CBD oil sold for years locally now illegal in medical marijuana friendly Ohio

CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) – The owner of a store that sells hemp and smoke products says he’s not removing Cannabidiol, or CBD, oil from his shelves despite the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy calling it illegal.

E.R. Beaches owns three Hemptations stores in the Cincinnati area and one in Dayton. He says he’s been selling CBD oil products for going on seven years.

“Starting with shampoos and things with CBD oil in it all the way up to liquid CBD oil,” he said.

The State Board of Pharmacy recently decided that all marijuana products, including CBD oil, can only be sold in a licensed medical marijuana control program dispensary. Beaches says that doesn’t make sense because the CBD oil on his shelves don’t contain any marijuana.

“These are not extricated from marijuana. If I had ever sold a product in our 23 years that was a marijuana product it would have been illegal. So, knowing that is why I’m 100 percent sure our products are 100 percent legal,” said Beaches.

Beaches says his store in Dayton recently had an unannounced visit by an official with the State Board of Pharmacy. He says that official tested his products.

CBD oil comes from hemp and does not contain THC, the chemical in marijuana that gets people high. Some people use to relieve pain. Beaches admits he’s not a medical expert but says CBD has personally helped him and his clients.

“It definitely aids with anxiety or sleep issues and it’s helping people with pain relief in a sense that it acts as an anti-inflammatory,” he said.

The Board of Pharmacy says this: “Those marijuana products will have to comply with the rules and regulations of the program … until dispensaries are operational, no one, including board licensees, may possess or sell CBD oil or other marijuana related products.”

The move could hurt local retailers by causing them to pull the product from their shelves, but Beaches says nothing has changed.

“Until the State of Ohio makes CBD illegal then these products are legal,” said Beaches.

The timing is odd because CBD oil and other hemp made products like clothing merchandise have been sold for decades in the state. Beaches says its an overreach of government trying to monopolize the industry.

“It’s almost endless how much repeat business we’re getting because customers are finding relief from the product,” he said.

He says there’s a difference between CBD oil made from marijuana and CBD oil made from industrial hemp.

“They’re implying that I’m selling a product that’s illegal,” he said. “They tested the product but didn’t report me to law enforcement to protect a product that they’re supposed to be giving their patients in a program that’s not set up yet.”

The state’s medical marijuana program was set to be operational Sept. 8. No dispensaries in the state have opened. The state says people with CBD oil could face criminal charges. To read the letter for yourself click here.