FALL RIVER – CBD oil is quickly entering super food -- or rather super plant -- territory for those hoping to optimize their health without prescription drugs or side effects.
Products containing CBD oil have made their way into the market since marijuana became legal in some states and is losing its taboo status.
At Heron Dance, Yoga and Meditation Studio nestled in the Durfee Union Mills, CBD oil tincture in little glass bottles and in containers of salve are on the shelf for purchase.
At Salt Fitness in the Swansea Mall, it comes in tea sachets and in oil form to add to smoothies and other beverages.
The Glass House Smoke Shop, 526 South Main St., sells tinctures, vaping juice, topical cream, gummy bears, and even pet treats infused with CBD oil.
There’s a seller at the Swansea Farmer’s Market each Sunday at the Swansea Mall, too.
“It’s really popular,” said Glass House Smoke Shop owner Brandon Estacio. In fact, the CBD line has been drawing an older crowd that wouldn’t typically enter a smoke shop.
“This has become a lot of our total business,” Estacio said.
On the counter at Salt Fitness, 262 Swansea Mall Drive, was a jar of homemade apple cider vinegar containing rosemary, turmeric, horseradish, garlic and other ingredients.
Owner Andre Gadbois said plants heal. Cannabis, he said, is also a plant with healing properties that people are just starting to understand.
“It’s helped me find relaxation,” Gadbois said.
He said his clients have seen numerous benefits from adding CBD oil to their daily lives.
With an aversion to medications, he said he uses plants and teas for health.
“I don’t use medication,” Gadbois said. “I live off all my natural supplements and products.”
CBD – short for cannabidiol – is one of many components of the marijuana plant and does not cause the “high” that many associate with marijuana. The psychoactive effects come from the THC component.
Many CBD products guarantee that they are free of THC, and that users will be able to pass a drug test.
CBD oil is said to relieve anxiety and depression, promote restful sleep, balance hormone levels, and reduce chronic pain and inflammation in the body. Other health claims say it can treat epilepsy, skin ailments, and even help people overcome drug addiction and cancer.
Harvard Health, a publication of Harvard Medical School, said there is evidence of some benefit from CBD oil for epilepsy, anxiety, insomnia and pain. Additional studies and research into how CBD oil can benefit the body and other conditions are ongoing.
Side effects can include nausea, fatigue and irritability, according to Harvard Health. It can also increase the level of blood thinners like Coumadin in the body, similar to grapefruit juice. The FDA does not currently regulate CBD oil for safety or purity.
Some holistic websites say the body “needs” cannabinoids to be healthy and that people are deficient in the nutrient.
CBD oil distributor Kevin Fitzgerald said it balances the body’s hormones and chemistry and creates homeostasis so the body can heal itself.
“The medicinal values go back thousands of years,” Fitzgerald said.
He said it helped his daughter wean herself off prescription drugs.
Deb Brown, a kundalini yoga instructor at the Heron studio, 187 Plymouth Ave., became a CBD oil distributor with Fitzgerald after it benefited her health.
“I feel it has really helped my anxiety. I’m more laid back,” Brown said. “
Judy Bougie said it helped her 90-year-old mom have less hip pain.
“We’re going to keep an eye on it and make sure she keeps getting it,” Bougie said.
Email Deborah Allard at dallard@heraldnews.com.