A small but blossoming corner of the marijuana industry is set for a boom.
The compound in marijuana that’s been linked to a range of potential health benefits — but doesn’t cause a high — is increasingly popping up in everything from beverages to salves, oils, balms, and even dog treats. It’s called cannabidiol, or CBD, and it’s also the active ingredient in a prescription drug that became the first federally-approved medicine of its kind last month.
CBD is estimated to make up a roughly $1 billion industry, but the recent federal approval could make it even more lucrative by jump-starting demand for CBD-based products— even those that have not been rigorously studied. Many of them are sourced from hemp, which is currently legal from the standpoint of the federal government. CBD can also be sourced from marijuana, however, and products made with marijuana-derived CBD are only legal in states where marijuana has been legalized.
Here’s a look at a handful of the CBD-based products that are already available.