Rite Aid has become of the next physical retailers to begin the sales of cannabidiol (CBD) products in the United States. The company will begin sales of CBD creams, lotions, and lip balms in its Washington and Oregon locations this month in an attempt to test the waters for consumer demand of CBD products. It is reported that the CBD sales will start in over 200 Rite Aid locations within the two states. CVS and Walgreens are a few of the earlier drugstore chain adopters that started to introduce topical CBD products to its physical retail locations.
CBD, which is not alike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), provides no intoxication upon application onto the surface of the skin or lips. The non-psychoactive cannabis derived compound has quickly gained a massive influx of interested consumers with an established presence in numerous retail locations apart from drugstore chains like CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens.
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Rite Aid, in a recently released statement, said: “Rite Aid has heard from many customers about their interest in purchasing CBD products.”
The company’s announcement of CBD product sales also came with its decision to end the sales of e-cigarettes due to what has been considered to be “a teen vaping epidemic”.
Bryan Everett, Chief Executive Officer of Rite Aid, on the company’s Q4 earnings call stated: “While many feel [e-cigarettes] are beneficial to those of legal age who are trying to quit the use of tobacco, we have made the decision to remove all electronic cigarettes and vaping products from our offering at all Rite Aid stores.”
The company addressed in response to what concerns that consumers have raised about what can be considered to be a double-standard for a health-focused drugstore chain with its continuance of cigarette sales. It has decided to “downplay” cigarette sales and put an emphasis on products that help customers to reduce or quit the use of tobacco or nicotine products like nicotine patches and gums. Critics of Rite Aid and other drugstore chains feel that a corporation that provides products to better the health of consumers shouldn’t carry any products that are responsible for the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States. CVS already stopped sales of cigarettes and will soon reach its 5th year of no cigarette sales.
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