- Kentucky Medical Marijuana & CBD Oil – Is it Legal?
Kentucky Medical Marijuana & CBD Oil – Is it Legal?
There’s a new drug that’s been making its way into the health and wellness sector and unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about it. I’m taking about CBD oil or cannabidiol. CBD has become incredibly popular because of its potential to ease a variety of aliments like anxiety, depression, chronic pain, cancers, epilepsy, and even HIV. But, what exactly is CBD? Is CBD oil legal in Kentucky? What about Kentucky medical marijuana, how is that different form CBD? For interested CBD oil Kentucky users, these are all important questions that will get answered.
What Is CBD? What’s The Buzz
If you are hoping to buy CBD oil in Kentucky,then naturally you need to understand what CBD is. CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis family of plants. It is one of the most popular cannabinoid (there are some 113 cannabinoids identified in the cannabis plant) that make up the plant.
Non-psychoactive means that CBD will not cause any mind-altering effects or the sensation of being “high.” The sensation of “high” that people refer to are a result of the cannabinoid THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. THC is concentrated in high levels in marijuana.
Hemp Vs. Marijuana
What’s The Difference?
Hemp and marijuana are often confused as the same thing because they both come from the same family of plants known as cannabis. Aside from this small shared similarity, hemp and marijuana are incredibly different. Everything from the way the two plants are grown, to how they look, to the uses and effects of both plants on the body differ.
The marijuana and hemp plant look very similar. Both are green with jagged leaves but if you pay closer attention you will notice that the marijuana plant is shorter, more flat, and bushier than hemp. Hemp; however, is taller, skinnier, with leaves that narrow at the top.
Marijuana needs to be grown in very specific, controlled environments and can only be used medicinally and recreationally. Hemp, on the other hand, can be grown almost anywhere as long as there is good soil and sun. It can be used in a wide variety of ways in which marijuana cannot. For instance, hemp can be used not only medicinally but industrially to make things like paper, clothes, and art.
Knowing the difference between hemp and marijuana are important for CBD oil Kentucky users because CBD can be derived from both hemp or marijuana. Hemp derived CBD comes from extracting oil from hemp seeds and contain high levels of CBD. Marijuana derived CBD comes from the plant’s flowers and contains high levels of THC. This means marijuana-derived CBD will most likely have psychoactive or mind-altering effects and will likely show up on a drug test.
Is CBD oil legal in Minnesota?
Interested CBD oil Kentucky users will be happy to know to the question of: “is CBD legal in Kentucky?” the answer is yes. Thanks to the 2014 Farm Bill which became later expanded in an updated 2018 Farm Bill, hemp cultivation became legal in all 50 states. Hemp was also removed from the Controlled Substance Act which has it classified as marijuana. As long as the hemp being farmed stays under 0.3% THC, it can be cultivated and sold in the states.
Even without the Farm Bill, the state of Kentucky has its own laws that allow for state-sponsored cultivation of hemp. In fact, Kentucky is among the most popular locations for hemp farming due to its climate.
Is Medical Marijuana Legal in Kentucky?
Already a super majority or 33 states have legalized medical marijuana in some capacity and of 33 states, 10 have legalized marijuana for recreational use. With attitudes towards marijuana shifting for the better, Forbes has declared 2019 the year of green since marijuana legislation is sweeping the states.
Only one month into 2019 marijuana legalization was already booming. In New Mexico, three separate house and senate committees have approved two different legal marijuana bills; in New Hampshire, the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee acted to advance a marijuana legalization bill and in Hawaii, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously voted to approve a cannabis legalization bill; in Vermont the Senate Judiciary, Finance and Appropriations Committees all voted to approve a bill to add in a system of legal marijuana sales.
Despite a green wave dominating the states right now, Kentucky still lags behind. Kentucky has not fully decriminalized marijuana. Possession of less than 8 ounces of marijuana can include jail-time of up to 45 days. A second offense is classified as a felony and includes up to 5 years in prison as well as a $10,000 fine.
Now we’ve finally reached the one-million question “is marijuana legal in Kentucky?” The answer, sadly, is no. Kentucky lawmakers still view marijuana as a hard and corrupting drug. For now, CBD-hemp oil is the only alternative that has similar health benefits to medical marijuana that residents may purchase.
Hemp For Pain Relief
CBD oil Kentucky users will be happy to know there is a growing amount of evidence connecting CBD to pain relief. This is thanks to the endocannabinoid system or ECS. The ECS is important because it helps in controlling homeostasis or the body’s internal equilibrium meter.
Homeostasis it what causes your ears to pop on an airplane, why you breathe heavier when you running, or why you get a fever when you’re sick. It is what keeps yourinternal environment stable and optimal. If your body is in perfect balance that’s great, but if not CBD may help. Researchers believe CBD may positively interact with receptors in the ECS and as a result help regulate things like inflammation and pain
Hemp For Anxiety
Most people are familiar with the unpleasantries of anxiety. Your hands calm up or your throat runs dry. Sometimes your voice starts to shake and you chest pounds. Whatever forms anxiety takes, the general feeling is the same across the board: discomfort.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 40 million people are considered to have an anxiety disorder in the United States and nearly 3 million cases are diagnosed each year. This makes anxiety disorders an epidemic. There are various forms of anxiety including:
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Panic Disorder
Anxiety disorder that causes people to experience panic attacks with symptoms include rapid heartbeat, chest pain, and a heightened sense of fear
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Disorder that causes people to have obsessive thoughts and repetitive patterns of behaviors
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Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Anxiety and stress set forth by no real or obvious reason
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Social Phobia
Fear of interacting and socializing with others so much that people are inhibited from doing basic social activities with others
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Depression
Feelings of intense despair and sorrow that last for an extended period
Medical Marijuana Kentucky: Next Steps
Though Kentucky marijuana laws still allow for jail-time for possession offenses, the state is still making progress. With so many states having legalized marijuana already, it is no surprise Kentucky is starting to feel the pressure to join. In fact, in 2018, Frankfort. Rep. Jason Nemes and Rep. Diane St. Onge emerged as champions for Kentucky medical marijuana legalization. The two intend to sponsor the medical cannabis bill and Rep. Nemes confidently predicts legislature will pass in 2019.
The current governor of Kentucky Matt Bevin, expressed support for medical cannabis during his campaign trail. Although he has not shown much leadership on the issue, he reiterated his support stating “when that bill hits my desk, I will sign that.” Even Kentucky’s U.S. Senator Rand Paul added his support for aKentucky medical marijuanabill, stating“I believe that patients suffering from medical illness should have the right to try cannabis.”
The state of Kentucky is years away from recreational marijuana. Medical marijuana, on the other hand, has a close reality to being legalized in the state. In the meantime, CBD can be a beneficial alternative to marijuana. Aside from it not causing mind-altering effects, there is no paperwork that needs to filed, and more importantly it is 100% legal.
CBD Hemp Oil Tinctures
When people imagine CBD, the mental image they have is usually a CBD hemp tincture. Tinctures are one of the most common ways to consume CBD and are beneficial for users who want to control their CBD dosage. Since most tinctures come with a small dropper, users can easily mix their CBD into food and beverages and incorporate it into recipes.
The CBD hemp oil tinctures that Medix CBD supplies comes in a variety of sizes and potencies. The largest size is 4500 mg and the smallest size 100 mg. All tinctures are 100% natural and 100% THC-free. There are also vegan friendly and gluten free.
CBD Edibles
CBD edibles are perfect for people who want to control their CBD dosage and do so in a flavorful way. CBD edibles can come in many different kinds of shapes and flavors. Medix CBD has four different edibles: edibles chews, gummy bears, sour snakes, sour bears, and rainbow bites.
Since CBD has to be ingested before the body can absorb it, edibles are good for people that want to feel the effects of CBD gradually throughout the day rather than feel a more volatile and direct effect like vaping. Though edibles are small, Medix CBD only recommends 2-3 a day to get you going!
CBD Hemp Oil Creams
There are almost 40 million adults that suffer from chronic pain. Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts more than 12 weeks. As mentioned before, CBD has naturally anti- inflammatory properties that can help alleviate pain. A rising star in the treatment for pain are CBD topicals.
Medix CBD offers two topicals a 150 mg cream, similar to icy-hot, and a 300 mg scent-free lotion. Topicals are beneficial for people that want CBD to target specific areas of the body. By applying topicals to pained areas, CBD can be directly absorbed by that one spot. What whichever topical you choose, the 150 mg or the 300 mg, both spread on easily and are good choices for fast-acting pain relief.
How to get CBD oil in Kentucky
Now you have all the basics: what CBD is, its benefits, and how hemp differs from marijuana, for the interested CBD oil Kentuckyuser, the next question is “where can I purchase CBD?” With so many different stores popping up and so many people claiming their CBD is the best, it’s hard to know which source to trust.
Fortunately, Medix CBD has your back. At Medix CBD not only are all CBD products lab-tested multiple times but our CBD is cultivated from premium hemp that is locally grown in the beautiful state of Kentucky itself! Using organic farming techniques, Medix CBD extracts oil with the highest quality and with so many different kinds of products: CBD vapes, edibles, tinctures, creams and more there’s bound to be something that will satisfy your needs.