Who Is Buying CBD Products?

cannabis oil cbd

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For those Americans who have been introduced to the legend that is cannabidiol (CBD), they have found themselves smack dab in the middle of a bizarre circus that rivals a Bangkok ping pong show. Only in this performance, one that can be found on nearly every street corner in the nation, there is a bearded hipster in an Arcade Fire t-shirt screaming at the top of his lungs “Get Your CBD Here!”

Yesiree, step inside one of these trend dens of the cannabis-lite movement and prepare to be fed a long-winded spiel about how this non-intoxicating cannabinoid is a miraculous cure-all put here by the gods of the universe to keep all of humanity from succumbing to the despicable sick sent here to obliterate us. Having trouble sleeping? Anxious? Are traditional cancer treatments not working? Having trouble staying dry in the rain? Well, well, well, CBD might be right for you! 

It’s no wonder so many folks believe this lone cannabinoid is either modern-day snake oil or the magical spawn of aliens and unicorns. They are on sensory overload with all of the non-stop jibber jabber. The ones that have listened to the sales pitch and said to themselves, “whatever, I’m not buying into the hype” they are well on their way to getting out of this big top of insanity with their dignity still intact. 

But these folks are the minority. 

More people than not are buying in to the CBD craze. A recent Gallup poll finds that nearly half of the American population believes CBD has medicinal benefits. An impressive 61 percent would like to see it appear on the shelves of their local drug store the same as other health care products, while 33 percent are of the opinion that it should only be doled out with a prescription. 

The hemp-derived CBD market, one that was given new life with the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, is raking in more cash than a Mississippi pimp. Depending on which study you choose to embrace as gospel, it is well on its way to generating in upwards of $20 billion a year. We’re talking about an impressive amount of money for a product that may not be as miraculous as they say, and a whole lot more for one that has absolutely no chance at getting America high again.

Which is strange because it’s not like the nation is on the wagon or anything.

Hand holding bottle of Cannabis oil in pipette isolated on white

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The US population possesses more drunken enthusiasm than a night out with Jackson Pollack, Earnest Hemingway and Martin van Buren. Studies show that 40 percentof the population is abusing alcohol in ways that put them at risk of hangovers, DUIs and liver disease. The American people also have a real love affair with opioids, methamphetamine and cocaine. What can we say, we’re big fans of the buzz. And this obsession with mind-altering substances is not because they have special healing powers, it’s because they make us feel freaking fantastic. In the immortal words of a 20th-century poet by the name of Kramer, “Here’s to feeling good all the time.” 

Heck yeah, America is onboard! 

But when it comes to this CBD craze, for whatever reason, the people are content with spending their hard-earned money not to feel anything at all. And I mean zilch, nada, zip, it isn’t happening. 

There is even evidence that this buzz-free cannabis movement could eventually surpass the money machine in legal marijuana states – where they are selling products that actually get people stoned – and become the king of swinging ding dongs on the US cannabis scene. What the hecking f**k?

It’s difficult to imagine that unregulated hemp-based CBD products that don’t produce the buzz that Americans have an affinity for are becoming such a huge hit. But it’s real. All you have to do is step inside any given truck stop, mall or convenience store and you’ll see this wild scene in action. Just last week, I spotted a CBD display next to lottery tickets. Want to guess which one I bought? Hey, at least with the lottery ticket, there was a chance I might feel something, even if it was only buyer’s remorse. 

So, is this hemp-derived CBD really worth a damn? Maybe, maybe not. There is some evidence that it is helpful at easing anxiety and inflammation. However, some research shows that the majority of the hemp-derived CBD products on the market – specifically what is being sold online — are not manufactured under the highest standards. Some contain less CBD than advertised, some have more. Other CBD products were actually shown to have enough THC (the intoxicating compound of the cannabis plant) to cause users to fail a drug test. What’s worse is, just last year, there were even reports of fake CBD products showing up in parts of the United States that were making people sick. 

CBD text on the paper is attached to the styrofoam with push pins, Health care concept as a schedule reminders

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This is all part of the reason that the FDA has been making such a fuss about it lately. Another reason is some of these CBD companies continue trying to sell customers on therapeutic benefits that have not yet been proven. Last week, the FDA scolded Curaleaf for “illegally selling” CBD with “unsubstantiated claims.” The company was advertising that their products could be used to treat cancer, opioid withdrawal, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic pain and even pet anxiety. The FDA has warned consumers for years that none of these claims have been confirmed.

While it may eventually be revealed that hemp-based CBD has some medicinal function, it is difficult to take the product seriously when it is being sold in gas stations next to the Horny Goat Weed and Stacker 2’s. 

So just who are all of these people buying hemp-based CBD, anyway? 

Well, considering that a religious materials store called Christian Bookstore Distributors (CBD) recently had to change its name because a legion of CBD customers kept calling their offices to check on the status of their orders, I’m going out on a limb and saying that some of these people might be at the lower end of the food chain.

Listen, you can’t make this stuff up. There were apparently hordes of CBD fiends calling this bible dealer regularly to see what the heck was taking him so long to ship out their gummies. Not even dialing 1-800-CHRISTIAN tipped them off to their mistake.

Owner Ray Hendrickson, who probably wishes by now that he would have gotten into the CBD business, told the New York Times that the CBD craze had overwhelmed his brand, giving him no choice but to change the company’s name.

Again, who are these people?

Some of the latest statistics from High Yield Insights show CBD users are mostly “stressed out millennials” between the ages of 21-and-35 and baby boomers 56 and older. These folks are buying up a variety of hemp-based CBD products to treat every condition from anxiety and depression to chronic pain, inflammation and insomnia. Most CBD customers are not well educated, the report shows.

So perhaps this group is an easy target for the sometimes less than honest sales pitch surrounding this product. But I’m here to tell you, if you are impressed with the healing powers of truck stop CBD, just wait, America, until you get your hands on the real thing!

Original Article Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeadams/2019/07/27/who-is-buying-cbd-products/