Short answer
Partly. Federal law allows hemp and hemp-derived cannabinoids when the product holds no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis. The 2018 Farm Bill set that number. The limit covers delta-9 THC only. It does not name delta-8 THC, HHC, THCP, THCO or other compounds sold in shops and online. Those products sit in a gap between federal statute and agency policy, and state law decides most of the practical question.
Buy Hemp Derived Cannabinoids Online
What federal law says
- The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 removed "hemp" from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. Hemp means Cannabis sativa L. with a delta-9 THC concentration of 0.3% or less on a dry weight basis.
- Cannabis that tests above 0.3% delta-9 THC remains Schedule I.
- A DEA interim final rule in 2020 kept all synthetically derived tetrahydrocannabinols in Schedule I. The same rule states that a hemp product that exceeds 0.3% delta-9 THC at any point in processing is a controlled substance.
- A DEA letter in 2021 said delta-8 THC made by converting CBD does not fall under the hemp definition. DEA treats that route as synthesis, not extraction.
No federal statute sets a THC cap for delta-8. No federal statute bans delta-8 by name. Courts have not settled the question. Prosecutors and regulators apply the rules in different ways.
cbd vs other hemp cannabinoids
FDA position
The FDA has not approved CBD or any other hemp-derived cannabinoid as a food additive or dietary supplement ingredient. The agency states that CBD cannot lawfully be added to food or marketed as a supplement. CBD is not on the GRAS list. The only approved CBD drug is Epidiolex, a prescription product for seizures. The FDA has sent warning letters to companies that make disease claims, and it has not set a daily intake limit for CBD.
CBD vs Other Hemp Cannabinoids: A Practical Comparison
State rules
States write their own cannabinoid laws and the split is wide. Some states ban delta-8 THC outright. Some cap total THC, not delta-9 alone. Some require age 21 sales, child-resistant packaging, batch testing, and a label with the cannabinoid content. Some tax hemp products at the same rate as cannabis. A product legal in one state can be a controlled substance in the next. State legislatures change these rules each session, so check the current statute for your state before you buy.
What to check before buying
- Your state's law on the specific cannabinoid, not on hemp in general.
- A batch certificate of analysis from an accredited lab. Look at delta-9 THC, total THC, and the cannabinoid named on the label.
- The license status of the seller. A licensed cannabis retailer operates under different rules than an online hemp seller.
- The label dose. Serving size and total cannabinoid per container vary between products.
Open questions
Congress has filed bills to change the hemp definition and to cap intoxicating cannabinoids. None had become law at the time of writing. The FDA has asked Congress for a new regulatory pathway for CBD and has not received one. Until a statute or a final rule lands, the answer depends on the delta-9 THC number on the lab report and the state where the product is sold.