Update 4/11/18: On March 21, 2018 the Governor of Indiana signed this proposed bill into law, taking effect immediately. CBD is now LEGAL in Indiana!!!
As the popularity of cannabidiol grows, and as the general public become more educated regarding the differences between CBD supplements and marijuana, governments are realizing the need to allow regulated access to CBD. Indiana has been very slow to accept the idea of cannabis use, but recently Indiana has introduced legislation to allow the regulated sale of cannabidiol supplements. Here at DiscoverCBD, we promote transparency with cannabidiol. Our Active brand products were not far from meeting these new regulations already, and they will be compliant if the bill becomes law.
The news of Indiana accepting CBD oil comes as a surprise after a wrongful raid, only about 6 months ago, on a grocery store selling CBD products. On June 14, 2017 the Fresh Thyme Farmers Market in Indianapolis was raided by Indiana State Excise Police according to WTHR News. A wave of concern passed over the state regarding the future legal status of cannabidiol within Indiana. The state government seems to have taken notice regarding the disapproval of the raid and policy decisions, so lawmakers have thankfully proposed this bill to provide regulated access to legal CBD oil products.
Senate Bill 52, regarding low-THC cannabidiol products, is currently proposed legislation for the Indiana General Assembly 2018 session. The legislation is authored by senators Michael Young and James Tomes. The bill defines a “low THC hemp extract” as being derived from Cannabis sativa L., containing less than 0.3% THC, which contains more than 5% CBD and no other controlled substances. The bill also details manufacturing and packaging regulations that will be required for these cannabidiol products to be sold in Indiana.
The first packaging requirement for CBD Oil products sold in Indiana will be a QR code, and Active brand products’ labels already include these scannable codes. These QR codes must link to an online page with specific information about the product and the manufacturing process. One of the most important pieces of information the linked page must include is a 3rd party laboratory test result confirming the product contains less that 0.3% THC. Every batch of product must be tested by an independent lab, just as the Active brand does already. Other information that must be included on the QR code page includes details about ingredients and specified batch information.
The bill will also require certain information be included on the packaging in addition to the QR code. Most of the requirements are for labeling that informs the consumer about exactly what they are buying. Many of the reputable CBD companies have much of this information available, just not necessarily clearly labeled on the packaging already. This information includes the milligrams (mg) of hemp extract, the name and website address of the manufacturer, and an expiration date. Other information less likely to be on labels at this time includes the batch number and an indicator that the product contains less than 0.3% THC.
Indiana senate bill 52 was amended to be effective upon passage, meaning these regulations could become law as soon as next month. The bill recently was passed by the Indiana senate with a vote on the 5th of February, which was recorded as 35 to 13. The bill was then referred to the house on February 6th, and was read on the 12th before being passed to the committee on Courts and Criminal Law. It still needs to be passed by the house and then signed by the governor to become law. The new legislation will greatly restrict the legal sale of CBD products within Indiana, until producers are able to provide lab tests for every batch of product and change their labels and websites to include the required information. Fortunately, DiscoverCBD already tests every batch of the Active CBD products, and our packaging will be compliant with the new regulations if they become law. Here at DiscoverCBD, we think this is a step in the right direction - officially legalizing CBD oil and regulating the products to include beneficial information for the consumer.
