How Age Impacts Your Ability to Purchase CBD

Understanding CBD or Cannabidiol Law

Understanding CBD or cannabidiol law feels like going around in circles. Many people often ask, “How old to buy CBD?” The answer to such a question is not popular as just one number fits all. Factors affecting CBD purchase differ from place to place and also depend on what kind of CBD product is being purchased and, in some cases, the outlets within a particular state. Such factors are necessary to conduct a correct and safe purchase of CBD. In most cases, this arises because federal and state laws are different. The 2018 Farm Bill diluted hemp-based CBD’s illegality at the federal level, but individual states could easily reverse this or enact new laws regarding hemp, which they did. Consequently, it can be difficult for consumers in the sense that laws are not similar throughout the country. This section gives a detailed explanation regarding how old a person must be to purchase CBD.

An Overview Of The Federal Law

To finish the question on how old to buy CBD, one must consider the state of affairs at the national level. The legalization of cannabis through the 2018 Farm Bill was one of the landmark achievements in the industry. It brought hemp production into the federal fold by eliminating hemp from the marijuana definition in the Controlled Substances Act. According to the bill, industrial hemp was defined as the cannabis sativa L. plant with a dry weight delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration of not more than 0.3 percent. This distinction is very important. As long as the hemp has less than or up to 0.3% concentration, it remains legal. At the same time, pharmaceutical cannabis that is more than 0.3% THC is still treated as illegal by the federal government. It is, however, fascinating to note that the Farm Bill of 2018 does not provide any federal regulation concerning the legal purchasing age of products containing hemp-derived CBD. Rather, this matter is left in the hands of the states. And that is the most significant reason why it is possible for the age restrictions for CBD sales to be very different in neighboring states. Therefore, although the law at the national level covers only the notion of legality, it is the law at the state and city levels that sets out how old to buy CBD.

State versus Federal Authority: Where Age Requirement Comes In

The absence of any centralized law on age therefore leaves the regulation of such matters to states. Many of these states have 18- or 21-year-old age limits for persons who can buy CBD. Depending on the product and the place of sale, sometimes the age may be regulated at a particular age rather than the general age of an individual. There are mainly three alternatives adopted by states:

• No clear rule: Some states have opted not to establish any age restriction on the sale of CBD products. These states then entrust the retailers with coming up with the most appropriate age limit if necessary. Yet even in these areas, most stores, particularly those offering premium quality products, will not allow customers until they are over the age of 18.
• 18 and above: It is the age that is most often required. In most states, the laws governing the age limit for CBD purchase are similar to the laws for the age limit of tobacco. This age restriction applies to all forms of CBD ranging from oils and tinctures to edibles and topicals.
• 21 and above: More and more states are increasing the legal age to 21 years. This is applicable for products such as CBD vape juice, cartridges, or vape-therapeutic hemp, and these restrictions are based on the tobacco product laws in the United States (Tobacco 21). In a number of states, it is a requirement that a person is 21 years old or more to purchase even one type of CBD product in any form whatsoever.

This strategy, which is premised on different policies in every given state, such as Florida and Georgia, implies that age and whether to buy CBD oil is dependent on the laws of your area of residence because what is legal in one state is not in the others.

Differences in Purchasing: Norms and Modes Defined By One Red Line

Also, where you purchase CBD determines the age requirement as well. Retailers have their own policies based on this and different products that they keep on selling. All these factors further add to the complexity in answering the question of how old to buy CBD.

Web Based Retailers

The convenience of online shopping for CBD combined with the wider range of products available is much loved by consumers. A sizable number of online stores dealing in CBD and its products require their users to be aged 18 years and over in certain or all cases, while others require them to be at least 21 years old. This typically takes place at the checkout, whereby one is prompted to enter the date of birth in the age verification system. Though there are a lot of loopholes in the use of these systems, they are at least the standard in the industry today. If you reside in a particular state and make internet transactions, purchases are assumed to be covered by the state laws. Due to this, responsible sellers will avoid delivering products to regions where CBD is illegal or where there exist limitations on CBD shipping. It is wise to find out the legal position of your state regarding the purchase of CBD online before entering an order.

Vape and Smoke Shops

Vape shops were among the first ‘CBD’ stores in the physical format, as they sold ‘infused’ products, principally the smokable ‘hemp’ and vape liquids. Consequently, these stores very rationally had very high age restrictions; generally speaking, only people aged over 21 could buy anything within those store premises. Passed state tobacco laws prohibit any shop selling tobacco or vape products from allowing anyone under 18 to use any tobacco products. So a shopper wishing to know how old to buy CBD in smoke shops should most, if not all, of the time expect 21 as the age limit.

Dispensaries

Dispensaries that sell cannabis offer a range of products under specific regulations. The products available in all these stores primarily include medical and recreational marijuana products enriched with THC.

• Medical Marijuana Dispensaries: When it comes to even thinking about buying medical weed from dispensaries, an 18-year-old must think twice. This is because only people of age 18 and those with a particular condition that can be relieved by the medical marijuana treatment, along with the doctor’s approval, are allowed to buy it. Minors may be permitted to use medical cannabis with registered caregivers in cases of severe conditions, but not all minors and in every case.
• Recreational Weed Stores: In states where recreational drug use is decriminalized, individuals only over the age of 21 can go inside the dispensary and buy tobacco. These dispensaries offer a limited range of products like high THC cannabis and high CBD (hemp) extracts. Strictly adhere to the legal age requirement.

Retail Health Stores and Drug Stores

How old to buy CBD oil is one of the most researched questions when it comes to hemp oil consumption. Studies show that there are many users of CBD oil in the United States as compared to the motives for its usage. As opposed to ingestible forms of CBD, CBD creams, ointments, and lotions have become the new favorites of the masses. CVS, Walgreens, and other reliable drugstore chains have CBD topical products in stock. A majority of these retailers who offer this only do not sell edible or smoking CBD. These are ‘topicals-only’ stores, and the age limit is usually 18, although it can be 21 in some stores. People who buy CBD lotions are rarely checked for their ages compared to people who buy CBD vapes. This further shows that it is important to know how old to buy CBD in a particular place as it varies in every store.

Age Requirements States-Wise

There can be differing regulations, and this is why observing a few states’ requirements comes in handy. Please note that these are only rules, and chip binder’s rule may change without any notice. However, this is just a general idea, and consumers are advised to seek legal advice from official state agencies.

Primarily there are 2 age limits: 18 or 21. There are a very limited number of states that permit CBD sales to persons under 18 years old, and if they do, it is in extreme circumstances accompanied by parental approval.

States Commonly Requiring Age 18 Plus

Some states have introduced an age limit of 18 years for the use of CBD. This age limit is commonly applicable to products that are not used for smoking. The states in this category generally include:

• Colorado
• Florida
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Texas

There might be an exception where a certain city or county within these states might have its own rules that are more stringent. Moreover, should you wish to buy CBD from a tobacco store in smokable form, the age is likely to be 21, which is provable by the existence of federal laws on tobacco smoking.

States Requiring Age of 21 and Above

An increasing number of jurisdictions have begun implementing age restrictions of 21 and over for the purchase of all CBD products in order to standardize the policy and bring it in line with the sale of tobacco and alcohol. This makes it easier for retailers to enforce the age requirement consistently across the board. The states where one is bound to find a requirement to be 21 years old will include the following:

• California
• Illinois
• Maine
• Ohio
• Utah
• Washington

In these places, purchasing CBD associated with any product is very explicit: it requires being 21 years of age and above. More states are expected to follow suit in trying to tighten their regulations as time goes on. CBD legislation differs from state to state; it is best to contact your individual health or statewide agriculture department to ascertain what the relevant legislation is: it will be the most updated in the country. A simple search of “[Name of the State in question] CBD laws” can lead you to the latest laws in your locality concerning how old to buy CBD as of that time.

Reasons That Have Made an Age Restriction on CBD Use Necessary

Under which moral code is it permissible to ban the sale of an edible that does not contain any form of alcoholic content? Here are some reasons why lawmakers and business owners put restrictions on the use of CBD by minors.

• The Connection to Zein: The introduction of CBD should immediately prompt fears of regulation. CBD remains a cannabinoid originating from cannabis. For example, some countries regulate marijuana, whereas some government authorities, including the cannabis authority, the states, and so on. To regulate the use of the product, scholars argue, it’s viewed as ‘at risk’ or ‘not of this class’ case as tobacco and alcohol.
• Vaporizing Tobacco Products: Furthermore, there is a new trend of smoking hemp and certain forms of vape that are directly related to national anti-cigarette laws. The age to purchase all tobacco-related products, including cigarettes and vapor cigarettes, was lifted to 21, applicable nationally, under the 2015 T21 Act. Moreover, as the plant can be inhaled or smoked, these items fall within the same bounds of youth protection, i.e., parental control.
• Insufficient Studies: Despite the general perception that CBD poses no harm, very few studies have been conducted on its adverse effects, especially on the young. These age restrictions do not mean the lawmakers are conservative about legalizing them but are more like a proactive strategy against youths in hope of scientific breakthrough.
• Consumer Concerns: At this moment in time, products containing CBD have, by and large, not been swept into the FDA’s orbit. That is why the age limit is imposed in order to prevent any child from being contacted or targeted regarding the asked product and also with the knowledge of health beneficial enough to the consumer. Before shopping or giving advice, a responsible consumer must know how old to buy CBD.

FAQs

Rabindra Grant’s book application has a few rules, which at times can be problematic. Below are answers to age complications regarding the purchase or what the law allows.

• Can anyone under age buy CBD? For the most part, minors are unable to buy CBD on their own. The usual minimum age of purchasing CBD is 18. The only notable deviation is medical exceptions. A few states allow their minors with certain medical illnesses, such as critical epilepsy, to have the CBD under the doctor’s supervision and even with the parent’s approval. For instance, the Charlotte’s Web brand gained prominence for helping a child, which is a clear indicator of the use of CBD oil in minors but with monitored circumstances only.
• Should I have an ID to purchase CBD? Yes, whenever you are coming to buy CBD, remember to take a valid, government-issued photo ID because it will more often than not be required, especially if you look young. This happens in dispensaries, smoke shops, and even a section of regular retail outlets. Those who consider themselves serious traders will request an identification document which they will then use to meet the legal requirements in their respective jurisdiction and their respective internal rules. Therefore, also consider the fact that when trying to establish how old to buy CBD, you will also be required to prove this age.
• Is the age restricted for CBD with THC? Sure. The current law draws a line at 0.3% THC content. CBD oil with less than 0.3% THC is considered to be a hemp product by federal law, and state age limits are 18 or 21 years respectively. Products containing over 0.3% THC fall under the regulatory category of marijuana. Individuals in states with such programs can purchase these products only when they fulfill their state medical or non-medical cannabis requirements, usually 18 and over for medicals and 21 and over for non-medicals.
• If I’m 18 but live in a state that requires the minimum age of 21, can I still buy CBD online? It is not advisable. A legitimate mail order business must also respect the laws of the client’s residency. In fact, if a state ordinance demands a person to be 21 and older when buying jewelry, the retailer shall not allow a transaction. Trying to ignore these statutes may put you and the business in trouble. It is better to follow the legislation of your area in terms of how old to buy CBD.

Conclusion

The first question that comes to mind is how old to buy CBD? The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp-derived CBD at the federal level; however, it did not establish any universal age requirements. This means that everything relies on the laws of your municipality and state for the most part. Generally speaking, it is either 18 or 21. When it comes to CBD that can be smoked, like vapes or buds, the minimum age in the country is 21 years because of the federal laws on tobacco. It is best to assume that you need to be 18 for most products and 21 for inhalable products or if you are in a state with more restrictive laws. Remember to consult local laws and present identification when necessary if you intend to buy CBD so as to remain within the law.