High on hype: Is it still the rise of CBD products in India?

CBD products may be everywhere in India, but premium pricing and stigma continue to impact their acceptance

- Sumitra Nair

Ankit Shah, a 38-year-old Mumbai-based IT professional, suffers from acute shoulder pain due to a past injury and takes CBD oil from Bengaluru-based company BOHECO (Bombay Hemp Company) to relieve the pain. He takes the oil only on days when the pain is unbearable or when he hasn't slept well. 31-year-old Bengaluru-based writer Ramesh S, began using a CBD oil in 2019 for restful sleep after seeing it advertised on Instagram. "I found it greatly improved my sleep and I'd wake up feeling rested," he recalls of the initial days. Shah says that he would recommend CBD products to anyone for stress and pain relief and assures that it's not habit-forming. "I only use it on a need-to basis," he says.

Shah and Ramesh are just two examples of consumers in India who are embracing CBD wellness products as a natural alternative for managing niggling issues like stress, sleep, and chronic pain. According to a 2021 report by Market Research Future, the Indian CBD Oil market was one of the fastest-growing in the Asia-Pacific region.

"CBD may be used for issues like seizure disorder (epilepsy), anxiety, dystonia, Parkinson's disease, Crohn disease, schizophrenia, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)," explains Dr Manish Pendse, senior consultant physician & diabetologist at Medicover Hospitals, Navi Mumbai. But since consuming them can cause side effects like dry mouth, diarrhoea, drowsiness, fatigue, and liver inflammation and damage, it's highly recommended that they be used only with a prescription or medical guidance, Pendse clarifies.