Charlotte's Web talks new products, regulation and innovation

“Prior to the 2018 Farm Bill, we were competing against 300 brands. Two years later, this rose to 4,000," Stanley said. “So, in a world of 4,000 brands, you have different labeling standards, different quality control standards and innovation that was really all over the place.”

Despite these challenges, Charlotte's Web through the joint venture DeFloria LLC is weeks away from completing a phase one human clinical trial for what would be the first CBD cannabinoid full spectrum botanical drug, Stanley said.

He also talked about the new science regarding pain research because pain is one of the top reasons that consumers gravitate toward CBD. Although researchers don’t fully understand CBD’s mechanism of action when it comes to pain, Stanley remarked, “we believe that is extends beyond the endocannabinoid system.”

He added that CBD goes deep into the skin and into the body and that this is the reason Charlotte’s Web has one of the most efficacious products for CBD and topicals.

Finally, Stanley explained Stay Asleep, the product his company showcased at the expo. It’s a cannabinoid-based product which can help consumers remain asleep throughout the night. Charlotte's Web has explored the use of CBN since 2017 but didn't move forward with the compound until its chief scientific officer could conduct a published, peer-reviewed, placebo-controlled study on the 20 mg serving.

“What we found in this research actually was pretty astounding,” Stanley said. “It was that this formulation, when compared to placebo, had lower sleep disturbances throughout the night. But when we combine CBN with other levels of CBD, there was no difference to placebo. This informed us that 20 mg of pure CBN had the highest efficacy for helping you stay asleep.”