Industrial hemp and CBD are now legal in Louisiana

"Offering something in a retail establishment does not necessarily mean that it's totally legal to sell it," said Sheirff Mark Garber, of Lafayette Parish, as a result of the Arrest of DeYoung.

The federal Agriculture Act of 2018 removed hemp from the list of controlled substances, classifying it as an agricultural product, and defined a process for states to grow hemp.

"As for the federal government, nothing less than .3% THC is considered hemp and is completely legal," said local lawyer, Dylan Heard.

When the legislative session began in Louisiana on April 6, lawmakers worked to catch up with the 2018 Farm Bill. Hemp, and its most popular by-product, CBD, comes from the sativa cannabis plant.

Unlike marijuana, CBD does not have enough THC to elevate people.

The original House Bill 491 did not include the sale of the CBD, but was amended on May 7. CBD retailers must follow strict guidelines that will be defined by the federal government.

Louisiana will now start developing its own hemp growing industry from scratch. All hemp producers must have a license. ATC will regulate CBD retailers.

An agriculture specialist says that hemp can become a valuable crop for farmers in the region. By joining 30 other states that have already adopted hemp farming programs, farmers in Louisiana hope to introduce another profitable crop for the state.

Applications for Louisiana retailers wishing to sell CBD products will be available at the Louisiana Alcohol and Tobacco Control Board as of June 17.

The state will have to submit a regulatory plan to the federal government by November 1st.