Cannabidiol (CBD), a compound derived from the cannabis plant, is today’s “it” ingredient, used in everything from supplements and cosmetics to foods and curated cocktails. Confusion surrounds the legality of using CBD oil in consumer products, stemming in large part from different treatment of cannabis under states’ laws and the federal government’s continued classification of cannabis – or marijuana – and cannabis extracts as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act. This much is clear: CBD is the non-psychoactive cannabinoid – or compound – found in cannabis, which does not produce a high, and, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration acknowledges, has numerous medical benefits. What is less than clear is how companies can make sense of the myriad and sometimes conflicting federal laws that regulate the sale, cultivation, and marketing of products containing CBD oil. This article sifts through some of this confusion by providing an overview of marijuana and CBD oil, a review of the current federal regulatory environment, and a discussion of efforts underway to change federal oversight of marijuana.

Read the article here.