On November 11, 2025, Congress passed a federal spending bill that includes a provision effectively banning most hemp-derived CBD products in the United States. The new hemp law will take effect in one year, eliminating access to nearly all CBD products currently available.
If you use CBD for Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or other chronic conditions, this directly affects you.
Here’s what happened, why it matters for IBD patients, and what you can do about it.
What Is the 2025 Federal CBD Ban?
The spending bill that ended the government shutdown included last-minute language restricting hemp-derived products. The new law imposes two critical limits:
The 0.4 milligram THC limit: Any hemp product containing more than 0.4 mg of total THC per container is now federally illegal.
The “total cannabinoid” rule: This includes delta-9 THC, THCA, delta-8 THC, and other cannabinoids with similar effects.
For context, most CBD oils, tinctures, capsules, and gummies contain 2-10 mg of total cannabinoids per serving. The new federal hemp restriction eliminates an estimated 95% of products currently sold, according to the U.S. Hemp Roundtable.
Is CBD Still Legal in 2025?
Short answer: Most CBD products will become illegal under federal law in November 2026 (one year after passage).
Longer answer: Some CBD isolate products with zero THC may remain legal, but full-spectrum CBD products that patients typically find most effective will be banned. State laws may vary, and medical cannabis programs in some states may still provide access.
How the 2018 Farm Bill Created the CBD Market
To understand this CBD ban, you need to know what created legal hemp-derived CBD in the first place.
The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp for industrial uses like rope, textiles, and seed. The law defined hemp as cannabis containing less than 0.3% delta-9 THC by weight. That definition created a regulatory loophole: companies could extract cannabinoids from hemp and sell them as long as delta-9 THC stayed below 0.3%.
This opening created a multi-billion dollar industry. Some companies produced genuine therapeutic CBD products. Others created intoxicating delta-8 THC gummies and high-dose edibles marketed like recreational cannabis.
Gas stations sold THC products to anyone. Online retailers shipped intoxicating hemp products across state lines with minimal age verification. Convenience stores stocked delta-8 drinks next to energy drinks.
That unregulated market needed oversight. We don’t dispute that.
At Systema Health, we support age restrictions, labeling requirements, and quality standards for hemp products. The problem is that this federal hemp law doesn’t just regulate the market. It eliminates therapeutic access for patients who depend on CBD.
Why CBD Matters for Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
In our IBD coaching programs at Systema Health, hundreds of patients have shared how hemp-derived CBD supports their healing journey. The therapeutic benefits we consistently see include:
Inflammation Management
CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties can help reduce systemic inflammation and support gut healing in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Research suggests CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system to modulate immune response.
IBD Symptom Relief
Many Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients report decreased abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, and digestive discomfort when using CBD consistently as part of their protocol.
Sleep Quality for Chronic Illness
IBD severely disrupts sleep patterns. CBD has helped many patients in our community achieve more restorative sleep, which is critical for immune function and healing.
Stress and Anxiety Reduction
The gut-brain connection is well-established in IBD research. CBD’s anxiolytic effects can help break the stress-flare cycle that perpetuates inflammatory bowel disease symptoms.
Reduced Reliance on Harsh Medications
Some IBD patients have decreased their use of opioids for pain management, benzodiazepines for anxiety, or sleep aids with significant side effects by incorporating CBD into their treatment protocol.
Relief During Flares
When conventional IBD treatments aren’t providing adequate relief, or while waiting for biologic medications to take effect, CBD has provided meaningful symptom management for many patients.
These aren’t minor quality-of-life improvements. For people navigating a serious chronic illness, CBD has been a valuable therapeutic tool.
And for patients living in states without medical cannabis programs, hemp-derived CBD was often the only legal pathway to accessing these benefits.
This federal CBD ban eliminates that access.
The Geographic Inequality Problem: Who Loses Access to Medical CBD?
The 2025 hemp law creates a two-tiered system based on geography.
If you live in a medical cannabis state (California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, etc.), you may still access CBD through state medical cannabis programs. It will likely cost more, require doctor visits and medical card fees, and involve bureaucratic hurdles. But a legal pathway exists.
If you live in a non-medical cannabis state (Alabama, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, South Carolina, Wisconsin, and others), this federal restriction leaves you with essentially no legal CBD access.
Your only options become:
- Going without CBD — Abandoning a therapeutic tool that was helping manage your chronic illness
- Switching to pharmaceutical alternatives — Often with worse side effect profiles and less efficacy for the specific symptoms CBD was addressing
- Purchasing from unregulated black markets — Where products have no testing, quality control, or legal consumer protections
None of these outcomes serve patient health.
The hemp ban policy essentially says that your zip code determines whether you can access a therapeutic compound that was improving your quality of life with inflammatory bowel disease.
What Should Federal Hemp Regulation Look Like?
Systema Health supports thoughtful, evidence-based regulation of cannabis and hemp products. We believe responsible hemp law reform should include:
✓ Strict age restrictions — No sales of any cannabinoid products to anyone under 21
✓ Mandatory third-party testing — All hemp products should be tested for potency, purity, and contaminants
✓ Clear, accurate labeling — Consumers deserve to know exactly what cannabinoids and dosages they’re getting
✓ Potency limits on intoxicating products — High-dose delta-8 THC and similar intoxicating hemp derivatives need reasonable restrictions
✓ GMP manufacturing standards — Products should be manufactured in facilities meeting Good Manufacturing Practice requirements
✓ Medical exemption pathway — Non-intoxicating therapeutic CBD should have a legal pathway that preserves patient access
That’s responsible hemp regulation. It protects consumers while preserving access to medical CBD.
A blanket federal ban that eliminates 95% of CBD products, including non-intoxicating therapeutic formulations used by patients with serious chronic illnesses, is not responsible regulation.
It’s regulatory overreach that will harm vulnerable patient populations while creating exactly the black market conditions the policy claims to prevent.
Unintended Consequences of the Federal CBD Ban
Policy experts and cannabis industry leaders are already warning about the predictable outcomes of this hemp restriction:
1. Black Market Growth
When you eliminate legal access to products people find therapeutically valuable, they don’t simply stop using them. Analysts predict this will drive billions in sales to completely unregulated markets where products won’t have testing, age verification, or quality control. Those black market CBD products will be more dangerous than the legal products they replace.
2. Economic Devastation in Hemp-Producing States
Kentucky, Texas, Utah, and other states with significant hemp farming and manufacturing infrastructure will experience job losses and economic disruption. Industry estimates suggest over 300,000 jobs tied to the hemp economy are at risk.
3. Patients Forced Back to Pharmaceuticals
Many patients turned to CBD specifically because prescription medications caused intolerable side effects or were ineffective for their symptoms. Forcing them back to those pharmaceutical options doesn’t improve health outcomes for people with IBD and other chronic conditions.
4. Overwhelmed State Medical Cannabis Programs
In states with medical marijuana programs, doctors will face an influx of patients seeking recommendations for conditions previously managed with over-the-counter hemp-derived CBD. These state programs aren’t resourced to handle that surge in patient volume.
5. Erosion of Trust in Federal Cannabis Policy
This move deepens the already significant divide between federal cannabis prohibition and state-level legalization efforts, making comprehensive, sensible cannabis reform even harder to achieve politically.
What Happens Next: The One-Year Implementation Window
The federal hemp law includes a one-year delay before restrictions take effect (November 2026).
That window is critical for advocacy.
Over the next twelve months, there will be opportunities to push for amendments, exemptions, or policy modifications that preserve patient access to medical CBD while still addressing legitimate public health concerns.
Congress could potentially:
- Create a medical exemption pathway for non-intoxicating CBD products
- Adjust the THC threshold to something more realistic for therapeutic CBD use
- Establish a federal framework for medical CBD access similar to state programs
- Delay implementation further to allow proper regulatory framework development
- Clarify that CBD isolate and broad-spectrum CBD products remain legal
None of those outcomes will happen without sustained pressure from patients, medical professionals, and advocacy organizations.
How to Advocate for CBD Access: What You Can Do
If you believe patients with chronic illness should maintain access to therapeutic CBD, your voice matters in this policy fight.
1. Contact Your Senators and Representative
Find your elected officials: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
Sample message template:
“I’m a constituent living with [Crohn’s disease/ulcerative colitis/chronic condition]. Hemp-derived CBD has helped me manage [specific symptoms: inflammation, pain, sleep, anxiety]. I support age restrictions, quality testing, and labeling requirements for hemp products. However, I urge you to support amendments to the recent hemp law that preserve access to non-intoxicating therapeutic CBD for patients with serious chronic health conditions. Please ensure that responsible regulation doesn’t eliminate medical access for vulnerable patient populations.”
Personal stories from constituents are more powerful than policy arguments. Your lived experience with CBD and IBD matters.
2. Share Your CBD and IBD Story
If you’re comfortable doing so, share publicly how CBD has impacted your health journey with inflammatory bowel disease. Whether on social media, in patient forums, or in conversations with friends and family, patient voices shape this conversation.
Consider using hashtags like:
- #PatientAccess
- #CBDforChronicIllness
- #HempReform
- #IBDawareness
- #CrohnsDisease
- #UlcerativeColitis
3. Support Organizations Fighting for Hemp Access
Organizations actively working on hemp policy reform and patient access include:
- U.S. Hemp Roundtable — Industry trade group fighting the ban
- Americans for Safe Access — Medical cannabis patient advocacy
- NORML — Cannabis policy reform organization
- Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation — IBD patient advocacy (encourage them to take a position)
4. Stay Informed on Hemp Law Developments
This is a rapidly evolving policy situation. Regulatory guidance, state responses, and potential federal amendments will unfold over the coming months.
Systema Health will continue sharing updates on social media and through our email list as developments occur.
Frequently Asked Questions About the CBD Ban
Will all CBD be illegal in 2025?
Most CBD products will become illegal under federal law in November 2026. CBD isolate products (pure CBD with zero THC) may remain legal, though regulations are unclear. Full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD products that patients typically find most effective will be banned federally.
Can I still buy CBD if I live in a medical cannabis state?
Possibly. States with medical marijuana programs may continue to allow CBD sales through those licensed systems. However, hemp-derived CBD sold outside medical dispensaries will be subject to the federal ban. State laws vary significantly.
What about CBD for pets?
Pet CBD products will be subject to the same federal restrictions. Most CBD products marketed for pets contain similar cannabinoid profiles to human products and will likely be affected by the 0.4 mg THC limit.
Will CBD products disappear immediately?
No. The law has a one-year implementation delay. Most CBD products will remain legal to sell until November 2026, giving patients and industry time to prepare and advocate for amendments.
Can I stock up on CBD before the ban takes effect?
Technically yes, though quantities may be limited by retailers. However, CBD products have expiration dates and potency degrades over time. Stockpiling a multi-year supply is not practical for most patients.
What if I have a prescription for CBD?
Prescription CBD (like Epidiolex, FDA-approved for seizure disorders) is a different legal category and is not affected by this hemp law. However, most people use over-the-counter hemp-derived CBD, which is affected.
Could this law be reversed or amended?
Yes. The one-year delay provides a window for Congress to pass amendments preserving medical CBD access. Patient advocacy and public pressure will be critical to making that happen.
Where Systema Health Stands on the Federal Hemp Ban
Our position is clear and unequivocal:
We oppose this federal hemp law in its current form.
We urge Congress to adopt amendments that preserve access to medically essential, non-intoxicating CBD for patients with chronic health conditions, while still implementing responsible regulations addressing intoxicating products and youth access.
The right hemp policy solution must protect both:
- Public safety through age restrictions, testing requirements, and quality standards
- Patient access to clinically helpful, non-intoxicating CBD formulations for therapeutic use
We believe in evidence-based cannabis and hemp policy that serves patients first. We believe in the therapeutic potential of plant medicine when used responsibly under appropriate medical guidance. And we believe that people living with inflammatory bowel disease and other chronic conditions deserve access to therapeutic tools that meaningfully improve their quality of life.
Regulation should reduce harm, not create new barriers to care.
Systema Health will continue to advocate for policies that align with patient needs, clinical evidence, and the lived experience of the chronic illness community.
We stand ready to work with legislators, healthcare providers, researchers, and patient advocacy organizations to help craft a regulatory framework for hemp and CBD that is safe, compassionate, evidence-based, and grounded in real-world patient outcomes.
A Personal Note on CBD Access and IBD
I started Systema Health because I know firsthand what it’s like to live with inflammatory bowel disease.
I know what it feels like to be trapped in a body attacking itself. To try treatment after treatment that doesn’t work or causes unbearable side effects. To feel dismissed by a healthcare system that treats you like a collection of symptoms rather than a human being trying to live your life.
For many people in our IBD community, CBD has been part of their healing protocol. Not a magic cure, but a genuinely useful therapeutic tool in a comprehensive approach to managing their condition and improving their quality of life.
This federal policy threatens to take that tool away.
I believe in smart regulation. I believe in safety standards and age restrictions. I believe in protecting young people from intoxicating substances marketed irresponsibly.
But I also believe that health policy should be made with patients at the center of the conversation, not as an afterthought to a government funding bill.
Right now, IBD patients and others living with chronic illness weren’t at the table when this hemp restriction was drafted and passed.
We need to change that.
Your voice matters. Your experience with CBD and inflammatory bowel disease matters. Your health matters.
Let’s make sure Congress hears that message.
In health and solidarity,
Andrew Kornfeld
Founder, Systema Health
Additional CBD Ban Resources
- CNBC: Congress hemp ban raises fears of mass layoffs and black market growth — Read the full article
- Find Your Representatives — https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
- U.S. Hemp Roundtable — Industry advocacy fighting the ban https://hempsupporter.com
- Americans for Safe Access — Medical cannabis patient advocacy https://www.safeaccessnow.org
Disclaimer: This blog post represents the position of Systema Health and its founder, Andrew Kornfeld. We are a health coaching organization, not a political lobbying group or law firm. Our advocacy centers on patient access, therapeutic benefit, and evidence-based policy. We do not accept funding from hemp or cannabis companies and have no financial interest in this industry beyond our commitment to our clients’ wellbeing. This content is for informational purposes and does not constitute medical or legal advice.
