CBD Oil: What Is It And Will It Be Legal?

A bill has been proposed this legislative session would legalize CBD oil for all Hoosiers.  The proposal could also answer questions about what it is and who may use it. Purude University Botanist Janna Beckerman agrees there is confusion about the substance that is a chemical extracted from the cannabis plant.

"When we talk about CBD oil what we’re talking about is an extract, similar to how we get mint oil by distilling it from mint," says Beckerman. 

After the oil was legalized for some epilepsy treatments last year, debate opened over access to the oil – culminating in an opinion from the State Attorney General that CBD oil is only legal for patients with incurable epilepsy.

Beckerman says more research would help lawmakers make decisions.

"For medicinal quality there hasn’t been very much research done because the research couldn’t be done," says Beckerman. 

Beckerman says there is no basis for the current limit of psychoactive chemicals (the .03 THC limit) in CBD and other legal products. 

"If you ask where this came from or you look to see where it came from there is really no good science to back it up," she says. 

Past legislative efforts to increase research opportunities have had limited impact.