Should My Wellness Business Carry CBD Products?

Since its legalization in 2018, cannabidiol products have exploded across store shelves in the United States. There are now a dizzying number and variety of CBD-containing consumer products available, and if you own or are a buyer for a small business in the wellness sector, your options are almost limitless. That can be intimidating, but the first question you should answer for yourself is whether or not you should be carrying CBD containing products in the first place. Retail investments are often costly, and you don't want to be left holding the bag with a bad product that won't sell. Luckily, CBD has by and large been very successful, but there are still a few things you ought to know about it before adding it to your own shelves.

Safety

As a wellness retailer, you may have conce s about the safety and efficacy of CBD-containing products. CBD itself is now deregulated, a result of a long campaign pushing for the recognition of the compound's properties as safe and non-psychoactive with potential benefits for pain relief, anxiety, depression, and other conditions. When evaluating a vendor, look for lab reports to verify that their products are free of the psychoactive compounds found in illicit cannabis as well as other contaminants. You're looking for proof of potency (the CBD content is as advertised) and purity (the contents are only CBD.) With some diligence, you can feel confident that any product from a vetted and trustworthy CBD vendor is safe for your customers to use and won't cause adverse effects or an unwanted high.

Legality

With the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, Congress legalized cannabidiol itself, along with the growing of zero-tetrahydrocannabinol strains of hemp. These zero-THC strains are used for all CBD products, meaning they do not share the psychoactive properties of the THC-containing strains which remain controlled. The threshold for hemp in the United States is 0.3% THC; above that concentration, it's considered illegal marijuana. 0.3% THC is still potentially enough to have effects on a very sensitive customers, particularly if they're using large doses of the resulting product, so you'll want to be sure your suppliers are using strains with as little THC as possible.

Effects

While CBD has been recognized as safe to include in consumer products, including foods, oral supplements, and creams, it's not in the same category as, say, antidepressants, or even over-the-counter medications. That's not at all to say CBD doesn't actually do anything. For the most part, wellness and lifestyle experts are familiar with this idea already, but it bears repeating: what works for the individual is most important. There is a considerable body of anecdotal evidence bearing out the claim that CBD helps relax the body, relieves pain, soothes anxiety, and boosts mood, focus, and well-being. You should encourage customers to try CBD and see if it fits into their wellness routine, particularly if they are challenged by anxiety, depression, insomnia, or chronic pain.

Selling CBD

But why sell CBD products at all? Some customers might be wary of the compound's association with illicit marijuana, while others may be skeptical of its efficacy. Generally speaking, you should suggest CBD for anyone looking for a gentle, non-habit-forming anxiety remedy, sleep aid, or pain reliever. Be ready to explain the difference betwee CBD and THC if anyone asks about the origins of CBD products. It pays to be prepared; lab reports are excellent to have here as well to reassure a skeptical customer that your CBD products do contain only CBD. For pain relief, a topical product can be an easier sell. Overall, though, you can expect a lot of the buzz around CBD to do the work for you in selling the products; another advantage of adding CBD lines to your store shelves.

There's no time like the present to expand your toolbox for your wellness business, and CBD is both popular and in demand. Adding a vetted line of CBD products can be a fantastic investment that pays off both on its own and drives new business into the store, bringing in curious customers looking to try CBD for themselves. Armed with knowledge of what CBD is and what it does, you can sell it confidently and help your customers find what works for them.