Marijuana is prohibited by the CSA and any CBD product derived from marijuana is therefore prohibited. However, the CSA exempts from the definition of “marijuana” the plant’s “mature stalks.” The logical conclusion is that CBD products derived from mature stalks containing no THC were not illegal (though the FDA would disagree). Another arguably legal route existed for CBD products derived from industrial hemp (part of the cannabis plant with less than 0.3 percent THC on a dry weight basis) lawfully grown in a State that has enacted hemp laws in compliance with section 7606 of the 2014 US Farm Bill. Because congress sanctioned industrial hemp, there was an argument allowing the sale of industrial hemp extracts in states with compliant programs. This meant that prior to adoption of the Final Rule, CBD products derived from mature stalks that did not contain THC or industrial hemp existed in a legal “gray” area.
Under the DEA’s Final Rule clarification, CBD products derived solely from mature stalks or industrial hemp containing little-to-no THC are not prohibited under the “marihuana extract” rule. However, this clarification is not an official ruling by the DEA as it does not have the same authority as a formal rule. Instead, this clarification provides guidance as to how the DEA will enforce the “marihuana extract” Final Rule. In addition, the marihuana extract Final Rule is currently subject to a lawsuit filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals by members of the hemp industry, and this clarification may cause that court to rule that the clarification limits the Final Rule.
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http://www.cannalawblog.com/dea-clarification-on-cbd-extracts/