Distinguishing CBD from Marijuana Poses Challenges for Law Enforcement States The Hemp Doctor

MOORESVILLE, N.C., July 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Lack of on-site testing makes arrests for possession of legal CBD inevitable when police confuse it with marijuana. Buying from a reputable CBD source could help consumers.

The recent  of a North Carolina high school student for misdemeanor drug possession, for what turned out to be CBD and not marijuana, highlights the tendency for confusion on the part of members of the general public and, unfortunately, members of law enforcement agencies as well. The fact that the officer making the arrest appeared to be unaware of the differences between CBD and marijuana, and that the local prosecutor thought the girl's family should bear the cost of a laboratory analysis to prove the substance was CBD, makes this story even more troubling. The charges were ultimately dismissed by the prosecutor, but the confusion over whether a substance is legal CBD or illegal marijuana is an ongoing problem.

The General Public and Law Enforcement Continue to Link Hemp with Marijuana

Confusion over distinguishing the difference between CBD and marijuana is certainly not new. Although hemp production dates back thousands of years and was a staple of colonial farmers (including the nation's first president, George Washington), it was classified as a Schedule I dangerous substance along with marijuana and heroin by the federal Controlled Substances Act of 1970. It was not until the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, which reclassified hemp from a controlled substance to an agricultural commodity, that states could grant permission to farmers, researchers, and others to legally grow the plant.

"People hear the word 'cannabis' and immediately think marijuana and the 'high' associated with its psychoactive properties," stated a spokesman for The Hemp Doctor, a retailer of CBD derived from phytocannabinoid-rich hemp. "Hemp and marijuana both come from the cannabis species of plants, creating the false belief that hemp and marijuana are the same. Industrial hemp, which is what can be legally grown, is valued for its seeds, fiber, and the inner portion of the stalks. It will not produce the high associated with marijuana. Unfortunately, as the North Carolina arrest proves, until law enforcement officers are updated about the legal status of CBD and get the technology to conduct on-site tests to identify the substance, anyone confronted by a situation similar to this student should seek legal representation."

Although both come from the cannabis genus, hemp and marijuana contain very different chemical compositions. In order to be classified as hemp, neither the plant nor the CBD oils or other products produced from it can contain more than a 0.3% concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the substance that produces the intoxicating effects of marijuana. In contrast to hemp, marijuana plants could have THC concentrations as high as 20%.

The problem for people in North Carolina and other states is that police do not have test kits to use in the field to accurately measure THC levels. The substance in the high school student's possession might have looked like marijuana, but the school resource officer could not have known for certain without the ability to check the THC concentration.

How Can Consumers Know Their CBD Products Are Legal?

The best way for consumers to know the CBD products they buy do not exceed legal levels of THC, and provide the health benefits they want, is to buy from a reliable source with an established reputation within the industry. Companies like The Hemp Doctor, who control every phase of the process – from selecting and growing the strain of phytocannabinoid-rich hemp, to extracting the CBD oils, to stringently lab testing the final result – maintain the quality and consistency of their product.

The Hemp Doctor, America's premier hemp & CBD dispensary, conducts testing of all its products at its in-house lab. Samples are then sent to an independent outside lab to verify these results. Consumers can then see the test results of each CBD product sold by The Hemp Doctor on the .

The Hemp Doctor, America's premier hemp & CBD dispensary, is committed to producing the highest quality, legal CBD products on the market and offers a 100% THC free line of products. This commitment to quality starts with growing their own strain of phytocannabinoid-rich hemp and carefully controlling each stage of the production process. This includes a solvent-free process for the extraction of its full spectrum, phytocannabinoid-rich CBD oil and removing even the most microscopic traces of THC. They offer a variety of products at their store and on their website, including the popular CBD oils and salves, soft gels, and other CBD-based products backed by a money-back guarantee. Learn more by visiting them in store or .

Source: Prnewswire.com

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