Hester Jordan Burkhalter spent 12 hours in jail before the charges were dropped.
A woman who was arrested at Disney World in Orlando because she had a bottle of CBD oil in her handbag was seen on video screaming for help from inside a cop car.
Hester Jordan Burkhalter, 69, couldn't believe it when she was taken into custody on April 15 for having the oil, which she uses to treat her arthritis at her doctor's recommendation. Footage of her arrest was made public by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday.
In the video, Burkhalter can be seen limping and telling authorities from inside the car that she was about to faint.
“Can you let me out for a second? I feel like I am going to pass out,” she said.
CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is a derivative of marijuana or hemp; however, it cannot get you high because it does not contain THC, the chemical that causes an intoxicated feeling. Stores sell CBD as creams, gels, candy and oils, and it's believed to act as a pain reliever.
Burkhalter bought her CBD oil in her home state of North Carolina, where it's legal. But Florida, where she was arrested, still considers it an illegal substance, like marijuana.
“You know, I had some CBD oil. You know, got it in North Carolina, and I had no idea,” Burkhalter says to the deputy on the way to jail.
The great-grandmother spent 12 hours in jail before the charges were dropped.
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