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12 HE ALTH • Summer 2019 B arely over three years ago, Bill Downing, one of the Massachusetts' most well- known cannabis legaliza- tion advocates, was arrested and charged with illegally selling can- nabidiol, a hemp product known as CBD, out of his Boston retail shop. Today, Downing gets referrals from physical therapists, chiropractors and oncologists. Little else may better illustrate how much the public percep- tion around CBD has changed. "Eventually, people will understand what the truth is," said Downing, the owner of CBD Please in Framingham, "that it's almost inevitable, that super- stition falls by the wayside and truth withstands the test of time." Doctors aren't in such agreement. But just when everyone is talking about cannabis being legal to use in Massachusetts, pot's more straight- edged, buttoned-up cousin is stealing much of the spotlight. CBD is the non-psychoactive hemp- based drug being credited with every- thing from eliminating seizures and curing chronic pain to relieving anxiety and helping those with autism. Widely accepted Suddenly, CBD seems to be every- where: in coffee, gummies, f lavored liq- uid drops, shampoo, and body creams and lotions. CVS and Walgreens began selling CBD products this year. Ben & Jerry's said last month it's cre- ating a CBD ice cream once CBD is legalized for use nationwide in food and beverages, and the fast food chain Carl's Jr. tested a CBD-infused burger at one Denver store in April. If the U.S. Food & Drug Administration gives approval for use in food and drinks, it could be off to the races for CBD-infused menu items everywhere. Three out of four chefs told the National Restaurant Association in a survey released in January that CBD- or cannabis-infused food and drink was the top restaurant trend. Unlike marijuana, CBD does not contain tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the compound making people feel high. That difference only recently became more pronounced with two federal regulatory changes last year. Hemp, from which CBD is derived, Patients are increasingly seeking out marijuana's buttoned-up cousin, although doctors remain wary of the actual benefits • By Grant Welker PHOTOS/EDD COTE An April study by Consumer Reports found more than half of CBD users take it to either supplement another drug or replace one they were taking. Did CBD replace another drug? Did you use CBD to replace a prescription or over-the-counter drug? 48% No, I wasn't taking any medication. 30% No, I took CBD in addition to another medication. 22% Yes, I replaced another medication. Of those who replaced another medication with CBD... 47% Over-the-counter drug such as Advil or Tylenol. 36% Prescription opioid such as Oxycodone or Percocet. 33% Prescription anti-anxiety drug such as Ativan or Xanax. Source: Consumer Reports (2019) CBD: The new wonder drug Bill Downing, owner of CBD Please in Framingham and pioneer in the legal marijuana and CBD industries, holds a plant from which CBD products are derived.