Racine D.A. reverses decision on hemp products

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) - The Racine County District Attorney is reversing course on CBD oil.

Earlier this week, she told CBS 58 it's illegal for most businesses to sell.

Now in a statement released Friday, Patricia Hanson says she is following Attorney General Brad Schimel’s lead, and holding off on prosecuting anyone who sells the product.

Rob Kight represents "Hemp Bombs," the company produces the CBD gummis that were recently targeted by Hanson.

“Law enforcement, and by that I mean everyone from the governor all the way down to local sheriff's deputies are struggling to kind of stay abreast of the law,” said Kight.

The bears and other products derived from hemp are legal to sell in the US.

“It's five times more powerful than Tylenol, so it goes into your body and helps reduce inflammation, it helps reduce pain, it helps relieve stress and anxiety,” said Rachel Cartwright, CEO of CPD Therapeutics who sells CBD products.

“We believe that our product is perfectly legal under the department of justice ruling,” said Cartwright.

In the statement, Hanson apologized for the confusion,

It was confusion that may have started with Attorney General Schimel.

“Schimel, back in late April or early May, made a statement to the affect that CBD products and industrial hemp couldn't be sold, very quickly after meetings and public uproar reversed himself and said that it could,” said Kight.

Now sellers are hoping the recent DA's decision clears up some of the confusion in an industry that's relatively new in Wisconsin.

Part of the problem is that CBD oil can come from either hemp or marijuana.

If it comes from hemp it's legal, if it's from marijuana or had THC it is illegal in Wisconsin.