The history of cannabis in West Virginia goes back to the ‘70s and ‘80s. During these times other U.S. states were gradually enacting medical marijuana laws, but the Mountain State was rigidly maintaining its anti-marijuana stance.
Eventually, West Virginia became the 29th U.S. state to legitimize medical marijuana.
The following passages will shed light on the marijuana and hemp laws of West Virginia.
Marijuana in West Virginia
Marijuana is a Schedule I drug in West Virginia and possessing any amount will imprison you for 90 – 180 days depending on the quantity you’re carrying. However, first-time offenders are protected with a conditional discharge provision—provided they’re carrying less than half an ounce of weed.
Moreover, an intent to distribution will incarcerate the felon for 1 – 5 years with a $15,000 fine.
Medical Marijuana
The approval of the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act in 2017 enabled the consumption of pills, gel, oil, cream, and ointments. The Bureau for Public Health is expected to issue identification cards July 1, 2019, onwards. The registered individuals will be allowed to obtain a “30 day supply” of cannabis-infused products.
Patients may become eligible for medical marijuana if they have HIV/AIDS, cancer, ALS, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord damage, neuropathies, epilepsy, Huntington’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, Crohn’s disease, intractable seizures, sickle cell anemia, or intractable pain.
The state is slated to earn medical revenues of $36 million by 2022.
CBD Oil Laws in West Virginia
The West Virginia SB 447 of 2002 granted industrial hemp the status of an agricultural commodity—provided it carries only 1% THC volume. The bill also initiated a hemp cultivation licensing mechanism for local farmers. The state witnessed planting of 155 acreages of industrial hemp in the 2018 growing season.
However, the federal approval of the U.S. Farm Bill 2018 has massively intensified hemp licenses across the Mountain State.
The Department of Agriculture of West Virginia under the ambit of its 2019 industrial hemp program released 158 licenses earlier this year, which is three times more than total permits issued in 2018. The expected total acreage to be cultivated is 2,531.
Conclusion
Possessing any amount of marijuana in West Virginia will imprison you for 90 – 180 days depending on the quantity you are carrying. Also, intent to distribution will incarcerate the felon for 1 – 5 years with a $15,000 fine. Moreover, the approval of the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act in 2017 legitimized the usage of pills, gel, oil, cream, and ointments. The state is set to earn medical revenues of $36 million by 2022.
Lastly, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture under the ambit of its 2019 industrial hemp program released 158 licenses earlier this year, which is three times more then total permits issued in 2018. The expected total acreage to be cultivated is 2,531.
