December 29, 2020 6 min read

Ever wondered, 'Is CBD legal in Texas?' The answer might surprise you.

Texas, like many states, has been navigating its stance on CBD with the changing times. But fear not! The good news is, CBD is legal in Texas. According to the Texas State Law Library, "CBD products are legal in Texas if they comply with state and federal laws regulating manufacture and sale of such products."

Follow us as we break down exactly what that means and highlight everything you need to know, including:
  • how to buy CBD in Texas
  • the legal age for CBD use in Texas
  • CBD possession limits in Texas
  • general Texas CBD laws that affect consumers

Let's dive in:

Table of Contents
Legal Concerns About CBD
What are the CBD laws in Texas?
Is full spectrum CBD legal in Texas?
Does Texas have a CBD possession limit?
Do you need a prescription for CBD in Texas?
Where to buy CBD in Texas?
How old do you have to be to buy CBD in Texas?
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.

Key Takeaways

  • Texas legalized CBD post-2018 Farm Bill, removing it from controlled substances.
  • CBD with over 0.3% THC is only for Texas' medical program.
  • No age limit for CBD purchase; smokable products banned; online options available.

What are the CBD laws in Texas?

Following the 2018 Farm Bill, Texas passed updated legislation that removed hemp and it's extracts from the controlled substances list.

Two bottles of CBD oil, a legal and accessible option in Texas.

In mid-June of 2019, Governor Greg Abbott signed HB 1325 into law. This new bill laid the bones for new hemp legislation in the state and established some loose regulations for hemp agriculture, manufacturing, and sales. As a result, CBD products with less than 0.3% THC are now legal in the state.

This bill also enabled the Texas Department of Agriculture to work with the Department of State Health Services to create new hemp rules and regulations as needed.

On Aug 2, the state began enforcing a new law—smokable hemp products were prohibited. Similar laws can be observed in a handful of other states, like North Carolina, Arkansas, Iowa, and Georgia.

To date, the state has no clear ban on CBD food or supplements. That means consumers can access consumable and topical CBD products that are made according to legal guidelines in Texas, with the exception of raw hemp flower and vaporizers.

With that said, Texas CBD laws must still abide by federal legal guidelines. Here's what that looks like:

Federal CBD Laws

CBD gained its federal legal status in 2018. The Hemp Farming Act effectively removed industrial hemp and its natural derivatives (like cannabinoids) from the Controlled Substances Act.

But there’s a catch, and it complicates things:

Legal CBD products must come from industrial hemp.

This classification is designated to hemp material that meets a strict set of standards. The most significant is that it contains less than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis. If CBD products are made from any cannabis strain that contains more than 0.3% THC, it is not a federally legal product.

That’s not all—

The final product must contain less than 0.3% THC, too.

That means that even if a brand starts with legal hemp material, they need to carry out careful manufacturing procedures to produce a legal end product. It’s possible for certain cannabinoids to be “concentrated” during the extraction process, leading to higher THC concentrations than in the original material. Proper manufacturing and careful testing need to be employed to avoid this issue.

A map showing Texas and surrounding states

Because there is very little regulation in the CBD industry, it’s important to evaluate a brand carefully before you buy. It can be hard to tell if a CBD product is made from a legal hemp source and meets the federal guidelines for legal hemp products. The best way to ensure that your CBD products are legal is by checking the third-party lab tests for cannabinoid potency.

Of course, these regulations only apply on a federal scale. You must also ensure that your products meet the standards laid out by federal guidelines and those set by your state.

Luckily, Texas state laws aligns with federal law, meaning that most products that meet this federal definition are legal in Texas, save for certain prohibited product types. 

Is full spectrum CBD legal in Texas?

It’s easy to assume that CBD isolate, which contains no THC, is legal in most places. Laws surrounding full spectrum products that contain some amount of THC are not always so clear.

Luckily, full spectrum CBD is legal in Texas. Texas law allows for CBD products to contain up to 0.3% THC, which means full spectrum CBD products are legal in the state.

Does Texas have a CBD possession limit?

No. There are no general possession limits for CBD in Texas. Smokable hemp products, like flower and vaporizers, are prohibited in the state.

CBD products that contain more than 0.3% THC are considered cannabis products, which are only legal for qualifying medical patients. These types of products are subject to different regulations and possession limits and require a doctor's recommendation and guidance. 

Do you need a prescription for CBD in Texas?

No. There is no need for a prescription to access CBD products in Texas.

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, access usually requires a doctor’s recommendation, not a prescription.

The exception is for CBD products with more than 0.3% THC, which are considered cannabis products by the state. Cannabis products are generally illegal, but may be accessible through the state’s medical cannabis program for qualifying patients.

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.

Where to buy CBD in Texas?

A handful of CBD capsules, which can be found in Texas stores and online.

Texas does not impose many strict regulations regarding CBD sales, which may make it easy to find CBD in stores and grocery markets across the state. However, these relaxed regulations fail to impose testing requirements to ensure safety and purity. It’s important for consumers to do their research before buying CBD in Texas.

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.

How old do you have to be to buy CBD in Texas?

CBD age limits are mostly undefined, even by federal law. Texas does not impose any age restrictions for buying CBD products, but there may still be limitations.

Generally, the minimum age for purchase is decided by the vendor. The legal age for buying tobacco has been increased to 21, and it's possible that most CBD vendors will require buyers to meet this minimum age requirement as well.

Many CBD brands allow customers who are 18 or older to order online and will ship legal CBD products to Texas.

Is CBD legal in all 50 states?

Thanks to federal updates, CBD has the potential to be legal in every U.S. state. CBD is legal in Texas, but every state has different regulations regarding the manufacture and sale of CBD. Read our Guide to CBD Laws in All 50 States to learn more.

Resources

  1. “Hemp Farming Act of 2018” https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5485
  2. “HB 1325” https://legiscan.com/TX/text/HB1325/id/2026154
  3. “Texas Department of Agriculture Hemp Regulations” https://www.texasagriculture.gov/regulatoryprograms/hemp.aspx

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