Is Delta 8 THC legal?

Delta8 THC has a scary name due to everything we’ve been trained to think over the past 90 years regarding Delta 9 THC, but Delta 8 THC is federally legal and legal in most states in the USA thanks to H.R. 2: The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the 2018 Farm Bill.

The 2018 Farm Bill specifically made all derivatives, isomers, and cannabinoids in hemp legal, provided the final product has less than 0.3% Delta 9 THC. For reference, delta 8 THC is an isomer of CBD, a derivative of hemp and CBD, a cannabinoid found in hemp, and is ultimately contained in our extracts with less than 0.3% Delta 9 THC.

We often get asked about the Federal Analogue Act, which is part of the Controlled Substances Act, because Delta 8 THC is listed. This is where the 2018 Farm Bill is especially helpful, as it also includes an amendment to the Controlled Substances Act, explicitly removing all tetrahydrocannabinols found in hemp.

The relevant language from the 2018 Farm Bill is listed below, along with links to the original text.

Note that the information contained on this page and website is for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Read our full legal disclaimer HERE. While we try to stay as up to date as possible on all state and federal laws, the laws, especially at the state level, are constantly changing. You should do your own due diligence and work with a legal professional to ensure you are operating legally in your state or territory at all times.

SEC. 297A. DEFINITIONS.

(1) HEMP.—The term ‘hemp’ means the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.

SEC. 12619. CONFORMING CHANGES TO CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT.

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 102(16) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802(16)) is amended—

(1) by striking ‘‘(16) The’’ and inserting ‘‘(16)(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), the’’; and

(2) by striking ‘‘Such term does not include the’’ and inserting the following:

‘‘(B) The term ‘marihuana’ does not include—

‘‘(i) hemp, as defined in section 297A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946; or

‘‘(ii) the’’. (b) TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL.—Schedule I, as set forth in section 202(c) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812(c)), is amended in subsection

(c)(17) by inserting after ‘‘Tetrahydrocannabinols’’ the following: ‘‘, except for tetrahydrocannabinols in hemp (as defined under section 297A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946)’’.

The farm bill is a package of legislation passed roughly every five years that has a large impact on farming livelihoods, how our food is grown, and what kind of agriculture can be grown legally.

Signed by President Trump on December 20th 2018 and implemented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the latest Farm Bill allows pilot programs to study hemp and hemp-derived products while also outlining actions that are considered violations of the federal hemp law, including such activities as cultivating hemp without a license or producing cannabis with more than .3 percent Delta 9 THC.

Delta 8 THC is legally allowed under the latest Farm Bill, as it does not fit the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substance Act and is derived from the legal hemp plant.