Today, the President signed the 2018 Farm Bill into law after it passed the US House of Representatives in an overwhelming landslide on Dec. 12, 2018.

The final House vote in favor of hemp was 369-47.

What is the 2018 Farm Bill?

Products derived from industrial hemp, including hemp CBD extract, will now be easier for consumers to locate and purchase. The option to grow hemp will also be more accessible to farmers interested in becoming part of an industry projected to grow to $22 billion by 2022.

The historic bill lifts an 81-year ban on industrial hemp farming.

As an agricultural commodity, farmers will be able to ensure their hemp crops. Hemp farmers will also be eligible for other federal benefits that apply to crops nationwide.

Is CBD Legal Now? Farm Bill removes hemp from Controlled Substances Act

As a result of the Farm Bill’s passage, industrial hemp will no longer be included as part of the Controlled Substances Act.

This is a major win for clarity around hemp-derived products and extracts like CBD, which are non-psychotropic and do not produce a high.

Hemp CBD extracts containing less than 0.3% THC will be more accessible than ever. That means the people who need CBD most will be able to experience its nutritive benefits as they incorporate it into their healthy lifestyle.

While purchasing industrial hemp-derived products in the United States was legal previously, hemp also happened to be listed alongside psychoactive cannabis as a schedule 1 drug.

For farmers, this means hemp will be treated like any other crop. They’ll get access to insurance for their crops and other benefits as a result of the bill. You can learn more about the parameters around hemp cultivation here.

The bill also opens the door to conducting further research into hemp’s properties.

Hemp education will broaden under the Farm Bill

Now that industrial hemp has been removed from the Controlled Substances Act, education about this incredible super-plant will be easier to access.

Not only does hemp provide complete protein and nutrition through its seeds, but it’s also used all over the world as a green alternative to building materials, fabrics, and plastics. Hemp seed oil is even a moisturizing component of plant-based skin and hair care products like Sativa.

Elixinol CEO Paul Benhaim was first attracted to hemp not only because of its nutritive properties but also because it can be used to create a number of materials--like plastics--that are currently made with non-biodegradable chemicals.

"Hemp could become a solution for the man-made petrochemicals polluting our world," Benhaim says.

Elixinol is thrilled to be a part of this booming industry during such an exciting time.