CBD Up Close

Cutting through the CBD hype

CBD Industry Hamstrung by FDA’s Continued Lack of Direction

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Recent articles at Axios and the Wall Street Journal lay out the current state of play in the CBD industry. Basically, the CBD industry is at a standstill because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) still hasn’t come out with rules and, worse than that, the little that they have said is to warn consumers about the potential drawbacks of CBD-infused foods and drinks.

This is beneficial to CBD startups in that the FDA’s warnings will prevent larger companies, such as Coca Cola and Pepsi, from entering the market at the moment but it’s not all positive for startups. The problem for startups will not be in having large food companies entering the marketplace, which is good, but rather the fact that it may become more difficult for startups to find large distribution partners.

Over the holidays, I did see CBD-infused products at Kohl’s while I was returning something from Amazon, so there are at least some retailers that are willing to take a chance on CBD products. Their thinking probably goes something along the lines of “CBD will be a big market and we want to get out in front of that” but if the FDA comes out with something more than notes of caution then you can expect those retailers to at the very least curtail their CBD-infused stock.

CBD Crowdfunding – The Trend to Watch in 2020

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2019 was the year that saw CBD businesses establish themselves as legitimate players in multiple markets. There are CBD companies that make oils and tinctures, CBD beverage companies, CBD food companies, and others. And the reason for this is simple: CBD may yet prove to be a legitimate alternative for addictive prescription drugs treating a number of ailments and CBD has already proven to be helpful in preventing seizures in children.

However, funding CBD companies remains an issue. The industry has not yet reached a level where most investors feel comfortable investing in it yet and that goes for professional investors as well. Even though the CBD market is predicted to eclipse $24 billion in total sales in the next couple of years, the risks are still tangible and the lack of regulatory direction from the federal government, most notably the FDA, and state governments isn’t helping to reduce the industry’s risk profile.

So what are CBD businesses supposed to do in this climate? After all, they still need to raise money to fund their growth.

Crowdfunding may be what the industry needs over the next couple of years in order to meet its growth goals. One such company pursuing crowdfunding is TruBrain and they recently did an interview with Yahoo! Finance discussing their decision to turn to crowdfunding.

“So far we are loving it. This campaign focuses on turning customers into “Investomers,” which has worked very well for other companies building direct brands. We already have VCs backing us. Some have been very collaborative with TruBrain and continue to take active roles on our Board of Directors. We enjoy this institutional support. But just as we believe that the best brain food shouldn’t be reserved for only a select few, we don’t believe that only the wealthy should have the opportunity to invest in growing companies.”

One of the key takeaways from this interview is that crowdfunding is a great way to get your most passionate customers (literally) invested in your business. With equity crowdfunding, which is what TruBrain is doing, every person who puts in money gets an equity stake of the business. In other words, they own part of the business. Traditional crowdfunding campaigns gave people who put in money some kind of award, which usually is a discount on the product the campaign was built for or something else special.

While it is too early to tell how well similar crowdfunding campaigns will fair we can tell you that TruBrain has raised over $1 million for their campaign. This is good evidence that if a company has the right people on their team, a great product, and a good track record of performance and growth then crowdfunding campaigns can work out wonderfully.

So, will 2020 be the year of CBD crowdfunding? It’s certainly possible and it does look like a good way to raise funds in an industry that is still facing regulatory uncertainty.

Ring in the New Year with CBD Champagne Cocktails!

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The countdown is nearing zero and 2020 is mere seconds away. You lift your glass as you repeat the numbers along with everyone else at the party but this year is different. This year you are holding up a glass of champagne mixed with pineapple juice, blue curacao, and your desired level of Hemp Bombs Acai CBD oil.

CBD oil is the perfect addition to your New Year’s countdown tradition. It can help reduce inflammation, helping lessen the inevitable New Year’s Day hangover, and has many other potential health benefits. And this is a much healthier tradition than simply drinking alcohol with a group of friends.

In fact, CBD oil would make for a great resolution for 2020. Consider living a year where you didn’t have to take multiple pain relievers every day to help with your normal aches and pains. And CBD oil can be a great way to help you unwind after a long day at work.  

Charlotte’s Web Put Your Self First Aid Kit is the Perfect Health Pack for the Holiday (and all year round)

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Even if life is going well, you have stress. That car payment has to be paid on time. The faucet in the kitchen is leaking. Your boss is setting unrealistic expectations for you at work. Your romantic partner is becoming distant.

Life is stressful. That is not new but Charlotte’s Web’s Put Your Self First Aid Kit is and it is a great way to help you deal with all those stressors in your life.

Included in pack are:

  • Charlotte’s Web CBD Calm gummies
  • 17mg CBD oil (30mL)
  • Custom deck of cards with holiday hacks and tools designed to keep you on track

The gummies and the CBD oil are great ways to deal with stress. The vast majority of people who take CBD products have reported that CBD helps them reduce stress and anxiety along with other benefits including helping with normal aches and pains.

https://www.charlottesweb.com/holiday-box-2019

Best CBD Gummies for Sleep

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Do you have a hard time getting to sleep? Do you wake up intermittently during the night and have difficulty getting nestled back into that warm cocoon of REM sleep goodness?

Blame it on anxiety, the increasingly dog eat dog stance of modern America, or just too much caffeine too late in the day–whatever or whomever is the culprit, there is a new solution to the problem. CBD gummies can help you sleep. Charlotte’s Web has some gummies that pair melatonin with the power of our CBD and the rest of hemp’s naturally occurring phytocannabinoids to support sound, quality sleep, and help regulate your sleeping cycle.

three bottles of charlotte's web gummies

Take a look at them here. Currently, you save 20% when you purchase three of them. I don’t know if you want to purchase three containers of 60 gummies each (containing 10 mg CBD per serving) without trying them first, but hey I’m not you. You may have had a good experience with Charlotte’s Web in the past and may trust them enough to go ahead and take advantage of this savings.

If you don’t know Charlotte’s Web from Adam (my dad would be so proud of me for using one of his favorite phrases) or only think of the unbelievably heart-breaking movie about the unlikely friendship between a pig and a spider, then pass. Maybe purchase one of them too start. Don’t get ahead of yourself–even though they’re raspberry flavored (yuuum)!

Here are a few more options to take a look at available on Amazon.

Silk Factor Gummy Sleep. $33 bucks for 30 gummies, 750 mg total weight, recommended for adults. Containing natural hemp extracts and melatonin, this is a product worth looking at if you are trying to find some CBD gummies for sleep.

silk cbd bottle and labeling

One reviewer writes: “After years of struggling with sleep issues and trying so many different products, I finally found a formula that gently helps me fall asleep and stay asleep. and I feel great the next morning. Bye Bye sleeping pills!”

Another reviewer writes: “The interior of bottle looked cloudy, the expiration date is 60 days, suppose to have Melatonin but not listed as ingredient on label, tasted a bit rancid and did not work. Trying to decide if will try and send back or just toss $34.95.”

Yikes–it sounds like they just had some bad luck. I hope they returned the bottle for a refund. Why wouldn’t they?

Moving on. Another CBD gummy for sleep cycle recovery is Keylor Nutrition Premium American Hemp Gummies. $28 for 90 pieces (23 cents per) with 333 mg of CBD in each gummy looks like a pretty good value.

bottle of keylor nutrition hemp oil gummies for sleep
Real King Size — yeah, every guy says that 🙂 but in this case it appears to be true.

One reviewer writes: “I have always had trouble either falling asleep, or staying asleep. I have been on different medications throughout my life to remedy that, and NOTHING has helped like these gummies do! Best sleep I have ever had in my entire life. It did take about a week, maybe a day or two less, to really work like I wanted. But, I will now continue to utilize the benefit these gummies provide me for the rest of my life! FYI- I chew 2 about an hour before I want to go to sleep.”

Another reviewer writes: “Little did I know that this product was strategically advertised as 3000mcg. That’s if you eat the whole bottle.”

Uhh, seems pretty obvious that one gummy is not going to be packed with 3000 mg of CBD or hemp oil extract, but hey some people will never be happy. Buy these on Amazon.

XOBO Hemp Gummies for Sleep, with 25 mg of hemp extract per gummy and 5 mg of melatonin combine into a molotov cocktail of pure sleep bliss. You’re also going to get some vitamin B and E in the mix as well. At $33, you pay about a buck per gummy.

Are these bears coming out at you in 3D or have I had too much CBD tonight? Just kidding.

One reviewer writes: “I must say, I was TOTALLY impressed by these gummies. I work the night shift and I often have a terrible time sleeping. I tried just one at first and it helped me get an amazing night of sleep. And the taste was great! Super yummy! I will definitely keep a bottle of this in my cabinet at all times.”

I can’t say that I agree with this reviewer’s decision to sleep on the job, but hey, you do you compadre. Read more reviews about these gummies.

Fantasy Organic Hemp Gummies will purportedly help you calm down and foster positive feelings and emotions, all things that can help you sleep. With 90 gummies per container at a price of $30, you’re looking at a pretty good value play for 33 cents a gummy.

fantasy hemp gummies container and labels
Fantasy Hemp Gummies: is it getting hot in here??

One reviewer writes: “I’ve tried a handful of CBD products before that just didn’t feel like they did anything, so I was hesitant to buy these. But when I tried them the first few times I actually felt the effects. Normal high anxiety times I was clear headed, and some of the pain/soreness from training was at a minimum. Highly recommend these to any entrepreneur, athlete, or college student!”

Take a look at some of the reviews of this product.

We hope this post has helped you find the right CBD gummies for sleep, anxiety relief, and just pure relaxation. If not, maybe you found it entertaining. We aren’t trying to hard sell you on any of these cannabidiol products. The truth is you will only really even know which CBD product works for you after you use a few and can compare and contrast the effects they have on you and your body. Good luck out there. Now go get some sleep you beautiful beast.

Rob Gronkwoski – CBD Spokesman – Why aren’t there more professional athletes supporting CBD?

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This makes sense.

Gronkowski suffered from multiple, and some of them very serious, injuries during his career and one of the primary selling points for CBD is that it helps to relieve pain.

However, I think the more interesting thing about this is that Gronkowski waited until after he had retired to become a spokesman for a CBD company. Even though CBD is in a seemingly ever-changing grey area legally, it’s a product that seems to have wide ranging support from many parts of the economy.

For Gronkowski, and I would suspect most other professional athletes in a major sport, I have to think that becoming a spokesperson for a CBD brand is frowned upon, if not against contract (there are some current professional athletes who are open about their CBD use but most are retired). Even if CBD were completely legal I think it will take some time for there to be a popular professional athlete who will be a spokesperson for a CBD brand.