Is CBD Legal in Connecticut? 

Is CBD legal in Connecticut? It is!

The State of Connecticut is also known as the Land of Steady Habits, and CBD use is no exception.  

A popularly favored medicinal, CBD is a go-to for natural and homeopathic healing and is used to remedy ailments that range from chronic pain to crippling insomnia to cancer.

But in the Constitution State- a place rooted in the laws of the land – is CBD allowed?

Yes, CBD is legal in all of Connecticut – depending on what kind you are looking to buy. 

Read on to find out about CBD in Connecticut. 

Connecticut CBD Laws

Hemp-derived CBD is legal throughout the state, but other types of cannabis-derived CBD are not. What’s the difference? 

Hemp is a subspecies of the cannabis sativia plant. It is the basis for many hemp products. 

CBD extracted from hemp is still a cannabis product, but hemp extractions contain significantly less tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and are highly potent in CBD. 

THC is a cannabinoid and chemical compound found in marijuana that produces psychoactive effects or generates a “high.”

CBD, or cannabidiol, on the other hand, will not get you high but can work in harmony with the human biological process called the endocannabinoid system and provide various health benefits.

This difference is why CBD laws are necessary in the United States. 

The Controlled Substances Act (CSA), also known as the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, was a congressional legislature signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1970. 

The CSA dictated federal drug policy and rendered cannabis and all of its parts or derivatives illegal in an attempt to thwart marijuana use and abuse. 

Marijuana became a Schedule 1 drug, one of the most controlled substances at the federal level, and as a result, so did CBD. 

This decision was partially reversed by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. 

Also known as the 2018 Farm Bill, this legislature acknowledged that THC and CBD are chemically different compounds. 

Hemp and CBD were removed from the controlled substances list, and the hemp plant and the marijuana plant were no longer considered interchangeable by the government.

The Constitution State soon followed suit. As of 2019, the industrialization of hemp and CBD hemp products are legal in Connecticut. 

Senate Bill 893, more formally known as An Act Concerning A Pilot Program For Hemp

Production, legalized hemp cultivation, and CBD production. 

Currently, the Connecticut CBD laws concern the amount of THC present in CBD and hemp growers licensing. 

Hemp-derived CBD products cannot contain more than 0.3 percent THC and do not have a possession limit. 

Hemp-CBD can be bought over the counter in various stores or online.

Cannabis-derived CBD and CBD that contains more than 0.3 percent THC is considered a cannabis product and not a hemp product. 

Cannabis CBD does have a possession limitation and requires a medical marijuana card to purchase, as it must be bought in a medical dispensary or conventional dispensary. 

To qualify for a medical marijuana card in Connecticut, you must be a resident of the state and currently being treated by a state-licensed physician or registered nurse for a debilitating medical condition. 

Connecticut residents aged 21 or older can purchase recreational marijuana without a medical card and can have up to three mature and three nonmature or “home” grow cannabis plants. 

In other words, adults can grow non-commercial hemp or marijuana in their backyard.

CBD Cultivation in Connecticut

As of 2020, there are 140 licensed hemp growers in the state of Connecticut. 

Anyone can commercially cultivate hemp products in Connecticut, provided they are licensed by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, have certified seeds, and comply with hemp transportation and documentation regulations. 

Certified seeds include hemp seeds that have been certified by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture or another United States agency with the authorization to certify seeds. 

The head of the agricultural department, the Agricultural Commissioner, will test and inspect all hemp grown in the state for the level of THC concentration in the crops.

All consumable hemp products must receive a certificate of analysis from a third-party testing laboratory to determine the presence of contaminants, toxins, heavy metals, and pesticide chemicals. 

Consumable hemp products also require a manufacturer license from the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.

Manufacturer licenses are required whether the CBD will be ingested, inhaled, or absorbed.

If a hemp product, such as CBD, is to be consumed, the product label and marketing cannot communicate any potential health or medical impacts or benefits. 

This rule is in accordance with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stance that CBD is not a federally approved medicinal or dietary supplement. 

CBD is often used for medicinal purposes and is applied as an anti-inflammatory, acne reducer, stress reliever, and anxiolytic. 

However, the only federally approved medical CBD product available is an anti-seizure medication called Epidolex. 

If a product does state the potential physical or mental benefits, it is considered unfair or deceptive and is a violation of trade practice. 

Non-consumable hemp products (for example, hemp-based clothing) are used to require a processor license.

In 2020 a change in the state law combined a grower’s license and processor license into one consolidated producer license. 

Those looking to get licensed in hemp growing can fill out the Connecticut Hemp Program Application. 

Applicants must provide:

• Their name and address
• The name and address of the hemp plot where cultivation or processing will occur
• GPS coordinates and description of the hemp plot, 
• The acreage and size of the land where the hemp will be grown
• Written consent that gives the Commissioner of Agriculture to (conduct) scheduled and surprise inspections. 

Once the application is filled out, an applicant has to undergo fingerprinting and a criminal background check. Citizens convicted of a felony will not be able to receive a grower license. 

Those who grow without a license can face administrative, civil penalties and fines. 

Selling CBD in C.T.

Going about selling hemp products can be a little less tedious than growing it. 

You do not need a license to sell hemp products, provided your intended business complies with the following:

• The retail or wholesale sale of the hemp or hemp products does not require additional processing or manufacturing.
• The hemp products are received from legal growers or institutions certified under the laws of the United States or other sovereign lands.
• The hemp products acquired by the seller are intended for resale distribution only unless otherwise stated by federal and state law.

Hemp products must come from legally grown hemp plants, but this does include hemp grown from out of state as long it was certified by an accredited third-party testing site.

Connecticut allows for the purchase of edible CBD, CBD food and dietary supplements, CBD topicals and oils, and CBD vape products.

CBD products that comply with the state standard of 0.3 percent THC will adhere to state and federal labeling and packaging laws, including the Connecticut Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. 

CBD cultivation, commerce, and consumption are common in Connecticut – and with 160 acres of planted hemp, these trends are likely to continue. 

The next time you or another Connecticuter are curious about whether cannabidiol is legal in the state, remember: CBD makes the Connecti-cut.