CBD is the latest booming cannabis-derived health trend, and a new Vestal store now gives locals access to a range of products with the drug.
Your CBD Store, located a short few minutes from campus down Vestal Parkway East, offers a variety of products infused with CBD, or cannabidiol, from gummies and teas to bath bombs and lotions.
The store, which opened late last year, recreates a serene, spa-like atmosphere complete with a small indoor waterfall and ambient music. According to store manager Malia Glover, the tranquil decor reflects the effects of the drug.
“CBD helps to release serotonin to relax your mind and body,” Glover said. “Coming into our store, we try to give it like a zen spa effect so it is relaxing when you come in.”
CBD is one chemical compound found in cannabis, although it doesn’t have any of the psychoactive effects. CBD is said to relieve stress, anxiety and pain, although studies of the drug have been relatively inconclusive.
Since the production of industrial hemp was legalized in New York state, the CBD industry’s presence has grown in the Southern Tier. In January, plans to refurbish the former Gannett printing plant in Johnson City into a new hemp processing plant were announced. There, CBD and other non-psychotropic forms of cannabis will be processed.
Since CBD production is not yet widely accessible, the products sold at Your CBD Store in Vestal are shipped from Colorado, where they receive third-party testing.
For those new to CBD, the store offers samples of several products including topical creams, water solubles and tinctures. The water soluble, which is the fastest acting, can be mixed into any beverage and has a subtle, earthy taste.
The most popular products sold, according to Glover, are the tinctures, which range in concentration. The most potent option contains 3,000 milligrams of CBD for a steep $300.
The majority of products range from $5 to $110. The store sells single-dose gummy frogs containing 25 milligrams of CBD for $6, as well as honey sticks with 15 milligrams of CBD.
“When you’re looking into buying CBD, you want to pay very close attention to your ingredients,” Glover said. “There are a lot of places that sell CBD oil that’s not really CBD oil, it’s hemp seed oil.”
The primary difference between the two is in their chemistry; Glover likens hemp seed oil to a fatty acid.
“It’s good for your body, but it doesn’t target ailments of the body like CBD does,” Glover said.
Glover said there are a few local vendors who mislead their customers by selling hemp seed oil under the label of CBD. Due to the unregulated nature of the industry, there are few repercussions for mislabeling and even fewer ways for customers to spot the difference between the two.
Many of the tinctures at Your CBD Store sport QR codes on their packaging, which customers can scan for lab reports on the products.
“There’s a huge change in people carrying because they see that it’s booming so much and what it does for people, but there’s not a lot of change on how much people are educated on the product themselves,” Glover said. “You really need to dig to educate yourself, it takes a lot of time.”
Students can receive a 10-percent discount on any product with a valid college ID.