UPDATE:
After a wave of publicity, it seems that 7-Eleven will not be selling any CBD products by Phoenix Tears later this year. Director of communications for 7-Eleven Stephanie Shaw told HuffPost today, “We have made no agreement or partnership with this company and do not know why they said that”.
A spokeswoman for Phoenix Tears claims the press release was “misstated”.
EARLIER:
7-Eleven, the international convenience store chain, is not going to miss out on the CBD boom. By the end of the year, they’ll be selling CBD products in 4,000 locations across the country. Not only will this provide better access to products with an abundance of medical and medicinal values, but it’ll help bring cannabinoids into the mainstream. Here’s a look at 7-Eleven’s ground-breaking announcement.
7-Eleven Will Sell CBD Across 7 States
There are almost 8,000 7-Eleven locations in the U.S. alone. By the end of 2018, 4,000 of them will be selling CBD products. Yesterday, they announced their partnership with Phoenix Tears, a Colorado-based CBD producer. Phoenix Tears only sources their CBD from hemp, as opposed to marijuana.
In a public statement, Phoenix Tears founder explained, “This agreement confirms our belief that CBD’s status as a mainstream wellness option has arrived.” She added, “We’re eager to usher in a new era of effective, holistic, hemp-based supplements that are now as easy to buy as stopping by the local convenience store.”
7-Eleven has projected that 4,500 stores will carry CBD products by the end of the year. They’re looking at locations in Nevada, Illinois, Maryland, Florida, California, Massachusetts, Colorado, and Washington D.C.
In the following years, they plan on expanding even further. The company projects that 7,000 stores will be carrying CBD products in the next three years.
The Benefits of Medicinal and Medical Cannabidiol
7-Eleven’s new merchandise will only contain CBD, the abbreviation for cannabidiol. Unlike fellow cannabinoid THC, CBD is non-psychoactive, which means that you cannot get high from it. This is one of the reasons why CBD is so popular. Since you can’t get stoned from it, cannabidiol doesn’t interfere with day-to-day activities.
For this reason, CBD is an increasingly common form of medical marijuana. Not only have people been using cannabis for years to treat conditions such as eczema and epilepsy, but a drug derived from CBD may soon become the first FDA approved cannabis-based medicine.
CBD is also on the rise as a medicinal product used in everything from cocktails to lotion. Anecdotally, people cite CBD as a great remedy for chronic pain, stress or anxiety. In New York City and other big markets, it has become health trend in coffee shops, bars, and organic markets.
Phoenix Tears Is A CBD Pioneer
Phoenix Tears, Denver CBD producer, is a perfect partner for 7-Eleven. For starters, Phoenix Tears founder Janet Rosendahl-Sweeney has been working with the cannabinoid for three decades. With a background in neuroscience, chemistry, and biology, Rosendahl-Sweeney has helped over 200,000 use CBD for health purposes, according to their website.
Plus, they carry a wide variety of CBD products, including flavored tinctures, anti-aging creams, immune-boosting topicals and much more. Though 7-Eleven hasn’t announced which products they’ll be carrying, it looks like Phoenix Tears has the variety and capacity to meet demand.
CBD Is Going Mainstream
7-Eleven hopes to avoid a barrage of lawsuits by focusing on states that have legalized recreational marijuana or are expected to do so. They’re also sourcing their CBD from a company that only uses hemp, not psychoactive marijuana. But even hemp farming is still illegal federally, at least until lawmakers pass Mitch McConnell’s new legislation.
Despite CBD’s shaky legal status, 7-Eleven is poised to profit from the worldwide cannabidiol boom. And as a result, millions will have access to this holistic and medical phenomenon.
