ALCOAST 308/20 - AUG 2020 THE USE OF HEMP AND CANNABIDIOL (CBD) PRODUCTS IS PROHIBITED

R 131606 AUG 20
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CCG//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N05780//
ALCOAST 308/20
COMDTNOTE 5780
SUBJ:  THE USE OF HEMP AND CANNABIDIOL (CBD) PRODUCTS IS PROHIBITED
A. Uniform Code of Military Justice, Title 10 U.S.C. 801-941
B. Military Drug and Alcohol Policy, COMDTINST M1000.10 (series)
1. Effective immediately, Coast Guard members are prohibited from knowingly
using products made or derived from hemp, including cannabidiol (CBD). 
2. On 20 December 2018 the President signed into law the Agriculture Improvement
Act of 2018, removing industrial hemp from the controlled substances act
(21 U.S.C. 802(16)), and excluding from the definition of marijuana those
industrial hemp products containing up to 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
THC elicits the mind-altering and euphoric sensations that are typically associated
with marijuana use. THC in marijuana and in those hemp products containing more
than 0.3 percent THC remain illegal. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical derived from
the cannabis sativa L. plant, the same plant where marijuana and hemp come from.
CBD products contain traces of THC.
3. Due to this change in the law, new hemp and CBD products are commercially available,
and more will become available in the near future. In particular, new CBD products are
now sold as oils, edibles, vape oils, capsules, gum, concentrates, and candies.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not determine or certify the
THC concentration of commercially available CBD and hemp products. These products could
omit any reference to THC on the product label and/or list inaccurate ingredients. 
Consequently, Coast Guard members cannot rely on packaging or labeling of hemp and CBD
products in determining whether the product contains THC concentrations above 0.3 percent. 
4. Substance misuse by members of the Armed Forces is incompatible with military standards
of good order and discipline, performance, and operational readiness. It is the goal of
the Coast Guard to eliminate substance abuse. The use of any hemp and CBD products could
interfere with the effective administration of the Coast Guard drug testing program.
The normal use of certain hemp and CBD products could result in a reporting of unlawful
THC levels in Coast Guard members, even if a member had used only legal hemp and CBD
products. The use of these products would undermine the Coast Guard’s ability to
effectively identify illegal THC use.
5. General Order: Coast Guard members are prohibited from using products made or derived
from hemp including CBD, regardless of the product’s THC concentration, claimed or actual,
and regardless of whether the product may be lawfully bought, sold, and used under the
law applicable to civilians. Failure by military personnel to comply with this General
Order is a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Violations may result in
administrative or other disciplinary action. The prohibitions specified in this paragraph
are general intent offenses and applicable to all Coast Guard military personnel.
6. Definition of Use: To inject, ingest, inhale, or otherwise introduce into the human
body (e.g. oral ingestion, smoking/vaping inhalation, topical skin application).
“Use” also includes the use of topical products containing hemp and CBD, such as
shampoos, conditions, lotions, lip balms, or soaps. 
7. Definition of Hemp: For the purpose of this order, “hemp” is defined as found in 7 U.S.C.
1639o, and means the plant cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the
seeds and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of
isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not
more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.
8. This prohibition does not apply to the ingestion, consumption, or application of
cannabinoid formulations approved as drugs by the FDA for which a service member has a
valid prescription. A prescription is valid if issued by a Coast Guard clinic, a
Department of Defense medical facility, or an approved civilian medical service provider.
This prohibition does not apply to use pursuant to legitimate law enforcement activities,
by authorized personnel in the performance of medical duties, or without knowledge that
the product was made or derived from hemp, including CBD, where that lack of knowledge
is reasonable. This prohibition also does not apply to the use of durable goods
containing hemp, such as rope or clothing. 
9. ADM K. L Schultz, Commandant, sends.
10. Internet release is authorized.