While their neighbor to the south offers one of the most restrictive set of CBD laws in the entire country, North Dakota remains one of the more progressive states in the Midwest. The state is currently working through the steps necessary to legalize CBD recreationally all over the state, and the Farm Bill means that North Dakota citizens can easily acquire low-THC CBD from a variety of vendors all over the state.
The state still has significant progress to go before they can lay claim to a fully-legal framework for CBD products. A Senate law passed last year mandates that CBD products, in order to be legal, must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This creates a problem for consumers using CBD in the state, especially considering that the FDA has only approved one CBD product so far.
Like most states, North Dakota’s laws on CBD falls into two main categories. CBD derived from the marijuana plant is typically high with THC content, can induce a high, and is not currently legal within the state. Consumers caught with marijuana-derived CBD can face a significant fine and even some prison time. A small number of patients might qualify for medical use of CBD in the state.
Medical CBD in North Dakota
The medical marijuana industry in North Dakota is a bit confusing, especially for consumers who might not be used to navigating this difficult legal landscape. North Dakota does not allow doctors to prescribe CBD oil derived from the marijuana plant, but physicians are allowed to “recommend” medical CBD as an alternative form of treatment.
The state has also issued licenses to a variety of dispensaries within the state. This provides a location for qualifying patients to access their alternative medicine legally within the state.
Hemp-Derived CBD
CBD derived from the industrial hemp plant was made legal in all fifty states via the 2014 Federal Farm Bill. Despite this, some states have legally created legislation to bar the substance in their own borders. Luckily, North Dakota is not one of these states. North Dakota offers many different types of CBD, but the substance remains legally sold and possessed only so far as it remains under the federal limit for the hemp classification of THC– .03% by volume.
