Although the federal government legalized hemp and its derivatives in December of 2018, states have made individual strives toward legalization for CBD, a non-psychoactive hemp compound.
Amid this complex environment of laws that vary across the states, Massachusetts is one of those whose residents are in heated debate over how they should legally treat the cannabis derivative.
Many people across America use CBD and CBD oil every day for their chronic pain, anxiety and inflammation needs, among others. Still, legalizing and regulating the marijuana relative has offered unique and sometimes difficult problems for nearly every place that has wrestled with the question.
In New England, the response has been mixed. Maine legalized the stuff promptly earlier this year after health department crackdowns against CBD in food stuffs. New York adopted a new regulatory framework to encourage CBD trade. New York City banned CBD in some of its uses.
There’s hardly one solution, and Massachusetts is no exception to the complicated topic.
According to reporting at the Boston Globe, Massachusetts farmers interested in growing hemp for the commercial market have been pushing for more extensive protections for hemp and CBD within their state. [1]
Many states have had varied pilot programs for hemp and CBD research projects before the Farm Bill legalized the crop in 2018, but now Mass. lawmakers want to ensure the products and crops are fully protected across the state.
Rep. Mark Cusack filed a bill last month to make sure CBD substances “are to be considered foods, not controlled substances or adulterated products,” according to the Boston Globe. This is in stark contrast to FDA regulatory statements that have made it seem like CBD should be treated like drug additives to food. [1]
Farmers are one of the growing pressure groups across the U.S. in lobbying for CBD and hemp protections under the law. Massachusetts is no exception, with 100 licensed hemp farmers ready to cash in on new surges in demand for CBD but also for the possible uses of hemp in textiles, clothing and plastics.
Laura Boehner, co-president of CBD company The Healing Rose, told the Boston Globe: “We need a community-wide solution immediately to stop hurting our small local businesses, particularly our local retailers.”
Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, or MDAR, has taken a rather draconian approach to the issue of hemp by banning the sale of CBD oils and products that make therapeutic claims, act as dietary supplements or are meant as pet food.
Many companies do make irresponsible claims about their product’s “miracle cures,” but reasonable people inside and outside of Massachusetts can decide which lab-tested and award-winning products they want to trust with their own wellness and preferences.
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