FEATURE30 October 2019

High-powered plants

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Tim Phillips

Features Healthcare Impact Retail

Cannabidiol is being hailed as a wonder treatment for a variety of conditions – but how should brands approach this industry, which is invariably described as the new ‘wild west’? By Tim Phillips

CBD3

There is a metaphor that pops up consistently when discussing the market for legal cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) products. “You’re looking at this completely wild west industry, and the big players don’t have a grip on it at all, ” says Joseph Oliver, co-founder of lifestyle brand LDN CBD.

“Regulation is absolutely needed in the industry. It’s like the frontier and, unfortunately, there are too many cowboys, ” agrees Carl Boon,
the managing director of retailer CBD Ultra.

If, at this point, you are wondering what CBD actually is, you’re in the minority. Research by tech-based market research firm GlobalWebIndex finds
that 64% of US internet users – and 51% in the UK – would consider using CBD-infused products.

CBD can be derived from cannabis plants ...