TOLEDO, Ohio — You've probably seen the signs; "CBD oil sold here," everywhere.
But what is CBD?
"Most of the CBD oil that we see on the market comes from the hemp plant, a little bit different than the marijuana plant," said John Evanoff, a physician with Promedica practicing in Metamora.
With hemp products now fully legal in the state of Ohio, CBD oil is the newest homeopathic trend.
But what does it actually do?
Evanoff said currently the only medically proven use of CBD is for epilepsy.
But anecdotal evidence from CBD user said it drastically helps with inflammation, arthritis and sleep.
Evanoff's biggest worry with the current state of CBD oils is that it currently isn't regulated by the FDA, so buyers really don't know exactly what their getting.
"I mean, I've seen them for sale online, at auctions, at reputable dealers; and who's got what in it? That kind of really becomes the real questions," said Evanoff.
Though derived from the cousin plant to marijuana, CBD does not give user a psyhcoative high.
Evanoff said healthy individuals can try CBD like any other unregulated supplement or essential oil and find what works best.
But since it is an oil, it could have adverse gastroinestinal effects or conflict with heart medications, so a physician should be contacted first.
Evanoff said he would like to see an industry standard dose established so people can have a proper baseline to weigh against.
But it will more than likely be years before physicians start prescribing CBD to their patients.
"Well, FDA testing is very stringent and very expensive, and I understand that. But until such time as that takes place, the medical community is going to have a hard time embracing fully the potential that is there," said Evanoff
The growing CBD oil trend also means big business.
The Toledo Hemp Center has been ahead of the CBD curve, selling CBD oil and other hemp products for six years.
But with hemp crops becoming fully legal federally last year, and completely legal here in Ohio this past summer, their business is now booming.
Along with a wider variety of CBD oils, they also have begun to carry more and more products derived from hemp; lotions, protein powder, even coffee.
In addition, their customer base has diversified from an older crowd, to a wide variety of ages and backgrounds, including pet owners.
The increase of customers has created an exciting time for the shop, which was an early adopter of trying to bring hemp back into society.
"It's cool to see how it went from something so small to something so big. And it's making a comeback, people are wearing hemp clothing, shoes, there's all kinds of stuff coming out," said Payton Demoe with the Toledo Hemp Center.
Now, because of the recent boom in CBD and other hemp product sales, the Toledo Hemp Center needs to now expand.
They plan on moving into a new storefront in Miracle Mile on Laskey and Jackman Road sometime in late December or early January.
