It”™s not over-the-counter marijuana products that are being sold in a new store in Mount Kisco, although some people may think that”™s the case.
The new retail outlet Your CBD Store sells items containing cannabidiol (CBD), which comes from industrial hemp plants that are not the same as marijuana plants as defined by the U.S Department of Agriculture.
Your CBD Store is a nationwide retailer of CBD products that franchises retail territories in more than 40 states. Cathy Parlitsis, a resident of Somers, is the owner and operator of the store — the chain’s 679th outlet — at 222 E. Main St.
The products on sale are positioned as being herbal supplements. Your CBD Store features a disclaimer: “The products are not intended for the cure, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in man or animal.”
According to Harvard Medical School, CBD is one of the two main active compounds derived from the marijuana plant. The other is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is the substance that that produces the “high” from marijuana. The species of hemp plant used in making the CBD products does not normally contain enough THC to have an effect, if any at all. Marijuana, on the other hand, contains CBD along with THC.
While there are numerous anecdotes regarding CBD products having beneficial effects for people dealing with medical conditions, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as of Oct. 1 said: “FDA recognizes the potential opportunities that cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds may offer and acknowledges the significant interest in these possibilities.
“However,” it continued, “FDA is aware that some companies are marketing products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds in ways that violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and that may put the health and safety of consumers at risk.”
In July, the FDA approved the use of a CBD drug to treat a rare form of epilepsy. To date, that is the only CBD product that has been FDA-approved as being safe and effective for use.
Your CBD Store offers a variety of CBD-infused products that don”™t require a prescription or medical card to buy. All of its stores only sell products manufactured by the company SunMed, which says that its products are treated to remove all traces of THC.
A ribbon-cutting was held to mark the formal opening of the Mount Kisco store on Oct. 28. Kristine Mullen, co-vice president of the Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce, and Mayor Gina D. Picinich joined Parlitsis for the ceremony.
“Everything we do is focused on improving the lives of our customers,” Parlitsis said. “We are a high-quality learning environment where customers can try products and leave knowing what is in their CBD product.”
