BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — You can easily find cannabidoil — a popular form of the cannabis plant more commonly known as CBD — in Alabama and it is legal in certain forms.
CBD is sold in many forms, including oils, skin creams, edibles resembling popular candies, pet treats and even bath bombs. After U.S. Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD was legalized as long as it is made from industrial hemp and contains less than 0.3 percent THC.
J.B. Autry owns The CBD Store on U.S. 280 in Birmingham. He was arrested last year, prior to the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill.
“We had the news out here in July and we were open for almost 5 months before [law enforcement] decided to come pay us a visit, they gave us no warning,” Autry said.
Autry re-opened his store after the federal bill passed and has had so much success that he said he is now considering expanding his businesses to other cities in the area, including Alabaster.
“All of the stuff that’s on the shelves is zero THC,” Autry said. “We do have some full spectrum stuff for people that are going through chemotherapy and stuff like that, that need help with the nausea, that have the 0.3 percent but it’s still within the legal limits of — as Alabama law.”
Autry told CBS 42 his customers come from all walks of life, looking for pain relief, help quitting a nicotine or opioid addiction or a reduction in their anxiety or depression.
His oldest customer is 99, but Autry said he and his staff refuse to sell products to anyone under the age of 18. Despite that, Autry said he knows many of his customers purchase his products for their children in order to avoid putting them on prescription drugs.
Amy Bourlon-Hilterbran and her son, Austin, were recently featured in a medical marijuana commercial that was submitted but ultimately rejected by CBS to air during Super Bowl 53.
Austin suffers from a severe form of epilepsy and Amy said his condition is so severe that CBD does not contain enough THC to adequately help him. The entire family moved from Oklahoma to Colorado to take advantage of the full spectrum of marijuana products.
Amy’s two younger sons have more mild forms of epilepsy and Amy told CBS 42 that CBD has put an end to their seizures at this time.
“It was life changing for sure,” she said. “We were so shook up about our baby having a seizure too — of course he was 4 at the time — and it was with such gratitude that we have options.”
According to Harvard Medical School, CBD can have side effects including naseau, fatigue or irritability and can interact with other medications. Amy told CBS 42 that Austin did have some side effects with CBD, but only while he was also taking prescription drugs.
