Is CBD Oil Legal in Tennessee?

Have you been looking for a good source of CBD oil in Tennessee?

Or maybe you already have a good source...but just want to make sure that your CBD oil is legal in Tennessee?

Regardless, this article is designed to help! In it we’ll be looking at the in’s and out’s of the state’s CBD laws. 

• CBD in Tennessee
• Is CBD legal in Tennessee?
• Cannabidiol oil: legal in Tennessee?
• Tennessee CBD laws
• CBD oil Tennessee
• Pure CBD oil Tennessee Nevada
• Buy CBD Tennessee
• How to find premium CBD in Tennessee
• How to order CBD online in Tennessee
• CBD products in Tennessee

CBD Tennessee: the basics

CBD oil and other hemp derived CBD products are fully legal in Tennessee — and they have been since 2018. What started off as a misunderstood substance has now become one of the very most popular health/wellness products in the state. 

Today Tennessee residents have access to all sorts of hemp derived CBD products, including:

• CBD oil
• CBD vapes
• CBD topicals
• CBD capsules
• CBD tinctures
• CBD pet products
• CBD transdermals
• High-CBD hemp flower
• CBD-infused skincare products
• CBD mattresses (yes, really!)

Other hemp-derived cannabinoids are legal in Tennessee, too. Some of these cannabinoids are actually psychotropic, meaning they have mentally uplifting effects. The highlights include:

• Delta-8 THC
• Delta-10 THC
• HHC (Hexahydrocannabinol)

How’d we get here? Let’s take a deeper dive into the history of Tennessee’s hemp and cannabis laws. 

Is CBD legal in Tennessee?

CBD oil in Tennessee: legal history

The plant responsible for CBD oil, hemp, has a rich history in Tennessee. Here are some interesting factoids from a state government site: [1] 

“By the mid-1600s, hemp had become an important part of the Colonial economy.”

“Hemp was widely grown in Revolutionary War times, as it was strategically important for maritime use for lines, rigging, sail canvas and caulking on ships…”

 “The history of hemp production Tennessee dates to the early 19th century with the arrival of pioneer families.”

“‘Hemp grows luxuriantly upon our River Bottom Lands, but has hitherto been neglected; although it is believed to be more profitable than any other crop that can be raised,’” reported Tennessee Farmer Donald Winters around 1840.

“In 1852 the Navy built a rope factory in Memphis with the intention of purchasing hemp from Tennessee and Kentucky growers, but the project was eventually abandoned.”

“According to the 1850 U.S. Census, Tennessee produced 454 tons of dew-rotted hemp and 141 tons of water-rotted hemp.”

“[...] Hemp was widely grown throughout Middle Tennessee [...] Bedford, Coffee, Jackson, Marshall, Maury, Sumner and Williamson counties were particularly noted for having suitable soils for hemp production.”

“In the 1870 census, Sumner County (including present-day Trousdale County) reported producing 150 tons of hemp.”

“Along with Missouri and Illinois, Kentucky farmers produced most American hemp until the late 1800s [...].”

Long story short, Tennessee’s mountain-nourished soil and temperate climbing made it a major cash crop in the 1800s and early 1900s. It wasn’t until the 1930s that hemp was banned by state legislators.  Thankfully the plant has experienced quite a resurgence in recent years! Let’s take a look at how that happened. 

CBD oil in Tennessee: the 2014 Federal Farm Bill

In 2014 the federal government passed its very first pro-hemp Farm Bill. This Bill empowered states to begin their own ‘pilot programs’ to grow and study hemp. These pilot programs were given to state universities and their researchers. In other words, hemp cultivation was now legal — but only in certain situations, by certain people. 

Retail CBD sales fell into a legal gray area. While some CBD companies successfully argued that the Farm Bill made their products fully legal, other CBD companies were targeted and stopped by the FDA. Anybody who wants to use the oil, which is extracted from the marijuana plant, will have to obtain a prescription from a doctor licensed in Tennessee.

CBD oil in Tennessee: the 2018 Federal Farm Bill

2018’s Federal Farm Bill took CBD to a whole new level. This Farm Bill widened the scope of pilot programs by allowing anyone with a special license to grow hemp. All of a sudden, hemp and its derivatives became mainstream! 

From 2018 forward, all sorts of hemp-related products and activities were now legal:

• Hemp cultivation
• Hemp processing
• Hemp extraction
• Hemp testing
• Hemp retail sales
• Hemp-derived CBD
• Hemp-derived CBG
• Hemp-derived CBN
• Hemp-derived delta-8 THC

Since 2018 Tennessee’s CBD market has simply skyrocketed. CBD use has gone up each year since then. Let’s look at the details behind CBD oil’s rise. 

Is CBD oil legal in Tennessee?

Cannabidiol oil — more commonly known as CBD oil for obvious reasons — is fully legal in Tennessee. 

CBD oil and other products still need to meet a few critical conditions to be legal, however:

• Must be derived from industrial hemp containing less than 0.3% THC
• Must contain less than 0.3% THCa according to lab tests
• Must contain less than 0.3% THC according to lab tests
• Must be tested and approved via third-party lab tests

Tennessee CBD laws

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive a little deeper into several more specific CBD legality topics. 

• Tennessee hemp farming laws
• Tennessee CBD sales laws
• Tennessee recreational cannabis laws
• Tennessee medical cannabis laws

Tennessee hemp farming: boom or bust?

The Tennessee hemp farming scene is booming. “Tennessee has been a hemp state for a lot longer than it hasn’t been one,” attests the Nashville Scene in their Cannabis Issue 2021. “In 2015, there were 44 licensed growers. By June 2020, there were 3,359 [...].” The state ended up licensing almost 16,000 acres for hemp — far more acres than tobacco. [2]

“With the massive growth in hemp production came concerns from established farmers that inexperienced growers are getting into the game and diluting not only profitability but quality,” Nashville Scene goes on to explain, “but the state says most Tennessee hemp farmers have been farmers for more than 15 years.”

But this hemp farming boom has come with plenty of challenges. “Growing [hemp] for CBD and Delta-8 is a more difficult process than simply growing for fiber, as pollination and seed-to-flower times are a bigger concern. Furthermore, all CBD-producing hemp must be grown organically by federal law because there are no approved pesticides for the plant. But it’s easier to be profitable on a small operation with the extracts than it is with fiber, so the juice is worth the squeeze (so to speak).”

“The industry is still in its infancy and exploratory phase,” attests a hemp farmer who was interviewed by Nashville Scene. “Rules are changing left and right. We have a very close relationship with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. We have them come in periodically to tell us what’s changed and what we need to know.” 

Tennessee CBD sales laws 

For the most part, CBD sales in Tennessee are unrestricted. You don’t need a license or permit to sell CBD (CBD edibles, which are regulated more closely by the FDA, might be one exception). 

Ordering CBD online is also a breeze for Tennessee residents. You can have virtually any type of CBD product, including CBD oil, shipped to your house legally.

Is weed legal in Tennessee?

While hemp and CBD are booming in Tennessee, high-THC cannabis is a totally different story. 

The Tennessee government has made it clear that they side with Federal statutes regarding cannabis’s legal status. According to them, cannabis is:

• Highly addictive
• Likely to be abused
• Devoid of medical properties 
• Unable to alleviate any health conditions
• Dangerous, particularly to pregnant/nursing women
• Unable to be used safely, even under medical supervision

New research shows that the above beliefs are more propaganda than established science...but cannabis remains illegal in Tennessee nonetheless. 

Medical cannabis in Tennessee

On the bright side, Tennessee does have a fledgling medical cannabis program. 

As of May 27th of this year the state’s medical cannabis program has expanded from epilepsy-only to include a larger number of qualifying conditions. These conditions include: 

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Cancer (when such disease is diagnosed as end-stage or the treatment produces related wasting illness, nausea, and vomiting, or pain)
• Inflammatory bowel issues, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
• Epilepsy or seizures
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• Sickle cell disease
• HIV/AIDS

Medical cannabis patients have access to medical-grade CBD products containing up to 0.9% THC — up from the 0.3% allowance given to the general public. 

 Business news site JD Supra explains more: [3]

:[...] patients diagnosed with a qualifying condition must have a letter from a doctor licensed to practice in Tennessee attesting to the patient’s qualifying medical condition, specifying the specific condition, and stating that conventional treatments to address this condition have been ineffective.  This letter is valid for a maximum of six months from the date of the doctor’s signature.”

But even this medical cannabis program comes with some unknowns. While Tennessee residents are allowed to possess higher-THC CBD oil, for example, there’s no clear way for them to actually acquire it! Some residents have had to resort to sourcing their products from illegal growers out of state. 

How to find premium CBD in Tennessee

To sum up the above sections, CBD oil is fully legal in Tennessee. And higher-THC cannabis oil is legal to a select few medical cannabis patients. 

These topics established, let’s move on to a new topic: how to find premium CBD for yourself. 

Where to find CBD locally

CBD oil and other CBD products can be found at a variety of different businesses.

Health food stores, grocery stores, gas stations, and specialized CBD shops may all carry the type of products you’re looking for — though we don’t advise getting CBD from your local gas station. Several analysis studies have found that CBD products are frequently mislabeled. Your health matters, so opt for a more trusted source!  

How to determine if your CBD oil is premium

How do you determine whether CBD oil comes from a trusted source or not? There are several factors to consider:

• Is the CBD oil made in America?
• Is the CBD oil made locally in Tennessee? (That may be even better.)
• Is the CBD oil full spectrum, or made from cheaper isolate?
• Is the CBD oil tested by third-party, independent labs?
• Is the CBD oil tested in-house by its manufacturer?
• Are any lab tests available online for consumers to view?
• Is the CBD oil certified by any outside sources?
• Is the CBD oil certified organic?
• Does the CBD have good reviews?
• Do any medical professionals stand behind the CBD or brand?

CBD oil: why product type matters

Another factor to consider? What type of cannabis oil is right for you. There are three primary types of CBD oil available today:

• Full spectrum CBD (contains CBD, THC, terpenes, flavones, and more)
• Broad spectrum CBD (contains CBD, no THC, terpenes, flavones, and more)
• CBD isolate powder (contains just CBD, nothing else)

If you’re new to CBD oil we recommend starting with the most tried-and-true type of CBD oil of all: full spectrum CBD oil. This type contains everything your body needs to experience the entourage effect and access full-body balance. Research has shown that full spectrum may be up to four times more powerful than an equivalent amount of CBD isolate! [4]

Feel free to experiment with different types of cannabis oil to get a better feel for what works for you. And don’t forget: learning more about your body and growing healthier is a process that’s meant to be enjoyed. 

At Black Tie CBD we specialize in uniquely strong CBD oils. We’ve been growing premium high-CBD hemp strains since 2014. You can read more about our backstory here. You can buy CBD Oil in our store now!

How to order CBD online in Tennessee

Now that you know what to look for before purchasing CBD oil online in Tennessee, let’s move on and look at how to shop for premium CBD products online. 

CBD products in Tennessee

Black Tie’s online CBD shop offers premium CBD oils, ranging from low-strength broad spectrum products to ultra-concentrated CBD pastes. And that’s just the start. We also carry:

• Smokeable CBD products
• Smokeable CBG products
• Smokeable CBN products
• CBD vapes
• CBG vapes
• CBN vapes
• CBD concentrates
• CBD isolate powders
• CBD capsules and pills
• Edible CBD products

CBD in Tennessee: Summing things up

Long story short...our online Black Tie CBD store offers it all. If you’re ready to experience Tennessee’s best, shop with us today!

After all, hemp-derived CBD oil is 100% legal in Tennessee. You don’t need a medical card, license, or doctor’s referral to experience its power. All you need is an inner desire to feel better and attain optimal health. 

FAQ

Is CBD legal in Tennessee? 

CBD in Tennessee is now legal, but only if the CBD comes from hemp. The Tennessee Industrial Hemp Commission has created rules that allow for cultivating hemp with less than 0.6% THC concentration. This makes CBD products derived from industrial hemp legal to purchase throughout Tennessee.

How old do you have to be to buy CBD in Tennessee?

You must be 18 years of age to legally purchase CBD in Tennessee, which is the same as other states that have legalized CBD.

Where can I buy CBD Oil in Tennessee?

The possession of CBD products that contain less than 0.6% THC is completely legal in the state of Tennessee and you can buy it in different CBD Stores. You can also buy CBD Products at home online in Black Tie CBD Store! Try it now!

What license do I need to sell CBD in Tennessee?

Any person who grows hemp in Tennessee, regardless of the quantity, is required to have a hemp grower license.