Is CBD Oil Legal in South Carolina?

Yes! Hemp-derived CBD oil is legal to purchase and sell in South Carolina (SC). As long as the THC content is under 0.3 percent and it is not added to food products, CBD oil is legal in the state. 

The question, “is CBD oil legal in South Carolina?” might seem like a simple yes or no question, but there’s so much more to it. Like a lot of achievements, hemp legalization in South Carolina encompasses its fair share of milestones and setbacks. It’s also been pretty recent since hemp cultivation was officially legalized, making it a hot topic of debate and discussion in the area.

The Road to Hemp Legalization in South Carolina

As they say, it’s all about the journey. South Carolina’s journey to CBD legalization consists of legislation and events that have sparked progress and even brought some roadblocks that need more time for development. 

2014 - Julian’s Law/S1035/H4803

In 2014, Governor Nikki Haley signed Senate Bill 2015, also known as Julian’s Law. This bill allowed children with a certain debilitating medical condition to be treated with CBD oil if recommended by a physician. The legislation specified that the CBD oil must have a minimum of 98 percent CBD and a THC level of no more than 0.9 percent. It also stipulated that the CBD oil must be obtained from the Medical University of South Carolina.

Julian’s Law also opened up the opportunity for physicians to participate in a statewide medical study of CBD oil for other medical conditions. 

2017 - Industrial Hemp Pilot Program/H3559

The state officially decided to heighten its crop diversity by legalizing industrial hemp cultivation in May 2017. In accordance with the 2014 Farm Bill, a pilot program was established to carry this out. This program authorized up to 20 growing permits for the first year and 40 for the second and third year.  Each permit holder was allowed to grow up to 20 acres of industrial hemp for research purposes. 

The number of permits granted in the years following would be determined by the Department of Agriculture and institutions of higher learning. It would be in the spring of 2018, where the state's first 20 contingent cultivators would begin sowing hemp seeds. Interest in the program was strong, with 131 applicants during the first year. 

2018 - Farm Bill & South Carolina’s Hemp Farming Act

The Farm Bill, signed by President Donald Trump in December 2018, removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), created wider access to growing licenses and allowed financial institutions to securely conduct business with hemp companies. 

South Carolina jumped on board with this bill. Governor Henry D. McMaster signed the Hemp Farming Act, which lifted limits on hemp cultivation. It specifically:  

• Granted eligibility to anyone who previously applied for a grower permit under the previous pilot program to grow hemp in SC, provided they pass a background check. 

• Removed the cap on cultivated acreage.

• Removed pilot program’s requirement that growers receive a letter of intent from an approved college or university. 

The state permitted 113 growers to plant hemp across approximately 3,300 acres in 2019. And per the 2018 Farm Bill, as long as the THC content is under 0.3 percent, it is legal.

2019 - SC Regulators Set Boundaries on CBD

On February 20, 2019, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) made a statement that drew a line between what was legal and what wasn’t legal when it came to specific conditions around CBD. SCDA claimed CBD itself is legal but not when it’s added to “any human or animal food products for public sale,” 

Derek Underwood, Assistant Commissioner of Consumer Protection, explained that until clinical studies can prove that CBD food items are safe and the FDA approves the research, they’ll remain illegal in the state. As a result, South Carolina CBD shops began halting their CBD food products, sticking to selling their non-food CBD products like tinctures. 

Looking Ahead in South Carolina

With the legalization of hemp, SC legislators are now considering the possibilities of its sibling plant, marijuana. In September 2015, the Senate Medical Affairs subcommittee unanimously approved a bill that would create a medical marijuana program, but it did not pass. 

The South Carolina Compassionate Care Act was proposed in 2018. If it’s signed into law, it would allow individuals with qualifying medical conditions to use medical marijuana. Specifically, it would provide this group with two ounces of marijuana, or an equivalent derivative, every two weeks. No final decisions have been made yet. It advanced to the SC House and Senate in 2019, but the legislative session concluded before the bill could be debated. The deadline to pass it has been pushed to 2020. 

Where Can I Find CBD Oil in South Carolina? 

South Carolina residents can get CBD products in brick-and-mortar shops throughout the state and from shops online. There are also smoke shops and food stores that carry CBD oils.

➤ Find stores selling CBD in South Carolina

Because of the rapid growth and interest of CBD, hemp festivals, like the Lowcountry Hemp Festival, have been popping up in the state to raise more awareness and educate people on the supplement. 

Stay Vigilant and Updated with Hemplucid

So is CBD legal in SC? Yes. Will it always remain this way? Maybe. As the CBD industry continues to change, so can state laws. Wherever you live, it’s always important to keep yourself updated with the latest news around CBD in your state to ensure you’re taking the right steps. 

Committed to helping you make educated decisions, Hemplucid stays rooted in transparency and ensures our products stay within legal boundaries. So be sure to check out our Full-Spectrum and zero-THC products. Each of our items come with a QR code that gives you access to their Certificate of Analysis (COA).