Iowa Office of the Attorney General Issues Memo on CBD Sales in Iowa

The Iowa Office of the Attorney General has issued a memo clarifying Iowa’s law as it governs the sale of CBD products in the state.  CBD products began to emerge in Iowa retail locations after the passage of the 2018 federal Farm Bill and the subsequent passage of Iowa Senate File 599 (the Iowa Hemp Act) at the state level.  Demand for the sale and purchase of CBD products has led to hundreds of inquiries with the Iowa Office of the Attorney General asking for clarification on the legality of CBD sales.

Both federal and state laws are applicable to CBD products and work remains on both fronts before CBD sales of the type discussed in the memo are legal in Iowa.  Because CBD products are derived from parts of the cannabis plant that are included in Iowa’s definition of marijuana, CBD is considered marijuana under Iowa law.  Iowa places marijuana in Schedule 1 of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act and therefore, CBD products are illegal under current Iowa law.  Law enforcement agencies have the authority to take criminal enforcement action against any person who sells or possesses over-the-counter CBD products.

The full text of the memo can be read here.