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The 2018 Farm Bill led states like Rhode Island to establish their own hemp pilot programs, but state laws may not always align with federal regulations. Is CBD legal in Rhode Island?
Yes, CBD is legal in Rhode Island, permitting the manufacture and sale of various products, including hemp flower and CBD gummies.
While relaxed regulations make CBD accessible, consumers should remain cautious of potential quality concerns, making it essential to understand Rhode Island hemp laws to find safe, high-quality CBD products.
Here are the details:
Table of Contents
Legal Concerns About CBD
What are the CBD laws in Rhode Island?
Is full spectrum CBD legal in Rhode Island?
Does Rhode Island have a CBD possession limit?
Do you need a prescription for CBD in Rhode Island?
Where to buy CBD in North Dakota?
Legal age to buy CBD in Rhode Island?
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.
CBD became federally legal in 2018 under the Hemp Farming Act, which removed industrial hemp and its derivatives from the Controlled Substances Act. However, legal CBD must come from hemp containing less than 0.3% THC.
Even after starting with legal hemp, manufacturers must ensure the final product also contains under 0.3% THC, as extraction can concentrate cannabinoids and increase THC levels. Since the CBD industry lacks strict regulations, it's important to verify third-party lab tests to confirm a product's legality.
Federal guidelines apply, but you must also follow your state's specific CBD regulations.
In 2017, Rhode Island passed the Hemp Growth Act, a bill that legalized hemp production under the terms laid out by the 2014 Farm Bill. Under this limited bill, hemp was established as a separate entity from marijuana. The defining factor matches the federal definition for hemp—it contains less than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis.
Of course, like the original hemp pilot programs laid out in other states (see Kentucky, Colorado, and Arkansas), the program only allowed hemp to be grown for research purposes by a limited number of state-approved institutions.
In 2019, in response to the 2018 Farm Bill, Rhode Island passed HB5151. This bill expanded the hemp program to make hemp agriculture and manufacturing legal across the state. The bill specifically legalized the sale of CBD, including consumable goods with CBD.
Unlike some more restricted states (see California, Hawaii, and New Hampshire), virtually every type of CBD product is legal in the state. This includes consumables, like CBD edibles and beverages, as well as oils, concentrates, and more.
While the state-approved CBD as a food additive, there are several regulations in place. CBD manufacturers must be licensed and operate in accordance with the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation’s requirements for food products.
In addition, the state requires consumers to be 21 or older to buy consumable CBD products in any form.
It’s easy to assume that CBD isolate is legal in many places since it contains no THC, but many consumers are worried that the trace amounts of THC found in full-spectrum CBD products may cause trouble in states where cannabis is illegal. Rhode Island has no laws restricting CBD with less than 0.3% THC, so full-spectrum CBD is legal.
There are no defined CBD possession limits in Rhode Island. Products that contain more than 0.3% THC are considered cannabis products, which are legal for medicinal use only in the state, and are subject to different regulations and possession limits.
There is no need for a prescription to access CBD products in Rhode Island. In fact, doctors typically cannot “prescribe” CBD products that are sold over the counter, rather they may “recommend” them. Even in states where medical marijuana is legal, like Rhode Island, access usually requires a doctor’s recommendation, not a prescription.
CBD is still new, and only one CBD product has been approved by the FDA to date. This product, GW Pharmaceuticals’ Epidiolex, is designed to treat rare forms of childhood epilepsy. Aside from this product (which comes with stringent usage guidelines), many doctors are still learning about CBD. If you’re interested in the benefits of CBD, you may need to spark a conversation with your doctor.
Rhode Island has no restrictions on the type of CBD products that can be made in the state, but they do impose certain licensing, testing, and labeling requirements for CBD products. That means that while CBD is available throughout the state, it may only be available through licensed vendors. In some cases, these vendors may be grocery stores or health stores.
Although Rhode Island does impose some quality and labeling regulations, most of the focus is on the THC content of products. That means that some poor-quality formulas may slip through the cracks, and it is important to carefully consider products before you buy.
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. Looking at the brand’s hemp source and lab testing procedures can help 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.
Finally, buying CBD online may be the best way to access many different types of CBD. The most common type of CBD product is an oil tincture, but you can find a variety of CBD edibles, topicals, and other specialty products when you shop online.
For more information on how to find high-quality CBD products, check out our CBD Buyer’s Guide.
CBD is generally accessible to people of all ages, though some products like smokable hemp flower and CBD vaporizers may not be suitable for everyone.
In Rhode Island, consumers must be 21 to purchase consumable CBD products, while there are no age limits for other CBD items, as the legal age for buying CBD is typically determined by the vendor.
Since the legal age for purchasing tobacco has increased to 21, most CBD vendors, including smoke shops, are likely to enforce this age requirement. However, many online CBD brands allow customers aged 18 and older to order legal CBD products shipped to Rhode Island.
Thanks to federal updates, CBD has the potential to be legal in every U.S. state. CBD is legal in Rhode Island, but 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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