NCPA jumps on CBD bandwagon

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The National Community Pharmacist Association has launched an online CBD resource guide with PRS for pharmacists looking to add cannabinoid products, such as oils, gummies, tinctures and creams, to their retail product mix.

The NCPA CBD Source offers educational information for pharmacists, carefully screened brands and products for purchase, as well as custom marketing material kits, social media calendars, brand materials and generic CBD cases.

"It's a product that a lot of consumers are looking for and we feel strongly that those consumers should benefit from the involvement of their pharmacists relative to any other medications they're on and how to use it," said Kurt Proctor, a pharmacist and NCPA's senior vice president of strategic initiatives.

With the market expected to hit $22 billion by 2024, drugstore giants CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid, as well as American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch and DSW have already started stocking their shelves with the hemp byproduct. Even Dollar General sells CBD products in 1,100 of its stores.

And, with very little?—if any—regulatory oversight, “it's kind of the wild, wild west out there,” said Proctor, which is why it's important that the label on the outside matches the contents within.

"These are natural plants that absorb what's in the soil in which they're grown and that can lead to contaminants in products," he said. "Some people selling it wouldn't know how to read a certificate of analysis from a lab to make sure that the strength matches the label and that there are no pesticides, heavy metals or other things.”

Unlike other drugs, CBD products also tend reflect the total amount of CBD in the bottle rather than per dose.

If you're just going to put these products on a shelf and call it a day, then Proctor says CBD may not be right for you.

“But if you're going to understand how the product works and what it might offer your patients, so you can answer their questions and give them guidance as a health professional,” he said, “then it's certainly something you should be considering.”