties of CBD that makes it helpful for many health concerns like insomnia, eating disorders, pain management, anxiety and a lot more.
CBD oil
By extracting the cannabinoids from the hemp plant, what you’re left with is a CBD-rich blend known as a full-spectrum extract, with very low THC content. As opposed to medical marijuana, which contains THC within each of the products.
The CBD oil is used as a sleep aid, and is particularly helpful for anxiety relief epileptic seizures, PTSD, arthritic pains, nausea, inflammation, menstrual cramps, muscle pain and inflammation and more.
CBD oil use
What’s the most popular way to consume this product? Good question, using CBD oil is in the form of a tincture is most common. The tincture can be taken sublingually, a few drops under the tongue held for about a minute, and then swallowed. There are other popular ways of taking CBD oil, such as vaping, edibles, topical creams and even suppositories rich in CBD.
Alabama CBD oil laws and regulations
The State of Alabama said yes to “Carly’s Law” in 2014. This law is an affirmative defense against the possession and use of CBD. This was further certified in 2016 with Leni’s Law, which legalized the use of CBD-based products and included the low-THC products (less than 3%) for patients and parent caregivers. This law dismissed the previous stipulation that a patient needs to be a part of the UAB Cannabidiol Program (University of Alabama-Birmingham’s) to be able to use a CBD product.
CBD oil – you need to qualify
To be able to use CBD oil in the state of Alabama, as stated per Leni’s Law, a patient needs to have a diagnosis of a serious condition that is resistant to conventional medicine from a physician with whom they have an authentic doctor-patient relationship. The CBD must be provide therapeutic or soothing relief for the patient in general.
These are some of the medical issues that patients may have who can possibly benefit from CBD: wasting syndrome, chronic and severe pain, seizures, persistent and severe muscle spasms, acute nausea, or any other issue that is resistant to conventional medicine.
Marijuana/medical marijuana
There are some medical issues that can be relieved by the use of medical marijuana. Unfortunately, the current laws in Alabama are strongly against the use of any type of marijuana (except for industrial hemp – CBD). Any type of possession of marijuana is reason for an arrest, so it is advised to avoid it at any cost.
The State Department of Health has announced that it will make efforts to work out a program allowing patients that will benefit from the use of medical marijuana to have identification cards, exempting them from the stipulations of the laws.
Where and how to purchase CBD oil in Alabama?
The people of Alabama may have trouble buying these products. It’s a very complex and difficult route to get CBD oil, as the only way they can get it is from a licensed physician, and only if they are suffering from a serious medical condition. There are no retail stores or distributors carrying CBD oil in Alabama. Also, if anyone is caught smuggling CBD products over Alabama’s state lines is actually committing a federal offense.
That is why people turn to online sources, as any US citizen can legally buy CBD oil within the USA, as long as it has less than 0.3% THC. This is very good news for Alabamians, they can make an online purchase of any type of CBD product and have it shipped to their home, as long as they are mindful about the THC content.
Finishing thoughts
From all of the above, we can see that Alabama is a state with some of the most rigorous laws pertaining to the use of CBD-based products. CBD use in Alabama was legalized in 2016, and people there still need to have a doctor’s diagnosis for a severe medical ailment to be able to use CBD.
The good news is that it is legal for them to buy CBD products online and have them legally shipped to their home. According to the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD oil with less than 0.3% THC is legal in all 50 states, that includes Alabama.
- Medterra – Tinctures and capsules
- Sunday Scaries – Edibles and novelty
- Koi CBD – CBD vape products
- SkinPro – Skin Care products
- CBDistillery – Price
