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Dept. of Agriculture: Interstate transportation of hemp protected

Memo clarifies 2018 Farm Bill that removed drug from controlled substances list

Posted June 7, 2019

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s general counsel recently issued a memorandum saying that the interstate transportation of hemp is protected by federal law.

The memorandum, issued May 28, 2019, was released to help clarify aspects of the 2018 Farm Bill, which took effect on December 28, 2018. In the bill, hemp was removed from Schedule I of the controlled substances list.

While the Farm Bill declares that states or tribal laws can prohibit the growth of hemp, they cannot block the shipment of hemp.

Marijuana remains a Schedule I drug under federal law and remains on the controlled substance list even though it comes from the same species of plant as hemp does.


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