CBD Is Here to Stay
by Khristee Rich
››CBD stores are popping up everywhere it seems. In my neighborhood alone, there are now two CBD stores: Your CBD Store in Wilton and The Pharm Stand in Ridgefield. These stores were not around when I was a child growing up, but thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, industrial hemp has become legalized. This recent bill removed hemp from being classified as marijuana which was a gamechanger.
“Before that point,” says Pete Bogdan, owner of Your CBD Store in Wilton, “it was illegal to grow it and to conduct research on it. Once it did become legal, that’s when people started to really explore and start developing CBD products. The reason it’s so popular, I think, is that people are actually finding benefit from what it may be able to do for a lot of different people. Also, our culture is changing; people are looking for more holistic ways to deal with a variety of different health issues they might have. If there’s a product they can find that’s more natural and holistic than pharmaceuticals, they’re going in that direction.”
While hemp and marijuana are both cannabis plants, hemp is defined for its low THC content, which is the main psychoactive compound that produces a high. Hemp is used for CBD and for many other products and does not have any intoxicating effects.
Bogdan states the biggest misconception he hears is that his company is a pot store. Some people think that he sells marijuana and others think that CBD produces the same psychoactive effects as marijuana. CBD is a cannabinoid, a chemical compound, like THC, also found in the cannabis plant; but unlike THC, one cannot get high from it.
The government only allows .3% THC Delta 9 by the dry weight of the plant to be included per product, which is a very minimal amount and will not produce a euphoric high for the user. Consumers can choose if they wish to purchase full-spectrum products with .3% THC (many say this is more effective with the combination of cannabinoids instead of isolating the CBD) or broad-spectrum products where the THC has been extracted.
CBD products do not promise to cure an ailment or that they produce the same effect for all.
“A lot of it is really based on one’s metabolism as to how much benefit they can experience,” Bogdan explains. “Everyone’s different. We are all individuals. It’s a holistic approach and it’s a systemic experience because it’s not like you’re going to take this product and it’s only going to go to one part of your body. It is going to travel throughout your entire system. They certainly have the potential to help people, but we never claim that something’s a cure.”
Today, there has been a lot of research on CBD, especially in Europe. There have been many potential benefits reported in trials such as pain relief, reducing inflammation, improving sleep, relaxation, as well as reducing anxiety and nausea.
The endocannabinoid system in the body naturally helps the body to reach homeostasis, but the endocannabinoid system can become dysfunctional for many reasons, such as through poor diet.
“Not exercising, not getting enough sleep, stress; anything that throws your body off also turns off your endocannabinoid system and stops sending the endocannabinoids to their receptors to help you reach homeostasis,” explains Mike Eimicke, owner of The Pharm Stand in Ridgefield.
There are a variety of CBD products, such as tinctures, edibles, capsules, lotions, beauty products, and products for pets.
Bogdan recommends a trial and error approach: trying a CBD product, seeing how the body responds, going slow, and self-assessing. Depending on metabolism and weight, it mght be necessary to take more or less than another person. For best results, due diligence is important. Take it at the same time every day, take it after a meal, and include healthy fats to be more effective.
With so many products and everyone having different needs, it is best to go into the store to see what is best for you. Visit The CBD Store in Wilton at 5 River Road, Unit C01, and The Pharm Stand at 470 Main Street in Ridgefield. Your CBD store is the second largest CBD store in the country with twenty-five stores in Connecticut and 600 nationwide.
Consultation appointments are available through The Pharm Stand’s website. It’s amazing to have these resources in our backyard.
