The laws relating to the use of cannabis are quickly changing, as we can see with our own federal CBD laws. Globally, the same trend is present, and as more people turn to CBD to promote wellness, the need to understand laws governing CBD oil while traveling becomes greater. Make sure you understand the effective 2019 CBD laws before you risk your future taking your CBD products with you on an international trip.
CBD And Its Legality
Until recently under federal CBD laws, there has been no distinction between CBD derived from industrial hemp and CBD derived from marijuana. This was the continuation of a long-held smear campaign that saw the two plants lumped together under US hemp laws on the controlled substances list. With the 2018 Farm Bill, however, industrial hemp was given both official recognition and a measurable line of demarcation as being Cannabis sativa L. plants with 0.3% or less concentration of THC by dry weight.
This distinction opened the door to full federal legalization and de-scheduling of industrial hemp, strengthening the more tenuous results of the 2014 Farm Bill and its pilot programs. While Federal CBD laws state that marijuana-derived CBD remains illegal due to the higher THC concentration and its psychoactive properties, more and more Americans are turning to industrial hemp-derived CBD oil and laws governing CBD oil products are recognizing this fact.
2019 CBD laws internationally tend to fall somewhere along this evolutionary timeline. While some countries still hold hemp in the same disregard as marijuana, some have accepted the differences while other countries offer full legality for all strains of cannabis products either by legislation or lack thereof.
Know Before You Go
If you plan on taking your CBD with you on a trip, it is as much your responsibility to research your destination’s laws as it is to know our federal CBD laws should you wish to return with CBD bought there. Laws and regulations change quickly and often do not receive much news coverage outside their home country, so it is not only imperative to check them during your initial planning stages, but periodically as your departure approaches. Depending on the country, running afoul of their substance laws could result in a fine, deportation, or a possibly lengthy prison sentence.
Select Countries And Their Laws Governing CBD Oil
While no internet list is ever complete nor 100% accurate, these are the laws in some popular travel destinations as of the time of this writing. Remember that this is not legal advice in the United States or any other country, rather it is offered for informational purposes and, as with anything related to CBD laws in 2019, you should do your own research. This focuses on federal CBD laws in the cited countries, and just as with American states, provinces and other civic entities may have their own legislation.
Canada – Our northern neighbor recently made waves in the US by legalizing recreational marijuana and becoming an innovation leader in cannabis-based products. Their federal CBD laws are equally wide open, so you should have no problem bringing CBD into the country, possessing it while you’re there, or buying more should you run low. You may not, however, be able to return with Canadian CBD products.
Mexico – Much as when traveling north, crossing the southern border with your CBD products rarely poses a challenge. Mexico’s federal CBD laws allow for CBD oil with up to 1% THC concentrations to be added as a supplement to foods, lotions, and other products. US industrial hemp-derived CBD is no higher than 0.3% THC, so well under Mexico’s legal limit.
The United Kingdom – Our shared language and cultural heritage make the UK a popular vacation destination, while its financial district makes it a popular “Doorway to Europe” for corporate interests. Right now, CBD derived from industrial hemp is legal and widely unregulated, though this may not last for long. There is a growing push for federal CBD laws to designate CBD as a medicine, potentially moving it to a prescription substance. Along with uncertainties over Brexit and how far-reaching its potential implications may be, CBD-accompanied travel will take some extra care and research right up until flight time.
France – Whether you’re visiting Paris, the city of love, or roaming quaint country vineyards, your CBD should be safe in France as long as it has less than 0.2%THC, slightly less than allowed under US federal CBD laws for industrial hemp. Otherwise, cannabis use or possession is completely illegal and can result in fines or prison sentences.
Australia – If you’re heading down under, you’d best leave your CBD out of your travel plans or make a doctors appointment and buy some when you land. CBD oil is considered a prescription substance and products containing it are subject to seizure on entry.
Israel – While offering some of the laxest federal CBD laws in the middle-east (many of their neighbors would still consider arriving with CBD products drug trafficking with far harsher penalties) Israel still offers little in the way of CBD recognition despite being a world leader in cannabis medical research. Industrial hemp derived CBD is regarded as the same as marijuana and possession is subject to fines, though a new cannabis pilot program may make it available for medical reasons when prescribed.
Japan – CBD oil products are both legal and widely available. A popular destination for tech junkies and those with tech careers, your personal CBD is safe and you can buy domestic brands readily.
Travel Comfortably
Remember to check TSA guidelines before boarding a plane, but with proper research into federal CBD laws and care, there are some great travel opportunities that let you bring your CBD with you. Get your high-quality industrial hemp-derived CBD products (with verified lab results for customs) from Core CBD today.
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