In response to an increasing number of requests to transport cannabidiol (CBD) products, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued an advisory earlier this month detailing the proper way to mail such items.
As per the 2014 Farm Bill, some CBD items can be sent through via USPS under specific circumstances. According to the memo, three primary criteria must be met to send CBD through the mail in full compliance:
“1. A signed self-certification statement, subject to the False Statements Act. Statements must be printed on the mailer’s own letterhead, and must include the text, “I certify that all information contained in this letter and supporting documents are accurate, truthful, and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information or omits information relating to this certification may be subject to criminal and/or civil penalties, including fines and imprisonment.”
2. The industrial hemp producer possesses a license issued by the Department of Agriculture, for the state where the Post office/ acceptance unit is located, which includes documentation identifying the producer by name and showing the mailer is authorized by the registered producer to market products manufactured by that producer.
3. The industrial hemp, or products produced from industrial hemp, contains a delta-9 THC concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis.”
The advisory states that the rules for shipping CBD through the USPS are only temporary in light of the 2018 Farm Bill which removed industrial hemp from the Controlled Substances Act and would be revised in the future once the Bill is fully implemented.
According to pro-cannabis attorney, Rob Kight, none of the outlined criteria are required under the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills to mail hemp and CBD, but the USPS appears to be creating a procedure to allow people to send more packages through the mail system that might have otherwise been seized or temporarily detained for further inspection.
