The Process to Legalize Medical Use of CBD Oil Moves Forward

Mention legalization of CBD oil and some will draw a immediate tie to marijuana legalization.  There are some major differences, and Idaho is moving forward on CBD legalization. 

Moving forward that is, for medicinal use.  It's not the first time legislation has been proposed or even advanced in the process. This week, the House Health and Welfare Committee passed a bill that would legalize medicinal use of CBD oil, which is currently illegal in our state.

Cannabidoil has broad medical applications, and while it does come from the cannabis plant, it's a different part that contains only trace amounts of THC.  THC is the chemical that provides the psychoactive responses from marijuana.

The new House Bill (number 577), would permit up to .3 percent of THC to be found in CBD oil, which would match the federal standards.

Key applications for CBD oil are treating eplielpsy, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and general pain.  Advocates underscore that patients are already using it and this would legalize an already beneficial treatment, and point to the fact that treatment using CBD oil could be a replacement for opiod usage, and helps avoid overdose and the dangers of that class of drugs.

The bill will need to pass both the full House and Senate, and would then require the governor to sign off before it would become law.  Governor Otter has already vetoed a similar bill (that was focused on the treatment of children with epilepsy) in 2015.

You can find more from our news partners at KTVB Newschannel 7.