You may have recently heard of the directive from several different military leaders that CBD oil like the ones from Diamond CBD isn’t allowed on military installations around the world. It is one of the ever growing debates between the difference of CBD vs THC. The use of CBD oil has become well-known for its health and wellness benefits with research pointing to decrease in inflammation, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and PTSD. It also has helped cancer patients with symptoms related to chemotherapy like nausea.
Although CBD oil is legal in all 50 states in some capacity, it is not regulated at a federal level. Until recently, it has been a grey area for many service members and their families, especially living on base, since many have the misconception that CBD oil and THC are directly related, or that products containing CBD oil also contain traces of THC. However, many base commanders have come out directly banning CBD oil on military installations around the world because of a recent study that found some products that claim that they have no traces of THC do in fact have trace amounts of THC.
CBD vs THC: What’s the Difference?
CBD
CBD oil, or Cannabidiol oil, is a type of oil derived from the Cannabis Sativa L plant. The Cannabis Sativa L plant classifies both hemp and marijuana plants under its umbrella, but in reality the two plants are different. Although they come from the same family of plants, hemp only contains 0.3% THC (the compound that gives you the “high”) while marijuana plants contain over 30% THC. Even if you wanted to get high from hemp, you couldn’t- no matter how much you ingested.
CBD oil, like the ones from Diamond CBD, is not on the Controlled Substance List from the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is legal and can be used in all 50 states. Products containing hemp oil or CBD oil must contain no THC to be sold to the general public.
THC
THC is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that gives you the “high” that many experience when ingesting or smoking the plant. It is also derived from a plant under the Cannabis Sativa L plant, but it is different species entirely than the hemp plant. Although there have been movements to make marijuana legal in the United States, it is only legal for recreational use in ten states including:
- Alaska
- California
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Vermont
- Washington
Even if a service member is stationed in a state where recreational use of marijuana is legal, they are not allowed to use it. It is illegal to have possession of any amount of marijuana, even with a medical prescription, on any military installation even if it is legal in that state.
Why is CBD Oil Banned on Military Installations?
Even though CBD oil has been found to have many medical and mental health benefits, it is still banned on many military installations. Why? Because production of CBD oil products is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration so it has no means of being tested for trace amounts of THC. Although most CBD oil companies will say that there is no THC in their products, some will add small amounts to give it an extra kick of effectiveness. Although these trace amounts are not enough to get you high, they can pop up on a drug test for service members.
RELATED: 5 CBD Oil Products to Try if You’re a First Timer
On February 26th, the Operation Supplement Safety campaign stated that, “Military Service Members should avoid using any product with CBD, as it could contain THC and result in a positive drug test.” Currently the Army and the Air Force has banned any service member from using any hemp derived products, while the Navy and Marine Corps allows them to use hemp oil products but at their own risk as they “might cause them to fail a drug test.”
Many base commanders have taken this one step further by banning any CBD oil products on military installations, including base housing. This means that anyone on base, even dependents in base housing, are not allowed to have CBD oil products in their possession while on base. Some base commanders have only signified that this ban is for CBD oil products and not hemp oil products.
Although CBD oil has been found to be beneficial for many for both physical health and medical health, it is recommended that service members do not consume any CBD oil products while in service as it cannot be 100% confirmed if any products do not contain any traces of THC. However, given its medical benefits to decrease inflammation and help with sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and PTSD in a natural way, many are hoping that the military will come out with an approved list of CBD oil products for service members to use.
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