Is it Legal to Buy CBD on Amazon?

CBD oil is one of the most powerful, and popular, wellness products available today. Its health benefits include help with sleep, stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and more. No wonder folks are flocking to the most popular retailer, Amazon, in their quest for the best CBD oil.  

But, sorry, not only can you not find the best CBD oil on Amazon, but you shouldn’t even find CBD oil there at all. That’s because it is indeed illegal to sell CBD on Amazon.  

But CBD oil is legal in the US, right?

You may be thinking to yourself that CBD is legal in the United States, so it should be legal on Amazon. And you’re not wrong, really. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp, from which CBD is derived, in every state, though each state does have its own set of regulations. Regardless of this legal status, Amazon isn’t having it.  

Here’s why: Even though the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp, it’s still a controlled substance. Hemp is considered by Amazon to be a Schedule 1 (Class 1) drug and a controlled substance because it comes from the cannabis sativa plant. Because both hemp and cannabis come from cannabis sativa, hemp is considered a controlled substance, even though THC does not come from hemp, but from cannabis. To avoid any trouble, Amazon has simply closed the door on both hemp-derived CBD and, certainly, cannabis-derived CBD.  

So why do you still see CBD oil on Amazon?  

Good question! Sometimes you do see the real thing, but it’s so fleeting that it’s not even worth the search. Some companies will try to slip their real CBD oil on the site, but Amazon is usually pretty quick to identify the culprit and swiftly remove their products per their rules.  

What you likely will find is fake CBD products or hemp seed oil, posing as genuine CBD oil. Hemp seed oil is derived from the pressed oil of hemp seeds, which contains almost no CBD, so those are legal to sell and purchase on Amazon. Amazon’s rules specify that merchants cannot list products containing CBD, including products like full spectrum hemp oil and rich hemp oil. That means that the weaker hemp oil, with little to no trace of CBD, can be sold on Amazon. That’s where hemp seed oil comes in.  

But don’t be fooled 

Many sellers list their hemp seed oil as CBD oil to make the product appealing to those who are attracted to the healing benefits of CBD, but steer clear. While CBD comes from the plant, flowers, and stems of hemp, hemp seed oil comes from the seed, so they’re two different products. Hemp seed oil has nutrients that are indeed helpful, but you won’t find the other benefits of relief from anxiety, stress, chronic pain, and more, unless you’re using the real deal, which is definitely not legal to sell on Amazon.  

The next time you’re CBD shopping, pay attention and make sure you get exactly what you want! Do a little digging. Find a quality company that seems more trustworthy than the sea of scams running amuck online. Legit CBD companies will post their certifications, so look for those and go with your gut.  We think our products are a great place to start.