Gearfuse Technology, Science, Culture & More
It feels like CBD has gotten into everything, including the world of technology. This burgeoning industry is a magnet for up and coming industries, and CBD is among the fastest growing industries out there. By the end of 2022, it’s expected to be a $22 billion industry!
But just how do tech and CBD go together? One is an edible or topical substance used for health and wellness and the other involves computers, the cloud, and programming. Surprisingly, the two have created a solid match that is helping to catapult CBD and technology into the future.
Media-Driven Popularity
The marriage between CBD and tech arguably began with the online media. When certain states started allowing the sale of cannabis products, the media was right there to cover every bit of it. When it became legal to buy CBD online, the media was also right there, publishing notices and uncovering truths about CBD. Suddenly, myths and misconceptions had no ground and the truth was broadcast around the world.
This opened up many conversations on social media around CBD products, even though most social networks ban blatant advertising of CBD. It became a place where CBD enthusiasts could share their experiences and receive affirmations and accolades from those who had also tried the stuff.
It also opened a huge market for CBD websites and digital marketing. CBD companies needed a legalized way to sell CBD while maintaining standardized methods of website design. Digital marketers needed clever strategies for marketing CBD companies online that adhered to laws and site regulations to avoid getting banned or fined.
This led to blog posts, forums, and other public sites designed for consumers and companies alike to share their experiences. CBD influencers has become a huge part of the CBD scene, and more and more companies are working to share their love of CBD and the products they crave.
The online marketplace and news arena have simply exploded, leading CBD into the hands of many consumers and investors alike.
Water Soluble CBD
One of the most important tech trends to watch in the CBD industry is the creation of water-soluble CBD. This could virtually revolutionize the industry, making CBD more affordable, accessible, and potent than ever before.
Water soluble CBD is a product that converts CBD and THC oils into a water-soluble product. When this technology becomes available, companies and individuals alike will be able to put CBD more seamlessly into foods, drinks, and topicals.
This product would remove the oily flavor and texture that makes it difficult to infuse foods and creams with CBD oil. It would also make it easier to digest and potentially reduce the lost enzymes when the product goes through the digestive system.
Currently, only one startup, SōRSE Technology based out of Seattle, says that they have a truly water soluble product. Other companies have talked about making water soluble CBD, but none have delivered. The example set by this company will spread CBD even further.
CBD-Infused Patches Help Thousands
Here’s another technology that has been around for decades, but has only recently been applied to CBD patches, a relatively new product in the market. The concept is very similar to nicotine patches, which deliver small doses of nicotine into the blood stream in order to reduce your cravings for cigarettes and one day help you quit smoking altogether.
Except in this case, CBD is being delivered to your bloodstream. And instead of a large bandaid-like material, it’s a piece of sticky plastic that is meant to be placed on the body in venous areas, so that there’s a higher potential absorption rate.
This is an excellent way to enjoy the effects of CBD simply because it delivers the CBD directly to your bloodstream. Unlike consumable CBD, it doesn’t have to go through your digestive system. The acids in your stomach and intestines break up the CBD components and you lose up to 80 percent of the enzymes as a result.
Putting CBD right into the blood stream means you’ll absorb more of the CBD and feel the effects working more quickly. It can be used for pain management, arthritis, epilepsy, anxiety, and even substance abuse addiction. This technology brings endless possibilities for users who rely on CBD.
Better Lab Testing Services
Currently, there’s little regulation in the CBD industry based on passed legislation and struggles to obtain funding. Therefore, according to Penguin, CBD companies and laboratories have banded together to produce a system that keeps CBD brands honest while protecting the consumer: third-party lab testing.
Reputable CBD companies will send out each batch of CBD to a third-party lab to test their products for efficacy, CBD content, THC content, and pureness. They specifically look for impurities that may have occurred during the farming or extraction process.
This is an expensive process and most of the tests must be done by hand. Right now, third-party labs are looking into the use of automation, blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and more sustainable CO2 extraction processes that will reduce costs and improve the accuracy of test results.
They’re also looking into better ways to deliver the results to you. For example, a cloud-based database of all the lab tests in the CBD industry could be very helpful in ensuring safety and efficacy in every dose of CBD.
These are just a few of the small and simple ways that tech is breaking down walls and improving the CBD industry. This is one relationship that will continue to pursue possibilities and increase the prolific nature of CBD in the United States and beyond.
