History of CBD in Australia
I hope you’re ready, for this is going to be an interesting journey.
As noted in the introductory part of the “CBD Australia” article, CBD and cannabis laws tend to get… Confusing. This is true both when it comes to the United States, and some other countries around the world.
CBD in Australia is no different. It’s one of the more confusing countries in regards to actual CBD laws - if you’re a complete industry newcomer, you’d probably get lost in all of the jargon and inconsistencies being thrown around.
One thing that Australia seems to fail to do is differentiate between hemp- and cannabis-derived CBD products. It’s a trap that many different countries and states fall into - this, in turn, then leads to some very confusing laws, and creates self-contradictory situations. Not cool.
You see, hemp-derived CBD products come from the industrial hemp plant, and have very low amounts of THC in them. Cannabis-derived CBD products are the opposite - they possess high levels of THC. That exact thing - THC - is the reason why CBD is still a topic when it comes to legal matters - it’s the very substance that gets people high when they smoke weed.
Whatever the case might be, in regards to the topic of CBD Australia, the country should likely be regarded as an Amber-Red one.
Australia - An “Amber-Red” Country
Color-coding is one of the best, most simple ways of differentiating among CBD laws in countries around the world - CBD Australia is no different. That being said, talking about questions such as “is CBD oil legal in Australia?”, it’s also important to point out that this color-coding system is actually one used in the US - while there’s no “official” color system in place for countries, the US one works just fine, too.
Now, do also note that you shouldn’t trust the colors completely - they should give you a general idea, but not be used as “the complete guide”. That being said, once again - the color that reflects the topic of CBD Australia is actually quite accurate, for better or for worse. The colors in question are:
- Green countries. In these countries, all CBD products are legal, for all types of uses.
- Amber countries. Hemp-derived CBD products are legal for all types of uses, while cannabis-derived products are only legal for medicinal use.
- Amber-Red countries. As I’ve mentioned earlier on in the “CBD Australia” article, Amber-Red countries (and states!) are typically the most difficult to talk about, since the CBD laws and regulations here are usually very confusing. The typical situation, however, is that hemp-derived CBD products are legal or medicinal use, while cannabis-derived ones are strictly illegal.
- Red countries. All CBD products are illegal, for all types of uses.
As you’ve probably gathered already, when it comes to the topic of “CBD Australia” and questions such as “is CBD oil legal in Australia?”, the country can be considered an Amber-Red one.
Ya… That doesn’t make things any easier, now does it? OK, let me be as clear as possible here.
CBD in Australia is illegal. There are two exceptions - hemp seed oil, and medicinal use. Both have their own issues, though - we’ll get to talking about hemp seed oil in one second, but medicinal use is difficult because there’s a whole legal process of having to get a doctor’s note, some prescriptions, going to perform tests, and so on.
Hemp Seed Oil - Don’t Get Tricked!
Often times, you’ll notice that some countries have some very negative and strict laws regarding CBD, with one, single exception - they allow people to use CBD hemp seed oil.
That’s great, right? I mean, CBD is CBD, and who cares if it comes from the seeds, stalk or flower of the hemp plant?
Well, no. There’s a huge difference between hemp CBD oil and hemp SEED CBD oil.
You see, if you opt to purchase CBD Australia that comes from hemp seeds, you would eliminate any and all potential benefits of CBD products. Hemp seeds don’t have all of the possibly-beneficial[1] qualities that you hear about - no calming, relaxing, pain-alleviating qualities, none of that.
This is the issue that I was talking about when I said that the topic of CBD Australia is difficult. While it’s technically legal to use hemp seed oil there, it’s practically the same as using coconut oil - it’s surely good for you, but that’s not the point!
Medicinal VS Recreational
Another topic that keeps popping up in regards to the question of “is CBD legal in Australia?” is the difference between medicinal and recreational use of CBD.
You see, if you have some underlying health condition, in some countries, you might be able to use CBD for medicinal purposes. The actual applicable health conditions differ in every state and country, but it’s definitely something worth looking into.
That being said, it’s also important to note that medicinal use requires a lot of paperwork, documentation, testing, and all of that not-so-good stuff. It’s definitely a hassle, but if you’re someone who’s adamant about using CBD oil Australia, it’s actually your only chance.
Recreational use is a much simpler and to-the-point process. You don’t need any document sorting, any doctor prescriptions or marijuana programs - all you need to do is find a shop or an online provider, choose and buy your products, and then use them at your own, free will.
As you’ve probably guessed by now, this isn’t possible with CBD Australia. When speaking about questions such as “is CBD legal in Australia?”, it’s evident that the only way you’ll be able to use CBD here is if you have a doctor’s prescription - and that’s not an easy thing to acquire!
Where to Buy CBD Oil in Australia?
Finally, we should address the question of where to get yourself some CBD oil Australia.
Well… The answer is probably pretty self-explanatory, right?
You can’t get CBD oil in the country, at least not hemp-derived CBD oil for recreational use.
Now, that being said, I’d still like to tell you about the two main ways of how people get their CBD in other parts of the world - physical shops and online providers -, and why the online route is a better alternative. Perhaps, one day, CBD will become less of a “hot topic” Australian cannabis-related law-wise, and you’ll be able to utilize this advice then?
Buying CBD Offline
So, then - first up, let’s tackle the topic of buying your CBD products offline, from a local CBD retail shop or in some mall.
As noted earlier, even though you can’t actually go out and purchase CBD Australia from the country’s local shops, it’s actually not something that you’d want to do, in the first place. There are a few good reasons for why that’s the case, too.
First of all, if you decide on buying your CBD from a shop, you should know that your selection is going to be very limited. I mean, each and every single possible product that you COULD buy is confined between the four walls of the store - that’s not a huge selection of possible choices!
On top of that, the prices in a shop are going to be much higher than those found online. Think about it yourself - the shop has to get its products from somewhere, and then needs to make a profit, right? Well, where do you think it gets the products from? That’s right - the same online provides. Well, hopefully - that, or some shady black markets.
Buying CBD Online
Either way you look at it, and no matter if we’re talking about CBD Australia, Japan or the US, it’s always a better idea to purchase your CBD online. Well, when that’s actually possible, that is.
Online providers have better prices, better deals, better promotions - better everything! You can be sure that the products are going to be of high quality, and that there won’t be any shady business going on in the background!
Also, if you decide to search for the best CBD products online, you’ll have all of the top-tier providers in the industry at your fingertips - the actual selection is going to be unlimited!
With all of that said, let’s take a look at some of the best CBD providers out there, shall we? Perhaps one day, when CBD Australia is going to become a more approachable topic, you’ll be able to utilize these providers and get the best possible products for yourself?
cbdMD - THC-Free Brand
cbdMD offers its customers some rather interesting CBD products - basically, they do not contain any amount of THC, but are still somewhat potent. How does the company manage to do that, you may ask? Well, they sell broad-spectrum CBD oils - a rare type of products, but definitely an interesting and noteworthy one.
The costs for the cbdMD oil ranges from $29,99 up to $339,99.
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Charlotte’s Web - High-Quality Oils
Charlotte’s Web provides customers with high-quality CBD oil. The oils are going to be really potent, since they are full-spectrum - while this isn’t good news for CBD Australia enthusiasts, the products still won’t contain more than 0,3% THC. The oils are also made from US-grown hemp, and are independently-tested.
Charlotte’s Web CBD oil prices go from $74,99 up to $188,99.
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CBDistillery - A Very Reputable Brand
CBDistillery is often regarded as one of the most reputable brands in the entirety of the CBD products industry. Well, that’s mostly because it’s true - the company deals in high-quality CBD products, so if you want to try out some alternative ways of consuming your CBD, or simply purchase reliable oils, CBDistillery should be one of the first brands you turn to.
CBDistillery CBD oil cost from $30 up to $260.
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Conclusions
As of writing this “CBD Australia”, the unfortunate reality is that you can’t just go out and purchase hemp- or cannabis-derived CBD products in Australia - it’s illegal. You’d either have to buy hemp seed oil (which is, admittedly, of little-to-no condolence, whatsoever), or get a doctor’s prescription for using CBD for medicinal purposes.
If the laws in Australia do ever change, though, make sure to buy your CBD only from the most trusted sources - a list of such brands can be found here.
Scientific References
1. Antonio W. Zuardi, Natália P. Rodrigues, Angélica L. Silva, et al.: 'Inverted U-Shaped Dose-Response Curve of the Anxiolytic Effect of Cannabidiol during Public Speaking in Real Life'
Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to make sure this article is as accurate as possible, it is not intended to provide legal advice. Since legal situations might rapidly change, we advise you to discuss any legal concerns with an expert, lawyer or relevant legal advisor in your local jurisdiction, or visit your state's .gov page for the most up-to-date information.