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CBD is in high demand by consumers who are finding relief for a variety of different ailments, like anxiety and poor sleep.
Still, the legal status of CBD isn’t exactly cut and dry, especially since state laws override the federal legal status of hemp products.
In states like Alaska where cannabis is legal for recreational use, you may assume that CBD is also legal, but that isn’t always the case.
So, is CBD legal in Alaska or is it less simple than it seems?
Here’s how Alaska CBD laws break down:
Table of Contents
Legal Concerns About CBD
What are the CBD laws in Alaska?
Is full spectrum CBD legal in Alaska?
Does Alaska have a CBD possession limit?
Can doctors prescribe CBD in Alaska?
Where to buy CBD in Alaska?
How old do you have to be to buy CBD in Alaska?
Is CBD legal in all 50 states?
Resources
Disclaimer: We’re always working to stay informed on the latest CBD laws and research. However, state laws are subject to change and we advise that you do your own research to verify the information you find in this article. This is not intended as legal advice.
The Hemp Farming Act of 2018 effectively legalized hemp and it’s natural derivatives and extracts, which includes CBD. It sounds simple and straightforward, but it can get a little murky.
CBD products are only legal if they come from industrial hemp.
This classification is designated to hemp material that meets specific standards, like containing less than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis. Any CBD product made from a cannabis strain with more than that trace amount of THC is illegal, regardless of the THC content in the final product.
And this catch goes both ways—
The final product must also contain less than 0.3% THC.
Even if the product starts with legal hemp material, it has to be manufactured carefully to prevent the trace amounts of THC from becoming more concentrated during the extraction process.
There are virtually no regulations in place regarding the hemp manufacturing process aside from these legal definitions for “industrial hemp.” That means that brand’s aren’t required to label products to show where or how they were made, or even what exactly is in the bottle. That makes it pretty difficult to tell if a product is actually a “legal” hemp product.
In addition to this confusion, every state has the right to impose laws regarding CBD. To ensure that the CBD products you choose are legal, you need to make sure that they meet the requirements laid out by federal regulations and by your state’s laws.
Currently, state regulations prohibit the manufacture and sale of CBD from industrial hemp within the state of Alaska.
In early 2018, Alaska passed Senate Bill 6 which legally enabled the state to move forward on its hemp pilot program. However, the official regulations for the pilot program have not been released yet, and the state declared that all “growth, production, cultivation, marketing, or sale of industrial hemp remains illegal” until the final regulations are in place.
The Alaska Department of Law Consumer Protection Unit also verified this statement, adding a warning about the risks associated with unregulated CBD oil products.
When the Pilot Program is finalized, it's expected to align with the laws in quality-conscious states like Colorado or Utah.
So far, the program proposes strict regulations, including potency testing for industrial hemp products and various labelling requirements. Under these regulations, industrial hemp-derived CBD products will be required to include all basic potency, serving size, and ingredient information on the label.
They’ll also be required to offer more detailed information, like the pilot program each product was created and approved under and a warning label for any products that contain even trace amounts of THC. These standards excel above many states that have no specific labelling requirements in place, like Alabama.
Still, these regulations are still pending review by Alaska legislators, which means CBD oil's legality still stands in a gray area.
At one point, the state's regulations effectively made it impossible to buy legal CBD oil in Alaska. Since CBD cannot be made in Alaska, buying local products isn't an option. Various postal services originally claimed that it was illegal to ship CBD through the mail, making it pretty difficult for Alaskan citizens to get CBD at all.
In 2019, the USPS updated regulations to allow shipment of legal CBD products, so long as the manufacturers meet certain quality and legal requirements.
Until the state furthers the development of their Hemp Pilot Program, this is the only legal way to get CBD in Alaska. The state has no specific laws against buying or using CBD, so buying online is the perfect option for CBD consumers in Alaska.
Again, Alaska does not permit the manufacture or sale of CBD products within the state, which extends to full spectrum CBD products. Many people still wonder about the legality of possessing full spectrum CBD oil because it contains trace amounts of CBD. Thankfully, Alaska has no laws restricting the use of full spectrum CBD products that contain 0.3% THC or less.
To date, there are no possession limits for CBD that meet legal guidelines. CBD products that contain over 0.3% THC may be classified as cannabis products, which are legal in Alaska, but fall under a different set of regulations.
You typically do not need a prescription for CBD products, and only one CBD-based pharmaceutical exists to date, GW Pharmaceuticals’ Epidiolex.
For over-the-counter CBD products, your doctor may give a recommendation. Even in states like Alaska where cannabis is legal, doctors are still learning about CBD and it may not be their first recommendation. If you're curious about the benefits of CBD for yourself, you may want to bring it up to your doctor.
In Alaska, the manufacture and sale of CBD is prohibited. Still, some businesses are reportedly selling CBD as an additive in various foods and drinks. The legality here is sticky, especially since the FDA hasn’t even regulated the use of CBD in food products yet.
In general, you can’t buy legal CBD in Alaska, and won’t be able to until the state irons out the details of their Hemp Pilot Program.
Instead, you can buy CBD online and have it shipped to Alaska.
Buying CBD online is a suitable option for most consumers. When you buy CBD online directly from the brand, you get better oversight of the brand’s manufacturing practices and integrity. You can check the brand's hemp source and lab testing procedures to ensure that the CBD products you choose are clean, potent, and meet legal guidelines.
Buying CBD directly from a brand instead of from a third-party market may also be less costly since you won’t have to pay the extra fees that are often tacked on by the middle man. Of course, premium CBD can be expensive to manufacture, so you should also be wary of products that offer low-ball prices. Extremely low prices can be a sign that the brand cuts corners, like by skipping proper quality tests.
Finally, buying CBD online also grants you access to many different types of CBD that you may not find in stores. Online, you'll find a variety of different CBD oils, topicals, edibles, and more that you can choose from.
For more information on how to find high-quality CBD products, check out our CBD Buyer’s Guide.
The legal age to buy CBD is generally determined by the seller, as there are no widespread regulations in place. Theoretically, CBD should be accessible to people of all ages, especially since it originally gained its popularity as a treatment for various childhood illnesses. Of course, some products may not be suitable for people of all ages, like smokable hemp flower or CBD vaporizers.
In Alaska, there are no statewide regulations that determine the legal age for using CBD. Many online stores require you to be 18 to buy CBD. When CBD is recommended by a doctor for pediatric use, they may prescribe Epidiolexor suggest that the parent or guardian buy a high-quality over-the-counter product.
Thanks to federal updates, CBD has the potential to be legal in every U.S. state. CBD is illegal to manufacture and sell in Alaska, but there are no restrictions regarding personal use of legal CBD products. Every state has different regulations regarding the manufacture and sale of CBD. Click here to find out where CBD is legal.
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