Protecting your company while protecting minors.

CBD is revolutionizing the health and beauty industry, and CBD products have become a popular consumer staple. Add that to the CBD can be sold online, and you have a recipe for a highly profitable business.

If you have a CBD website, it's essential to consider whether your site needs CBD age verification. After all, specific rules and regulations still apply even though the CBD industry enjoys plenty of latitudes. So you need to know to ensure your CBD website remains compliant.

Are There Any Age Restrictions for CBD?

Today, there's an explosion of CBD products on the market. The good news is that CBD legally sold products contain less than 0.3% THC and won't make you high. Therefore, the famous question should no longer be if cannabis products are legal, but who is it legal to sell to?

After the 2018 Farm Bill was passed, it became possible to grow hemp plants and incorporate hemp extract into products federally. Most states in the US have adjusted their laws accordingly, making it legal to purchase hemp-derived CBD — but not just to anyone. Selling some CBD products to minors or underage visitors is illegal.

According to the Federal Government, the smart regulation of CBD products involves an 18+ age restriction for smokable flower or vaping oils. However, there are no federal restrictions for other forms of CBD, such as topicals and edibles. In addition, the age restriction for CBD can also be 21+ in certain states and specific products. For instance, Oregon law restricts the sale of specific consumable hemp products under 21, depending on the weight of THC in the product.

If you have a CBD online store, website, or dispensary, it's crucial to be mindful of the CBD age restrictions in your state to ensure you're toeing the appropriate line and only selling to approved adult users.

Why Do You Need CBD Website Verification?

Now that we've established that CBD age restrictions apply to all businesses and online stores selling specific CBD and consumable hemp items, the next question is why CBD age verification is required. The first reason age requirements are necessary is that research on CBD, particularly its effects on minors, is still underway.

So far, only the drug Epidiolex is approved by the FDA to treat epileptic seizures in patients two years of age and older. Other than that, CBD studies on minors need to be more conclusive before some age restrictions no longer apply.

For instance, CBD products that contain THC can have a harmful effect on the brain development of teens. In addition, there may be an association with minors using CBD products, such as adverse effects due to the delivery system used (e.g., vaping) and not knowing the right amount of dosing.

The second reason is that parents and other adult users are more likely to be comfortable visiting websites with age verification where age restrictions apply. After all, most consumers will not be willing to associate with a site that illegally sells CBD products to minors.

So, having CBD age verification can be part and parcel of building a legitimate and reputable CBD website. As the owner and manager of a CBD website, you must at least have basic measures to verify prospective buyers' age.

How Does CBD Age Verification Work?

For CBD orders, you can use age verification online if you sell restricted CBD products, preventing situations where you unwittingly and illegally collect information on minors and sell them products where they shouldn't have access. Depending on the age verification service you use, CBD age verification can include the following features:

Visitors can encounter a popup asking them to confirm their age when they arrive at your site without proof. "Age Gates" are not always effective at warning away underage visitors.
CBD product online verification can also happen through image verification if necessary; However, companies such as BlueCheck keep a massive database and uses credit bureaus, making it possible to speed up eCommerce checkouts and increase conversions.
Age verification can also involve using a CBD ID verification code to ensure the right person is purchasing for existing customers.

Finding the Right Identity Verification Provider

Adding age verification to your website should be easy and smooth whether you're selling CBD oils, tinctures, or inhalables. Efficient and practical verification of a buyer's age can be difficult, but using third-party identity verification can make life easier. The trick is to find an exemplary identity verification service familiar with all the CBD website laws. In addition, it has a deep understanding of the CBD industry in countries where you sell your products.

Another essential factor to consider when choosing the best age verification service is the integration process. Age verification for CBD websites can work in various ways, so you need options that align with your site's requirements. Using a service that easily integrates with your site is essential, so you can automatically confirm if buyers who want to purchase certain CBD products are above the legal age.

In addition, enhancing your online sales of CBD means working with an age verification service that's flexible enough to help you comply with various rules and regulations applicable to CBD products. With the right service, you can stay informed about current regulations and implement the proper settings on your site to build a best-in-class and compliant online store.

The Final Word

Numbers don't lie, and CBD industry statistics paint a hugely profitable market with more room for growth. For instance, according to Statista, CBD product sales reached $5 billion in 2020 and are expected to reach $17 billion by 2025 in the US alone.

The first step for CBD websites interested in tapping into the potential presented by the CBD market is to ensure they sell their products legally. Using the best age verification service can easily abide by the applicable CBD age limits and ensure compliance with cannabis website laws.

BlueCheck Can Help.

BlueCheck achieves this balance by combining a sleek, field-tested user interface with a robust verification engine that connects to a network of authoritative databases and credit bureaus. In addition, we partner with companies in various industries and growth stages to provide affordable, reliable online age verification. Learn more about how BlueCheck can help you solve your age verification challenges!

https://www.statista.com/topics/6262/cbd-retail-in-the-united-states/#:~:text=In%20the%20United%20States%2C%20cannabidiol,dollars%20in%20the%20United%20States.

https://www.fda.gov/media/128474/download

https://childmind.org/article/cbd-what-parents-need-to-know/

https://www.oregon.gov/olcc/marijuana/Documents/Fact_Sheets/No-Sales-to-Minors-THC.pdf

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-drug-comprised-active-ingredient-derived-marijuana-treat-rare-severe-forms