Letter to Vetted: CBD oil is not legal for veterinary use in all states
Missouri official reaches out after receiving calls from practitioners questioning articles premise.
Editor's note: Although the article discussed below does not specifically mention the use of cannabidiol (CBD) products in Missouri, readers would be well-advised to be familiar with their state laws before recommending or prescribing these products in their own veterinary practices.
The Missouri Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs has received multiple telephone calls regarding an article appearing in Vetted magazine. According to the doctors, the article mentions the use of CBD oil in the treatment of animals in Missouri.
Some Missouri veterinarians are aware that Missouri passed very specific laws for the use of CBD oil, and it is not approved for animal use. Some veterinarians were concerned that either the article was in error, or products being purchased are falsely labeled and misleading customers.
CBD or hemp extract in Missouri is defined in Section 195.207 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri:
... The term “hemp extract” shall mean an extract from a cannabis plant or a mixture or preparation containing cannabis plant material that:
1. Is composed of no more than three-tenths percent tetrahydrocannabinol by weight;
2. Is composed of at least five percent cannabidiol by weight; and
3. Contains no other psychoactive substance.
A person growing, manufacturing, distributing or selling CBD oil products under the definition above must have a license from the Missouri Department of Agriculture. … Pursuant to law, the CBD products may only be issued to patients with a special card issued by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services for the treatment of intractable epilepsy. There are no Missouri statutes that allow for CBD products as defined above to be provided for veterinary use.
Different states have different laws. At the request of some Missouri practitioners, I informed them I would write your organization to clarify the current Missouri laws.
Michael R. Boeger, administrator
Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs
Jefferson City, Missouri
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