ST. LOUIS — Dierbergs Markets, one of St. Louis' largest privately held companies, has added products containing cannabidiol, or CBD, at all 25 of its grocery stores.
CBD is a legal, non-intoxicating extract from cannabis, which includes hemp and marijuana. The grocer said in a release Monday that the CBD products it carries are "hemp-derived."
CBD products have become increasingly popular as a non-prescription substitute for pain pills, and to treat conditions such as sleeplessness, anxiety and epilepsy. "While scientific research on its medicinal qualities is still in its infancy, there is mounting consumer interest in CBD as an alternative care option," Dierbergs officials said Monday in a release.
“Customers were asking for CBD Oil,” Ron Edelen, Dierbergs' nonfoods category manager, said in a statement. “The interest was significant enough that we felt it was time to bring the product in. Now we hear from customers who appreciate its availability in our stores.”
Dierbergs began a rollout of the CBD products this spring, and its offerings now include leading national brands such as Charlotte’s Web, Plus CBD Oil, RE Botanicals and Sagely Naturals. The CBD products include sprays, drops, capsules and softgels.
Dierbergs' shelves also offer hemp-derived CBD oil in balms, creams and other health-and-beauty aids, the grocer said. The company also stocks pet-friendly CBD products, which it says "is increasingly prescribed by veterinarians for the products’ purported calming effects on cats and dogs."
Schnuck Markets, another of St. Louis' largest private companies, currently does not carry CBD products, a spokesman said Wednesday.
Supplement Super Store locations in the St. Louis area, as well as Lucky's Market and Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, carry some CBD products. Leaf & Co., which opened a shop in April in the Saint Louis Galleria, carries CBD-infused oils, edibles and personal care products. CBD Kratom, which has the same owners as Leaf & Co., also carries the products at its nine area stores.
Walgreens and CVS have both introduced CBD products in some stores in select states, including Illinois but not Missouri.
While CBD products are legal in all 50 states, the Food Marketing Instituteappealed to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for added clarity on the labeling and sale of the products. FMI President and CEO Leslie Sarasin addressed an FDA public hearing May 31 on the topic, citing a recent Consumer Reports survey that found over a quarter of Americans say they've tried CBD, and that one of seven of those people said they use it daily.
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