Richmond, VA: Governor Terry McAuliff has signed legislation, Senate Bill 701, to establish regulations governing the in-state production of therapeutic oils high in cannabidiol (CBD) and/or THC-A (THC acid).
Under a 2015 state law, qualifying patients are provided an affirmative medical defense if they possess cannabis plant extracts that contain at least 15 percent cannabidiol, and no more than five percent tetrahydrocannabinol. However, the law provides no legal source for these products and, as a result, it has largely failed to meet the needs of patients.
Senate Bill 701 requires the state Board of Pharmacy to adopt regulations establishing health, safety, and security requirements for pharmaceutical processors of oils high in CBD and/or THC-A.
Laws in more than a dozen states explicitly exempt criminal prosecution for qualified patients who possess CBD extracts. However, only three of these states – Florida, Missouri, and Texas – provide statutory language regulating the in-state production of these products. This week, regulators at the Missouri Department of Agriculture granted licenses to two applicants seeking to grow CBD-dominant cannabis. Their products are anticipated to be ready for distribution this fall to state-qualified patients.
For more information, please contact Danielle Keane, NORML Political Director, at (202) 483-5500.