There is no doubt that the CBD market has skyrocketed; over 30% of Americans have tried a CBD product at least once in their life. That comes as no surprise, seeing how popular research related to the substance has become in the past decade.
But many people might still be confused about what CBD is and if it’s legal — or what it even does. To add to that, some people don’t even know how to answer the question, “how old should you be to use CBD?”
But the bottom line is, CBD age limit laws are different (again) depending on what state you’re in. For the most part, you have to be 18 or older to purchase CBD. In some states, you must be 21.
Let’s explore what CBD is, its purported benefits, the legality of it, and how old you should be to use it.
What Is CBD?
CBD is an acronym for popular cannabinoid cannabidiol. It’s a substance derived from the hemp plant, a plant relative to the marijuana (cannabis) plant. While marijuana is illegal in most states due to its THC content, CBD from hemp is not illegal.
Cannabis plants high in THC are legally referred to as marijuana — an illegal form of cannabis. As THC has been singled out as the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, it is the main determinant for its legal status.
Cannabis plants that contain non-traceable amounts of THC (less than 0.3%) can be referred to as hemp. These hemp plants can be bred to contain high amounts of CBD which can be used for legal purposes and applications.
THC and CBD have very similar molecular structures, but CBD has a hydroxyl group which gives it a slightly different shape than THC. This slight change in chemical composition gives it a substantial difference in the effects it produces.
Your body has a few receptors that act like entry points called CB1 and CB2 receptors (and evidence suggests there may be more). A chemical called anandamide binds to these receptors when you exercise, making you feel high or happy after you finish a workout. THC from marijuana fits perfectly into these receptors, which gives the feeling of a “high.”
CBD’s Effects
Research has shown CBD has been proven to be likely effective for seizure disorders like epilepsy.
Early, inconclusive research suggests CBD’s potential use for conditions such as:
- Fragile X Syndrome — CBD may reduce anxiety and improve behavior in children with this condition.
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) — Sublingual CBD may be able to improve muscle tightness and improve pain in people with this condition.
- Withdrawal from opioid drugs — Taking CBD for 3 consecutive days might reduce cravings and anxiety of people withdrawing from opioids like heroin.
- Chronic pain — CBD may reduce the need for opioid medicines and reduce chronic pain.
- Parkinson disease — CBD may reduce anxiety and psychotic symptoms for people with this condition.
- Social Anxiety Disorder — CBD may improve anxiety in those with this disorder, but it’s unclear whether CBD can improve anxiety during public speaking.
- Temporomandibular Disorders — Topical CBD may reduce pain in those with jaw joint and muscle disorders such as TMJ.
More evidence is needed to appropriately grade the effectiveness of cannabidiol for these uses. This information was provided by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the Therapeutic Research Center, updated in April of 2021.
Is CBD Legal?
Now the big question: Is CBD even legal?
The short answer is yes, CBD products are federally legal across the US. A 2018 congress bill removed the hemp plant from the controlled substance list and allowed it to be federally grown.Under current 2021 CBD laws, CBD must be hemp-derived and contain no more than 0.3% THC.
While CBD is legal federally, each state has its own laws on it. And not every state has legalized it.
In 2021, CBD is illegal in three states:
- Iowa
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
Most of the current legality issues in other states come from how much THC is in the CBD that you purchase. Some states, such as California and Colorado, allow you to buy CBD products with any amount of THC.
Texas and Idaho only allow the purchase of CBD if the THC level is under a certain percentage. For Texas, this is .3% for recreational and .5% for medical usage. Idaho laws only permit the selling of CBD if it contains 0% THC.
Learn about whether or not what percentage of THC is okay for you to purchase CBD in your state here. CBD laws are currently still evolving alongside marijuana laws, so be sure to check with your state to make sure the CBD you’re purchasing is legal.
How Old Should You Be to Use CBD?
One of the biggest concerns people have is how old you have to be to use CBD. This comes as no surprise since the substance was formally controlled and only given slight access to the public.
Going back to how much THC is in CBD, any CBD found to have less than .3% THC is considered hemp. This means that so long as the CBD you’re purchasing is hemp or hemp-derived, you are safe to buy it in almost all states without any age restrictions. This primarily stands for CBD-related products for sale at supermarkets, such as CBD-infused beverages or topicals.
If you’re purchasing CBD from a dispensary located in a state that legalized recreational use of marijuana, you’ll actually need to be 21 or older to purchase CBD from that specific location. This is because many CBD products sold at dispensaries in legalized states have much higher traces of THC.
Be sure to check what products are sold at the specific dispensary before heading over to purchase CBD.
Can I Give CBD to My Kid?
Many adults are now experimenting with CBD in a plethora of forms. These include gummies, edibles, lotions, bath bombs, ingestible oils, and more.
But there’s one question surfacing the air lately: is it safe to give CBD to children?
While CBD is inherently safe, it needs to be noted that CBD research in children and teens is quite scarce. However, CBD does have the ability to treat some conditions such as anxiety, autism in children, and sleeplessness.
With that being said, CBD also can interfere with medications your child might be taking. CBD inhibits certain medications the same way grapefruit does. If your medication has a grapefruit warning, stray away from giving your child CBD.
Another concern is vaping. Vaping in teens has become a hot topic, and many more young people are getting addicted to vaping. Encouraging smoking to your teen by giving them CBD to vape can cause unneeded harm.
It is best to consult your child’s pediatrician before giving your child CBD, just as with any other substance, supplement or medication.
Where Can I Find CBD?
Now that you know the answer to “how old should you be to use CBD?”, you can now consider whether CBD is suitable for you or your children.
While there are scarce CBD laws regarding giving children CBD, there are plenty of concerns to keep in mind. Speak with a health professional about whether or not CBD is safe for your child.
If you decide to purchase CBD, be sure you’re getting it from a quality source.
At SMPLSTC CBD, we sell the finest, high-grade CBD products you can buy. We offer plenty of products ranging from oils to pre-rolls and supply full-spectrum CBD and CBD containing non-traceable amounts of THC.
Go ahead and check out our CBD product list today for the best CBD around!
