Tell me if you’ve had a familiar experience to this one. I was out to dinner with a friend the first time I encountered someone vaping. Someone had left their vape out next to our outdoor table and that small box with a spigot attached to it caught my eye. Then, they puffed and giant thickets of smoke floated from their mouth.
This was a couple years ago and then I’d dismissed the gadget. But now vaping is a huge industry, exponentially swelling across the country in quantity. The rapid growth led the industry to learning lessons quickly and adjusting accordingly. If you look closely, it’s clear a sector of the cannabis industry has been influenced by vaping businesses.
Consuming cannabis isn’t always about getting high. Most familiar with cannabis are aware of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the cannabinoid responsible for the euphoric “high” feeling associated with marijuana. The second widely recognized cannabinoid is cannabidiol (CBD) and won’t get you high. Instead it produces a calming body effect and testimonial evidence indicates its effectiveness in treating chronic pain and epilepsy.
The CBD oil market has seen considerable growth recently. Though separate from THC, the DEA named marijuana extract as a Schedule I Drug federally last year. While 16 states have passed CBD-only laws, it remains in possibly murky waters, causing the market to be unregulated.
So in the meantime, the CBD oil market has taken the following cues from the vaping industry.
Focusing On flavors
You can smell vape smoke. Usually it’s sweet, or minty, or some flavorful combination. By placing the emphasis on the least taboo aspect of the product, it eases the process for the cautiously curious. Many shops will sell sample packages for e-liquids try new flavors. While at SXSW, I met with vendors selling lifestyle CBD products. They all emphasized their fun tastes and interesting flavor combinations.
Self-Regulation
Much like most of the cannabis market, vendors and manufacturers maintain a high degree of quality in their product. While some form of government oversight will be present, most involved in the making and selling of these products must do most of the work themselves in ensuring proper protocols for customers.
Proper Promotion
Many are working to advocate and raise awareness to the numerous health benefits of using CBD oil, like Project CBD. Skyler Johnstone, the founder of Bee Delightful, repeated to me while discussing his CBD-infused honey that pain relief effects were something he experienced. Since he wasn’t a medical professional, he wouldn’t prescribe it as a definite solution.
It’s much the same across the industry. You mostly won’t hear snake oil salesman promising amazing health benefits. Instead, they will offer reasonable testimonials as to what the product could offer. It is how they’ve gained the trust of their market as it continues to expand.
