Republican State Lawmaker Wants To Expand Availability Of CBD

A Republican state lawmaker says he wants to make cannabidiol, or CBD, available to more Hoosiers.

Rep. Jim Lucas (R-Seymour) says he plans to propose a bill that would clear up ongoing confusion over the substance.

Republican Attorney General Curtis Hill issued an opinion last month saying possession of CBD is illegal, except for those with treatment-resistance epilepsy. The decision came after months of confusion over whether stores could stock the oil. Many had been since 2014, when lawmakers legalized industrial hemp.

“With session just right around the corner, it is our job as legislators to correct that law,” Lucas says.

Lucas is drafting legislation that would make CBD available to all Hoosiers for medical purposes. He says he’s seen the benefits firsthand of using hemp-derived CBD oil, which contains little to no THC.

“I’ve had tremendous results from it,” Lucas says. “I’m sleeping better, my joints don’t ache as much and I just feel better all around.”

Lucas says because the CBD he’s taking is hemp-derived, he believes it’s legal to use.

The attorney general said last week he isn’t opposed to expanding the legal uses of CBD in Indiana, but only if it’s for an FDA-approved medical treatment.

Lucas also plans to propose a bill that would legalize medical marijuana and setup a system similar to what Illinois has in place. Residents there can apply for a patient card, with the recommendation of a physician.

Indiana Democrats have unsuccessfully proposed medical marijuana bills for years.