Do You Have to Be 18 to Buy CBD?
Article written by
Ruth LemonVP of Operations
Content reviewed by
Dr. Lewis JasseyMedical Director - Pediatric Medicine
In the United States, whether or not you’re legally allowed to buy CBD depends on what state you live in.
The federal government does not place age restrictions on purchasing CBD products. Any age limits are set by the states themselves. Some state laws require you to be 18 years old or over, while others require you to be 21 years old or over. Some states have no CBD age restrictions at all.
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Age Requirements to Buy CBD Products
The Farm Bill, which legislates CBD and hemp products, does not place an age restriction on buying CBD. This means that no federal law sets a minimum age for buying CBD. Such restrictions are put in place by the states themselves.
In some states, you need to be 21, and in others, only 18. Some states have no age restrictions on CBD purchases. However, CBD must be derived from hemp rather than marijuana, as marijuana-derived CBD is illegal. Additionally, it needs to contain less than 0.3% THC.
Editor’s Note: Rules and regulations surrounding cannabis use change often. The information provided below is subject to change.
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States with No Age Restrictions on CBD Sales
Alabama. In Alabama, you must be registered as a medicinal cannabis patient, but there is no age restriction. However, selling CBD outside of these medical restrictions is illegal.
Arkansas. In Arkansas, you do not need a license to obtain CBD. However, if you wish to sell or grow CBD products, you need a license. CBD products must be derived from hemp.
Arizona. CBD is available for any age in Arizona as long as it is derived from hemp.
Iowa. Providing the CBD products are made from hemp, there are no age restrictions on these products in Iowa.
Other states with no age restrictions are:
- Maryland
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Jersey (must be older than 18 to be in a medical marijuana program)
- Texas
- Virginia
- West Virginia
States with Age Restrictions on CBD
States Where You Must Be 18 Years Old
California. Although there are efforts to legalize CBD products in California fully, you must be at least 18 years old to purchase them.
Colorado. Both hemp-derived CBD and hemp flower can be purchased legally in Colorado if you are 18 years old or over. In Colorado, hemp must contain less than 0.3% total THC.
Connecticut. You need a license to grow, sell, or test CBD products in Connecticut, and you must be at least 18 to apply for this. You also need a separate license to purchase CBD, which you can obtain once you are 18.
Delaware. If you are 18 or older, you can purchase hemp-derived and marijuana-derived CBD with a medical license. Once you are 18, you can buy hemp-derived CBD if you do not have this license.
Florida. If you are 18 years old or over, you can grow hemp, create CBD products, and buy CBD products without a license.
Georgia. It is legal to buy hemp-derived CBD products in Georgia.
Hawaii. You must be 18 or older to purchase CBD in Hawaii, although some stores may require that you are 21 or older.
Idaho. CBD products must have 0% THC content in Idaho, and you must be at least 18 years old to purchase CBD in Idaho. You may need to be over 21 years old, depending on your specific jurisdiction.
Kansas. Like Idaho, CBD products must have absolutely no THC in them to be legal in Kansas. Additionally, these products can only be used for medicinal purposes; you must be 18 or older.
Kentucky. To purchase CBD in Kentucky, you must be 18 or older and have a doctor’s recommendation. The CBD must be sourced from hemp.
Louisiana. If you are 18 or older, you do not need any license to purchase CBD products in Louisiana.
Other states that require you to be older than 18 to purchase CBD are:
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- South Carolina (with prescription)
- South Dakota
- Vermont
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
States Where You Must Be 21 Years Old
Alaska. You do not need a license in Alaska to purchase CBD, but you must be at least 21. Few people are prepared to go through this process because there is a lengthy procedure that CBD products have to go through before they reach the shelves in Alaska. Because of this, CBD products can be challenging to obtain in Alaska.
Illinois. In Illinois, anyone 21 years of age or older can purchase hemp and its products. CBD can be derived from marijuana and hemp plants for recreational and medicinal purposes.
Indiana. CBD must only be used for medicinal purposes in Indiana. However, the state has no medical marijuana program.
Maine. Hemp-derived products are legal in Maine; you must be 21.
Other states that require you to be at least 21 to purchase CBD are:
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Utah
What About Marijuana-Based CBD?
Marijuana-derived CBD is illegal in most states as CBD products must contain less than 0.03% THC.
Best CBD Products to Try as a Beginner
There are many different ways to try cannabis, and some of the most common are CBD oils or tinctures, smoking, and edibles.
Oils and Tinctures
Oils and tinctures are easy ways to try using cannabis. These methods do not harm your lung health as smoking might. Additionally, when using cannabis via this method (“sublingual” or under the tongue), the effects are felt relatively quickly, as the cannabinoids are absorbed directly into the bloodstream.
Smoking
Smoking cannabis is probably the most well-known method of cannabis ingestion. The effects of cannabis are felt almost immediately, as the cannabinoids are absorbed directly into the blood. However, smoking can damage your lungs, cause coughing, and result in a sore throat. For these reasons, smoking cannabis is not the recommended method.
Edibles
Cannabis can be added to foods to make edibles like, for example, CBD gummies. Edibles are often very potent, giving strong effects. One caveat is that taking too much CBD when consuming edibles can be easy, resulting in an unpleasant experience. It can also take up to two hours for the effects of cannabis to be felt, as the cannabinoids have to be metabolized before they are released into the bloodstream.
The Bottom Line
At a federal level, there are no CBD age limit requirements. Hemp-derived CBD products are legal in all states as long as they contain less than 0.03% THC, but certain states require you to be 18 or 21 years of age or older to purchase CBD products.
If you want a medical marijuana card in your state, connect with Leafwell’s team today to get your application started.
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