Dillard's Inc. has jumped on the cannabidiol bandwagon with a line of wellness and beauty products infused with the hemp-derived extract.
The department-store chain based in Little Rock now carries a wide range of items from the brand CBD For Life, according to a news release from the brand's parent, iAnthus Capital Holdings Inc. CBD For Life uses 99% pure extract of cannabidiol, a nonpsychoactive chemical compound, the release said. The company says its CBD is derived from the stems and stalks of industrial hemp.
CBD For Life products available at Dillard's include eye serum, face and body cleanser, hand and body massage lotion, roll-on oils and bath products. The products also are sold on the Dillard's e-commerce website.
"We're excited for our products to be featured on the shelves of one of the largest and most well-regarded fashion retailer in the United States," Beth Stavola, co-founder of CBD For Life, said in the release. "The ability to reach an even broader audience via the well-established customer base of a great partner like Dillard's brings us another step closer to achieving our end goal of establishing CBD For Life as a household name in beauty and wellness."
Dillard's did not reply to several messages requesting comment on its decision to carry items with the popular but somewhat controversial ingredient. Cannabidiol is found in marijuana, but by itself does not cause a "high," according to a Harvard Medical School article. It is widely sold as an unregulated dietary supplement.
Walmart Inc. in Bentonville, the world's largest retailer, said in a statement that it has "no plans to carry CBD products at this time."
Since Congress passed the 2018 farm bill that removed restrictions on growing industrial hemp, products containing cannabidiol, or CBD, have proliferated on retailers' shelves. According to Forbes, sales of cannabidiol products are expected to hit $22 billion by 2022.
Cannabidiol has become so mainstream that even home-decor and media maven Martha Stewart is creating a line of "lifestyle products" for pets and eventually for people. But while the personal-care and beauty industries have embraced cannabidiol, its efficacy as an ingredient in products such as shampoos, skin creams and cosmetics remains unclear.
According to the World Health Organization, oral use of cannabidiol appears safe with no undesirable physiological or addictive effects, though it may adversely interact with some medications. It's being studied as a possible treatment for many ailments, and the Food and Drug Administration approved its use as a prescription drug to treat epilepsy.
But while the World Health Organization notes the popularity of the compound in topical products, little research has been done on its safety and effectiveness, with studies on human subjects small and inconclusive.
Business on 07/13/2019