Unlike neighboring California, Arizona never claimed to be a leader in cannabis legalization. In fact, it took this Southwestern state nearly a decade to approve its first medical marijuana program. However, in recent years, it appears this desert state is “warming up” to the idea of legal recreational marijuana.
With the passage of Prop 207 in 2020, Arizonans over 21 can purchase adult-use marijuana in state-approved dispensaries. Plus, since President Trump signed the 2018 US Farm Bill, Arizona has softened its stance on hemp products like CBD oil. Nowadays, it’s not hard for Arizonans to find CBD products in local stores, especially in big cities like Phoenix.
Despite this relaxed attitude towards CBD, there are a few unanswered questions about the legality of smoking hemp flower. Arizonans should thoroughly understand their state’s hemp laws before buying any product from Cannaflower’s website.
Arizona CBD Laws Before The 2018 US Farm Bill
Arizona first attempted to create a medical marijuana program back in the mid-1990s. However, it wasn’t until 2010 that Arizona voters successfully passed Prop 203, which established the state’s Medical Marijuana Program under the Department of Health Services.
Today, any patient who has a qualifying condition and a state-approved MMJ card could legally order cannabis goods from a state-run dispensary. Arizona also allows licensed caretakers to pick up medical marijuana for patients who request this service.
For more information on Arizona’s standards for medical marijuana, residents could visit the AZDHS’s official website.
Arizona Hemp Laws After The 2018 US Farm Bill
The closest thing Arizona has to a “State Hemp Law” is SB 1098, which passed in 2018. According to this law, Arizona lawmakers can oversee the legal cultivation, sale, and research of hemp-derived products. This law also updated the state’s definition of “industrial hemp” to conform with the 2018 US Farm Bill (i.e., hemp must have ≤ 0.3 percent delta-9 THC).
Although SB 1098 doesn’t outright say “CBD is legal,” it allows vendors to sell hemp-derived goods. So, most lawyers interpret SB 1098 as a “green light” for Arizona’s hemp CBD industry.
SB 1098 also helped establish licensing procedures for Arizona hemp farmers. As of 2019, the Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) has been accepting applications from locals who want to grow industrial hemp.
While SB 1098 has had a big impact on the local hemp industry, Prop 207 is Arizona’s most significant cannabis law. Passed in 2020, this proposition allows anyone over 21 to buy 1 oz of cannabis flower or 5 grams of cannabis concentrate per day from legal dispensaries. Now that recreational marijuana is legal, it’s likely customers will find a wider selection of CBD hemp goods in legal dispensaries.
Arizona Hemp Regulations FAQs
So, Is It Legal To Grow CBD Hemp In Arizona?
If you’re an Arizonan farmer who wants to add hemp to your fields, you should get in touch with the AZDA. Under Arizona’s Industrial Hemp Program, locals could apply for any of the following hemp licenses: growing, harvesting, transporting, processing, or nursery cultivation.
New hemp farmer applicants must send the AZDA a fingerprint clearance card and fill out multiple online forms. The AZDA also requires prospective hemp growers to submit detailed reports throughout the cultivation process. This includes a thorough pre-cultivation plan and notification one week after planting hemp seeds. To ensure all hemp flowers have ≤ 0.3 percent THC, the AZDA will conduct lab screenings 14 days before harvest.
Currently, the annual renewal fee for Arizona hemp growers is $1,000. Those who want to grow hemp in a nursery will pay $650 annually, but harvesters and transporters pay $100 in yearly fees. Lastly, hemp processors must pay $2,000 to AZDA each year for their license.
To find a full list of hemp license application forms, be sure to visit the AZDT’s Industrial Hemp Program tab on this page.
Is It Legal To Sell CBD Hemp Flower In Arizona?
Since the wording in SB 1098 is rather vague, it’s difficult to say whether Arizona allows the sale of smokable hemp flower. However, now that the state passed Prop 207, it’s likely more Arizona dispensaries will add high-CBD hemp flower to their inventory.
The main concern surrounding CBD hemp flower has always been its resemblance to high-THC marijuana. Since Arizona banned the sale of marijuana for so many years, many CBD merchants didn’t feel comfortable offering smokable hemp flower. However, now that adults could legally purchase small amounts of cannabis, there should be less stigma surrounding the sale of CBD hemp.
Just keep in mind that Arizona has a strict ban on recreational marijuana delivery services. While online vendors could sell to Arizona customers, it’s illegal for local dispensaries to deliver recreational goods to a person’s residence.
Can I Buy CBD Hemp Flower In Arizona?
As of January 2021, Arizonans over the age of 21 could buy up to one ounce of cannabis flower per day from state-approved dispensaries. While Prop 207 didn’t explicitly lift the ban on recreational CBD hemp flower, the state doesn’t seem to have an issue with this plant.
If Arizonans can’t find hemp flowers in retail locations, they could always purchase CBD hemp online. For instance, Cannaflower now sells artisan-grade hemp flowers to customers throughout North America. Our products come with third-party lab reports to confirm there’s no more than 0.3 percent THC. For more details on our hemp flower portfolio, please follow this link.
Is It Legal To Smoke Hemp Flower In Arizona?
Like other cannabis-friendly states, Arizona only allows tokers to light up in a private residence. Please never consume cannabis in a public place, especially near a school or in a park. You should also never take cannabis while inside your vehicle.
The only exception to this rule applies to medical marijuana patients. Under Arizona’s current laws, MMJ cardholders could eat cannabis edibles in public.
Again, Arizona doesn’t have a crystal-clear stance towards smoking CBD hemp flower. However, as long as you stay indoors while using your hemp buds, you shouldn’t fear legal persecution.
Is It Legal To Grow Hemp Flower At Home In Arizona?
As it stands today, Arizona only allows farmers with an AZDA license to cultivate industrial hemp. However, under Prop 207, adults could grow a maximum of six cannabis plants per person in their residence.
While there’s technically no ban on growing hemp flower at home, Arizonans who do so will be operating in a “legal grey area.” Even though cannabis cultivation regulations have eased in recent years, there’s no explicit guidance on cultivating CBD hemp at home.
Where Can I Buy CBD Hemp Flower In Arizona?
Now that Prop 207 has gone into effect, Arizonans should find more CBD hemp local dispensaries. However, since Arizona’s industrial hemp program is relatively new, it may take a few years before a wide assortment of high-quality CBD cultivars trickle into the state’s cannabis program.
If you can’t find high-quality hemp strains in brick-and-mortar shops, please consider buying from a reputable online retailer like Cannaflower. Based in Vermont, Cannaflower is one of the leading names in the premier smokable hemp category. If you want a superior hemp smoking experience, we urge you to browse the many strains in our portfolio.
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