Current legal status of medical marijuana and cannabidiol in the United States

Abstract

In the United States, access to marijuana and its related products has been outlawed since passing the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) in 1970. Under this act, marijuana is classified as Schedule I substance and is considered to have a high potential for dependency and abuse as well as unaccepted medical use. From that time, multiple states have taken measures to legalize and decriminalize the use of marijuana. In June 2018, Epidiolex® (cannabidiol, CBD) was the first cannabis-derived drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of severe forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, or Dravet syndrome. In December 2018, Farm Bill was significant progress in cannabis-related law by which hemp was removed from the definition of marijuana in the CSA. This paper provides an up-to-date overview of the legal status of cannabis-related aspects, including medical marijuana, home cultivation, patient registration, and hemp-derived CBD from the medical perspective in the United States.

Keywords: CBD; Cannabidiol; Cannabis; Hemp; Legal status; Medical marijuana.