Cannabidiol makes businesses salivate It's the next miraculous ingredient you'll find everywhere: from pet treats to anti-aging creams for the face to elixirs that can help an athlete's bruised body recover faster.
But this is not the only reason why Cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabis-derived compound that does not "freeze" consumers, is of interest to businesses of all kinds, including the giant soft drink Coca-Cola.
Regulations and attitudes are changing for the better, and CBD-infused products could be available on grocery or drugstore shelves - not just in tightly regulated cannabis stores - in the not-too-distant future.
Trina Fraser, a lawyer who advises the cannabis industry, says Canada is on the right track.
On a global scale, the CBD market could be "massive," she said.
"Think about cosmetics, skin creams and arthritic topical creams and all kinds of products you would buy in a pharmacy that could have the potential therapeutic effects of CBD [...] It's certainly not unrealistic and I think, in fact, the chances are we will come here [to Canada]. I hope in five years. "
CBD is a compound of cannabis and hemp praised for its therapeutic effects, but does not produce a narcotic effect. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the psychoactive compound that gives users the desired sensation.
The scientific evidence, as for cannabis in general, is thin, but CBD is more and more talk.
"The body of research is still developing, but word of mouth is what drives the craze," said Bethany Gomez, a researcher specializing in legal cannabis and CBD for the Brightfield group.
According to Health Canada, products containing CBD in Canada are illegal unless authorized for medicinal purposes. When Canada legalizes recreational cannabis on October 17, products containing CBD will be regulated in the same way as marijuana products.
But CBD restrictions are showing signs of easing, especially in the US, and market growth expectations are now much higher than they were a year ago, according to Brightfield. According to its recent report, the cannabis market could exceed 22 billion US dollars by 2022.
Hemp and cannabis are federally controlled substances in the United States. CBD is legal in the 50 US states, but only if it comes from industrial hemp grown for university research or pilot agriculture programs. However, if the 2018 Farm Bill, which follows the meander of the US legislative process, is passed, it will allow for the complete legalization of industrial hemp in the United States, allowing the sale of CBDs anywhere in the United States.
"This legal gray zone that currently prevails in the market is disappearing. It keeps him on the shelves of Krogers, Target and Walmart, "said Gomez.
World Health Organization (WHO) experts said last year that CBD in its purest form "does not appear to have any potential for abuse or harm" and that it should not be classified in the international list of controlled substances. WHO added that early studies show that CBD may have some therapeutic value for epileptic seizures and other related conditions.
Some athletes now have the green light to use the CBD. The World Anti-Doping Agency said last year that CBD products could be used, provided they do not contain THC, which remains banned.
In June, BIG3, the 3-on-3 basketball league announced that its players would be allowed to use CBD for pain management and recovery. She would be the first American professional sports league to do it.
Change is also done at home.
Last month, Health Canada granted an exemption to industrial hemp producers with appropriate licenses to harvest and store the entire plant, including the flower, where the CBD is found, not just the stem and seeds that produce little cannabinoids . Farmers will be able to sell it to a licensed processor for sale under the Cannabis Act. Before that, hemp producers had to destroy the other parts of the plant.
In addition, Health Canada discussed the possibility of allowing natural health products (NHPs) to contain cannabis and cannabinoids, including CBD. Natural health products in Canada must be able to be used