Everything you've wanted to know about CBD in STL

Cannabis is no longer just for hippies and stoners, and you don’t have to go to Denver to enjoy it. Snacks and candies infused with cannabidiol, or CBD, are popping up around St. Louis.

With less than 0.3 percent THC (the psychoactive component of cannabis), CBD won’t get you high, but stores like CBD Canvas Boutique & Dispensary in Maplewood and CBD Kratom, which has several locations in the area, are marketing CBD-infused gummies, teas, lollipops and caramels and as a legal way to alleviate anxiety, pain and insomnia, as well as promote relaxation and overall health.

“CBD can be derived from marijuana or hemp – marijuana is above 0.3 percent THC and hemp is below – but marijuana could get you high. Hemp-derived CBD has cannabinoids and terpenes that have great wellness properties,” said Mowellens owner Amy Duncan, who said CBD helped heal her husband and former Cardinals player Chris Duncan when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2012. 

There have been some early clinical trials of cannabinoids in cancer treatment, but CBD’s efficacy has yet to be determined, according to the American Cancer Society. For now, the only FDA-approved drug derived from CBD is Epidiolex, used in the treatment of seizures in certain forms of epilepsy.  

If you’re not into gummies, you can buy bottles of CBD oil to use in your own culinary creations from smoothies to soups and sauces. Some forms offer a sweet, vegetal flavor, like Evolution CBD 3-in-1 Natural from The CBD Store in South County, while Mowellens’ Inner Peace is flavorless. Check the label for dosage recommendations, as some oils are more concentrated than others.

Hello Juice & Smoothie in Forest Park Southeast recently added Mowellens CBD to its menu, recommended as an addition to the Matcha Hemp bowl made with hemp protein, matcha, banana, ginger and coconut milk. 

“Matcha has some of the same benefits as CBD, so pairing it boosts the calming and healing effect,” said Hello Juice owner Kayla Bauer. PuraVegan Café in DeBaliviere Place and SymBowl in Kirkwood and Chesterfield also offer CBD as an add-in to any beverage.

The trend is growing nationally too. Nashville pastry chef Dani Veit utilizes CBD in baked goods, while Haberdish in Charlotte, North Carolina, offers a CBD-infused cocktail called The Apothecary. And the James New York – NoMad hotel has a full CBD tasting menu. Coca-Cola is even considering creating a CBD beverage.

At the intersection of supplement/health food trends and the cannabis cuisine boom predicted with the widespread legalization of marijuana, you’re bound to see more of CBD.

Lauren Healey is associate editor at Sauce Magazine.