In recent years, cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive derivative of the hemp plant, has become the rock star of the holistic wellness world due to its heralded health benefits. However, Easton area resident Sandra Freeman was still skeptical of hemp’s touted wonders. When her good friend had used CBD to successfully treat her severe anxiety, Freeman decided to try CBD to ease her irritable bowel syndrome. “It helped with my inflammation, and today, I’m a believer,” she relates.

          Freeman was so impressed with CBD that she opened a Your CBD Store location in Easton this past June. Your CBD Store is a franchise that formed in Florida a year ago and exclusively carries SunMed CBD products. They have locations throughout the United States.

          Although Freeman’s Easton store has only been open for a couple of months, she says that city of Easton has been welcoming, and customers have been very appreciative. “I think that people are fed up with taking prescription medication, especially with the opioid epidemic getting worse,” she notes. “People are looking for more natural approaches to their health care.” The store has a warm, boutique ambiance so people can feel comfortable coming in to discuss their health issues.

          Due to lack of federal regulation, Freeman emphasizes that it’s important for consumers to scrutinize CBD carefully before buying. A good start is asking for certificates of analysis. “SunMed issues lab reports on every single batch we sell, and each batch is third-party tested by a neutral laboratory for purity. We also cycle through labs, so it’s never the same lab testing every time. That helps maintain quality and sets us apart from other CBD products found online that might contain pesticides or fillers,” she explains.

          Freeman says consumers should also ask about the origins of the hemp plants and where the extraction and processing occurs. SunMed has its own farms in Denver from which they grow hemp for their CBD products. Their extraction and processing takes place in Florida.

          SunMed’s CBD tinctures come in both broad spectrum and a full spectrum. The broad spectrum includes the whole plant, including the terpenes (the oils that give cannabis its aromatic diversity) as well as the minor cannabinoids, with no tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The full spectrum is the whole plant and includes up to 0.3 percent THC.

          Freeman notes that although CBD has been in the limelight lately, there’s still a mystique surrounding it. “People are very leery because they say they don’t know if it’s marijuana or the hemp plant—it’s absolutely the hemp plant, and the only difference between the two is that hemp naturally has much lower levels of THC—and it’s legal. Marijuana still isn’t legal in Pennsylvania unless it’s from a medical dispensary.”

          Your CBD Store carries tinctures ranging in strengths from 250 to 3,000 milligrams, which determines the dosage of CBD in each bottle. Freeman and her staff help guide and educate people on dosages for specific ailments or health goals. They also carry a water-soluble product with a faster release time. “If you have anxiety, stress or insomnia, you will feel the CBD effects within five to 10 minutes, rather than with the oils that takes about 45 minutes to an hour for you to feel the effects.”

          Because people like to consume CBD in various forms, Your CBD Store also has gummies, hard candies, vapes, honey sticks and a pet line. “Dogs and cats have very similar endocannabinoid systems as humans, so CBD affects them the same with it does us,” Freeman explains. SunMed also has a bath and beauty line with bath bombs, and night moisturizing and collagen creams.

          The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has recently legalized medical marijuana, but Freeman believes the demand for CBD will remain strong. “I don’t think CBD is going anywhere, even after medical marijuana becomes more widespread and easily obtainable, because not everybody wants that THC high. That’s where our products come in. We provide the same benefits as marijuana, but without the THC,” she concludes.

Your CBD Store Easton is located at 430 Northhampton St., in Easton. For more information, call 484-544-4771 or visit CBDRX4u.com/find-us/pennsylvania/Easton.

Sheila Julson is a freelance writer and contributor to Natural Awakenings magazines throughout the country.