2018 Farm Bill
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. Removed hemp (cannabis with ≤0.3% THC) from the Controlled Substances Act, enabling the commercial hemp and CBD industry.
In Depth
The 2018 Farm Bill created a legal distinction between hemp and marijuana based solely on THC content. It enabled hemp cultivation, processing, and interstate commerce. However, it did not legalize CBD as a food or dietary supplement — that remains under FDA jurisdiction. The bill created significant regulatory ambiguity that the FDA has been slow to resolve. The 0.3% THC threshold has been criticized as arbitrary and has led to legal gray areas for products like delta-8-THC derived from hemp.
Related Terms
More in Regulatory
Schedule I
The most restrictive classification under the US Controlled Substances Act (CSA), applied to substances deemed to have high abuse potential, no accepted medical use, and lack of accepted safety under medical supervision.
IND (Investigational New Drug)
An application submitted to the FDA allowing a pharmaceutical company or researcher to begin clinical trials of an unapproved drug in humans.
NCT Number
A unique identifier assigned by ClinicalTrials.gov to every registered clinical study. Format: NCT followed by 8 digits (e.g., NCT04849910).
GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice)
A system of regulations ensuring that products are consistently produced and controlled according to quality standards. Required for pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid products.
DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration)
The US federal agency responsible for enforcing controlled substances laws. Administers the scheduling system under the Controlled Substances Act.