The Postal Service is reminding employees that customers are permitted to send certain hemp-based products in the mail when in compliance with all applicable laws.
A cannabis-derived substance with tetrahydrocannabinol content of 0.3 percent or less is legally hemp. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a compound found in the flower resin of cannabis plants, which include hemp and marijuana.
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act. It also clarified that interstate commerce of hemp is permitted and created a process for each state to regulate hemp production and distribution.
USPS policy permits substances that satisfy the legal definition of hemp and hemp-based products — including CBD — to be mailed to domestic destinations and destinations within U.S. territories.
To do so, under Publication 52, Section 453, the mailer must:
• Comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws pertaining to hemp production, processing, distribution and sales
• Retain records establishing compliance with such laws, including laboratory test results, licenses or compliance reports, for no less than two years after the date of mailing
Mailers are not required to obtain prior authorization from the Postal Service, whose employees are not responsible for the mailer’s compliance.
Hemp and hemp-derived products are not permitted to be mailed to international or military destinations.
If you have questions, email the Pricing and Classification Service Center or contact your local Postal Inspection Service office.
