Hemp Extract Act 2015 (HB 32) — Wyoming’s Narrow CBD-Only Carve-Out

Last verified: May 2026

Key Provisions

• Eligible patients: Wyoming residents diagnosed with intractable epilepsy by a licensed neurologist providing written certification.
• Permitted product: "Hemp extract" — preparations of cannabis with less than 0.3% THC and at least 5% CBD by weight.
• Mechanism: Patient (or parent on behalf of a minor) submits an application, neurologist certification, and fee to the Wyoming Department of Health, which issues a Hemp Extract Registration Card.
• Affirmative defense: Cardholders are protected from civil and criminal penalties for possession of qualifying hemp extract.
• No supply chain: No in-state cultivator, processor, or dispensary licensing exists. Patients must source product from outside Wyoming, raising federal CSA and interstate-transport issues.

Utility and Patient Population

The program has been extremely narrow. Per Casper Star-Tribune reporting citing Wyoming Department of Health spokeswoman Kim Deti:

• By 2018: only 34 applications had been received and 26 unique cards issued cumulatively.
• Approximately 9 active cardholders at one point in 2018.
• Cards require annual renewal.

⚠️ More recent figures have not been publicly released; current cardholder counts can be requested directly from the Wyoming Department of Health.

Lydia Schaeffer’s Story Compared

Wyoming’s Hemp Extract Act predates Wisconsin’s Lydia’s Law (2014 Wisconsin Act 267). Both are narrow CBD-only carve-outs for severe seizure disorders. Wyoming’s 2015 enactment in some ways was more workable from the outset because it did not require an FDA-investigational-permit pathway like the original Wisconsin law. However, Wyoming’s lack of in-state supply chain has constrained practical access.

The 2018 Federal Farm Bill Effect

The 2018 federal Farm Bill and Wyoming’s HB 171 (2019, signed by Gov. Mark Gordon) effectively superseded most of HB 32’s narrow hemp-extract carve-out for general consumers by removing hemp (≤0.3% delta-9 THC) from the state controlled-substances schedule. The Wyoming DCI clarified in 2018 that retail CBD with no detectable THC may be sold without a card, but products with any THC content historically required a card.

The SF 32 (2024) Hemp-Intoxicant Ban Effect

After SF 32 (2024) banned intoxicating hemp derivatives, the practical retail CBD landscape has narrowed further to truly THC-free isolate products. Cardholders with intractable epilepsy face an even more constrained sourcing landscape. See SF 32 page.

What the Hemp Extract Act Does NOT Cover

• Conditions other than intractable epilepsy. Cancer, chronic pain, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, HIV/AIDS, and similar conditions are not covered.
• Products with psychoactive THC content. Only ≤0.3% THC / ≥5% CBD products qualify.
• Smoking, vaping, or inhalation forms. Hemp extract typically refers to oral preparations.
• Workplace drug-testing protection. Cardholders are not protected from employer drug-free workplace policies.
• DUI defense. § 31-5-233(d) bars out-of-state medical recommendation as a defense; the in-state Hemp Extract Card does not extend to DUI proceedings.
• Cross-border transport. Bringing CBD product into Wyoming is still federally illegal under 21 U.S.C. § 841 unless meeting the 2018 Farm Bill hemp definition AND the Wyoming Department of Health’s registration framework.

Hemp Extract Registration — Practical Steps

1. Wyoming residency.
2. Diagnosis of intractable epilepsy.
3. Certification from a Wyoming-licensed neurologist.
4. Application to Wyoming Department of Health (401 Hathaway Building, 2300 Capitol Avenue, Cheyenne, WY 82002).
5. Annual renewal with continuing-eligibility documentation.

Related on this site: Federal Hemp Cliff Late 2026, Send a Message, Contact CannabisWyoming.org.