West Virginia Code § 19-12E-5

Industrial hemp; licensing
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(a) A person growing industrial hemp shall apply to the commissioner for a license on a form
prescribed by the commissioner.
(b) The application for a license must include the name and address of the applicant and the
legal description and global positioning coordinates of the land area to be used to produce
industrial hemp.
(c) The commissioner shall require each first-time applicant and may establish requirements
for other persons involved with the industrial hemp program, to usubmit to a state and
national criminal history record check. The criminal history record check shall be based on
fingerprints submitted to the State Police or its assigned agent for forwarding to the Federal
Bureau of Investigation.
(1) The applicant shall meet all requirements necessary to accomplish the state and national
criminal history record check, including: l
(A) Submitting fingerprints; and
(B) Authorizing the board, the State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to use
all records submitted and produced for the purpose of screening the applicant for a license.
(2) The results of the state and national criminal history record check may not be released to
or by a private entity except:
(A) To the individual who is the subject of the criminal history record check;
(B) With the written authorization of the individual who is the subject of the criminal history
record check; or
(C) WPursuant to a court order.
(3) The criminal history record check and related records are not public records for the
purposes of §29B-1-1 et seq. of this code.
(4) The applicant shall pay the actual costs of the fingerprinting and criminal history record
check.
(d) If the applicant has completed the application process to the satisfaction of the
commissioner, the commissioner shall issue the license, which is valid until December 31 of
the year of application: Provided, That an individual applying to renew a current license may
continue to operate under an existing license, as long as his or her completed renewal
application has been submitted to the department on or before the deadline established by
the department.
(e) Any person seeking to grow, cultivate, or process industrial hemp shall provide to the
department prior written consent allowing the department, State Police, and other state and
local law-enforcement agencies to enter onto all premises where industrial hemp is grown,
cultivated, processed, or stored to conduct physical inspections or otherwise ensure
compliance with the requirements of this code and the legislative rules promulgated
pursuant to this code.
(f) In the alternative, the commissioner may choose to recognize industrial hemp grower
licenses issued by the United States Department of Agriculture. r
(g) Sale of industrial hemp products — u
(1) Notwithstanding any provision of the code to the contrary, a person need not obtain a
license to possess, handle, transport, or sell hemp products or extracts, including those
containing one or more hemp-derived cannabinoids, inacluding CBD.
(2) Hemp-derived cannabinoids, including CBD, arel not controlled substances or adulterants.
(3) Products containing one or more hemp-derived cannabinoids, such as CBD, intended for
ingestion are to be considered foods, not ciontrolled substances or adulterated products.
(4) Applicable state agencies shall make available any and all customary registrations to the
processors and manufacturers of hemp products.
(5) Retail sales of hemp products may be conducted when the products and the hemp used in
the products were grown and cultivated legally in another state or jurisdiction and meet the
same or substantially the same requirements for processing hemp products or growing hemp
under this article and rules promulgated under §19-2E-7 of this code.
(6) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, derivatives of hemp,
including hemp-derived cannabidiol, may be added to cosmetics, personal care products, and
products intended for animal or human consumption, and the addition is not considered an
adulteration of the products.
(7) Hemp and hemp products may be legally transported across state lines, and exported to
foreign nations, consistent with U.S. federal law and laws of respective foreign nations.

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