Historically, the impact of legalizing marijuana has been a topic of hot debate. A Pew Research survey in 19696, revealed that 84% of the U.S. population supported the federal and state bans on the growing, manufacturing, and selling of marijuana. However, as science has begun to shed light on the health benefits that medicinal marijuana can have for incurable diseases and ailments, the public sentiment has dramatically shifted. So much so, that in October 2018, ahead of the country’s midterm political elections, 66% of Americans supported the legalization of marijuana, even up 2 percentage points from a similar poll in 20177
As medical marijuana laws began to be passed in state legislatures, dating back to the early 2000’s, 2013 marked the first time that the majority of national support was reached for country-wide legalization laws to be considered. In addition, marijuana legalization has achieved bipartisan support, with both Republicans and Democratic candidates and officials using some form of legalization as a part of their official political platforms. In fact, Republican support is up 2 percentage points to 53%, as reported by exit polls following in the 2018 Fall midterm elections.
When age demographics are considered, seniors (characterized as those over 60 years old), have shown the most support growth through the years, now with 59% supporting legalization initiatives, a 9% year-over-year increase. In contrast, however, middle-aged adults (those 35-54 years old), experienced a 3% decrease in support, but still maintain a 54% majority that would vote for legalization and medicinal marijuana use in their state. Similarly, young adults, ages 18-34 have the highest rates of support with over 78% advocating for the decriminalization of marijuana and increased access to medical marijuana for those patients that qualify.
What is the CBD legal status? Is CBD legal in New York?
Navigating public sentiment is only one small piece of the puzzle. The other larger, more pressing issue, is understanding the legality (or lack thereof) of marijuana or its derived products. Based on updated legislative research from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, CBD from industrial hemp is legal in all 50 states. It is important to be aware of the legality of marijuana as well as some CBD products may be derived directly from the Cannabis plant. New York is one of the 17 that considers marijuana to be illegal, but allows merchants to sell CBD legally in NYC, as long as the products do not contain any THC content. To be clear, on a federal level, CBD products are classified as a Level 1 drug with a “high potential for abuse”, but it is legal in all 50 states as a result of the 2014 Farm Bill.9
Though CBD has grown in popularity and can readily be purchased on the market, consumers must stay vigilant and aware of what they are purchasing. With limited to no industrial regulations of how CBD legally is manufactured, it is essential that you are aware of what you are buying in order to avoid accidentally breaking the law or using contaminated products that were not manufactured with the correct procedures to insure safety.
