The chaos and confusion that has marred Indiana’s initial attempts to legalize CBD have finally subsided in Indiana. On Wednesday, Governor Eric Holcomb signed a bill into law that sets clear requirements and standards for the sale of CBD oil. As a result, Indiana has officially legalized CBD oil for Hoosiers who can benefit from it.
Chaos And Confusion Around CBD Oil Comes To An End In Indiana
On paper, Indiana has been a state where CBD (cannabidiol) oil is legal. But over the past several months, police have raided health stores and confiscated untold amounts of CBD products.
For lawmakers, the crackdown on a legal product indicated that Governor Eric Holcomb didn’t seem to have a clear sense that he signed legislation back in April 2017 exempting qualified patients from criminal penalties for using CBD.
Then, in early 2018, Republican state senator Jim Tomes filed a bill he hoped would “just cut to the chase, just get rid of all of this unknown and just make this product legal.”
And indeed, Tomes’ bill, Senate Bill 52, makes it clear that CBD oil is not a controlled substance and that any CBD-based products are completely legal to produce, sell, and possess.
SB 52 swiftly made it through both of Indiana’s legislative chambers. First, on February 28, the bill passed the Indiana House with a unanimous 93-0 vote. Then, on March 15, Senators voted in favor of the bill 36-11.
Finally, on Wednesday, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed SB 52 into law, establishing and finalizing the missing pieces in Indiana’s legal CBD framework. And with that, the governor of Indiana has officially legalized CBD oil for patients in the state.