Page 155 - AMC January 2020

CBD. The initials are short for cannabidiol, and it’s a chemical that comes from the cannabis plant. And yes, it’s related to the marijuana plant, but CBD oil is harvested from a sister plant called industrial hemp. What’s more, as of the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD oil is legal to buy in all 50 states. Consumers have discovered that taking this oil orally, or rubbing it into the skin as a balm, can alleviate pain and inflammation, reduce stress, help you get a good night’s sleep, and even reduce pain in pets. “There has been excitement around CBD and cannabis in general in the western part of the country for quite some time,” said Ginna Van Zandt, vice president of sales for Huntsboro Hemp Company. “But really, it’s sped up and become more of a national thing in the last two to two-and-a-half years. People are seeing the benefits and they’re desiring more natural remedies for all kinds of ailments.” Gift shop owners across the country are discovering that CBD products have a great profit margin and a steady repeat business. But although legal, there is still relatively little testing or monitoring of CBD products. Quips one supplier, “It’s like the Wild West!” With plenty of suppliers hopping on the CBD bandwagon, it’s essential for retailers to do their homework when choosing a CBD product line to carry. CHOOSING CBD Van Zandt says there are certain questions a retailer should ask their supplier when deciding which hemp products to carry. “You want to see if it’s third party tested, where there’s a certificate analysis that ensures the product is what it is, what the CBD concentration is and whether there’s any THC present.” Huntsboro Hemp Co. carries a line of CBD tinctures, bath bombs, and CBD-infused honeys. The bestselling products are the honey sticks and the relief tincture. All the hemp is grown on the company’s farm, and the honey is also harvested on the farm. “We like to keep things as close to its natural form as possible—nothing synthetic, no preservatives,” said Van Zandt. “We want to be known for being transparent and open.” Twine CBD is another company that has found a following among gift retailers, likely because it’s founded by two gift- industry veterans, Missy Rosenkampff and Angie Barlow. Like many who’ve gotten involved in the industry, Rosenkampff found CBD while trying to find relief from chronic back pain. “The CBD worked to the point where I was no longer taking Advil for my back,” said Rosenkampff. “At the time, the only way to buy it was at a vape store, and I thought, there has to be a way to buy it somewhere else!” Rosenkampff and Barlow decided to create a line of CBD products geared toward the gift industry, choosing as their source a Kentucky farm that was part of a hemp research pilot program. The farm’s industrial hemp is tested to be THC-free, that is, free of any traces of the psychoactive compound that gives marijuana its “high.”> IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE HAS A STORY ABOUT A FRIEND WHO WAS ABLE TO FIX HER CHRONIC PAIN, RELIEVE STRESS, OR END SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, ALL THROUGH DOWNING A DAILY DROPPERFUL OF AN OSTENSIBLE MIRACLE OIL WITH A RATHER FORGETTABLE ACRONYM. AmericasMart.com | 139