Pew Research found that over 90% of people in the U.S. believe cannabis should be legal for either medical or recreational use, with nearly 60% in favor of both. The growth continues as the CBD marketplace could surpass $23 billion by 2025.

CBD products have gone mainstream and are now available in major US retailers like CVS, Walgreens, and Kroger. Over the past few years many public and private companies have shed interest in CBD products.

In the US, CBD sales hit $4.6B last year, a massive growth just 2 years after hemp-derived cannabinoids were legalized. Based on recent acquisitions, innovations and celebrity involvement, the multi-billion dollar CBD industry will continue  to expand globally.

Real Brands Inc  OTCMKTS:RLBD) is the result of a 2020 merger with Canadian American Standard Hemp, which brought together industrial-scale hemp CBD oil/isolate extraction and processing, wholesaling of CBD oils and isolate, and production and sales of numerous hemp-derived CBD consumer brands of smokable, edible and topical products. The company’s Halo 5 product line is a proprietary chromatography extraction technology utilizing a Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) that provides the advantage of producing large quantities of highly purified material and precise pharmaceutical grade molecular separation at dramatically reduced costs.

Real Brands Inc (OTCMKTS:RLBD) has recently launched ”Phaze Brand CBD”. Its strategic partner, Turning Point Brands Inc. (NYSE:TPB), owners of Zig Zag™ and the market leader in smokeless tobacco, has over 200k points of distribution, primarily through convenient stores across the US.

According to the company’s most recent release, each new product is designed for a specific segment of an athlete’s typical day. Rise, Compete, Recover and Sleep are the four groups of SKUs and are purposely formulated with vitamins, extracts and other ingredients uniquely suited to each part of the day. All PHAZE offerings are scrutinized for ingredient quality. Organic ingredients are used when possible, and all hemp extract is from U.S.-grown hemp.

“We are extremely proud of our newest brand PHAZE, as it represents a culmination of our five plus years in the hemp and CBD space,” stated CEO Thom Kidrin. “We have identified the target consumers and their needs, as well as defined their motivations to consume. In doing so, we have designed PHAZE to delight athletes who live to compete and are constantly in search of ways to train harder, perform better, and recover faster.”

Tilray Inc. (Nasdaq:TLRY) is a global cannabis-lifestyle and consumer packaged goods company with operations in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and Latin America. The firm is focused on medical cannabis research, cultivation, processing, and distribution of cannabis products worldwide. Its products include dried cannabis and cannabis extracts. It operates through the following segments: Cannabis and Hemp. The Cannabis segment consists of adult-use, medical and bulk sales of cannabis under regulated licenses and sold to retail, wholesale, pharmacy, government, and direct to patient. The Hemp segment consist of hemp seed, hemp foods, board spectrum hemp extract containing CBD, which are sold in an unlicensed operation and sold to retail, wholesale and direct to consumers.

Tilray Inc. (Nasdaq:TLRY) recently announced has launched medical cannabis oral strips in THC and CBD-rich varieties. Powered by QuickStrip’s™ proprietary technology, each Aphria medical strip contains a thin, edible film that contains rapidly dissolving, micronized cannabinoids that absorb directly into the bloodstream, providing patients with a fast-acting, convenient, and precise dosing experience for relief from a range of conditions. Irwin D. Simon, Tilray’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Tilray’s medical brands, Aphria, Symbios, and Tilray, are relentlessly committed to investing in patient wellness through a portfolio of new innovative product offerings, GMP-certified cultivation, and the earned trust of the medical community. The launch of the Aphria-branded medical strips is a compelling proof point in this regard, and, given the growing expansion of medical cannabis across the globe, we believe we are exceptionally well-positioned in this high-growth, high-margin market moving forward. We look forward to extending our leadership in medical cannabis and to delivering value for patients and shareholders alike.”

cbdMD Inc. (NYSE American:YCBD) produces and distributes various cannibidiol (CBD) products. It operates the consumer hemp-based CBD brand. The firm’s product categories include CBD tinctures, capsules, gummies, bath bombs, topical creams, and animal treats and oils. It also offers pet related CBD products under the Paw CBD brand name, and distributes its products through an e-commerce Website, wholesalers, and various brick and mortar retailers in the United States. The company was founded by Caryn Dunayer in March 17, 2015 and is headquartered in Charlotte, NC. cbdMD Inc. (NYSE American:YCBD) recently announced the hiring of Dave Johnson as the Senior Vice President of Business Development.

Mr. Johnson will be responsible for the Company’s push into all major food, drug and mass merchandise (“FDM”) retailers in the U.S. as well as creating new avenues for greater product distribution. Mr. Johnson brings over 30 years of experience in the consumer goods industry, including almost 20 years with PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP) as Director of Sales. Mr. Johnson has had an exemplary career developing and fostering relationships with retailers while focusing on expanding opportunities to drive sustainable growth that results in greater top and bottom-line results.

“I am joining the team at cbdMD because I believe that in the next two years, we are going to see exponential growth in the CBD industry and cbdMD is the best-positioned brand to profit from this growth. With two of the best-selling CBD brands in America, cbdMD and Paw CBD, plus the launch of cbdMD Botanicals, our new luxurious clean beauty and skin care brand, I see a unique opportunity to accelerate our market share within the growing CBD industry. For over 20 years, I have helped drive sales and sustainable growth for companies, and now with three great brands to focus on, I’m looking forward to the opportunity of bringing our products to all the mainstream retailers in the U.S.,” said Dave Johnson, Senior Vice President of Business Development of cbdMD, Inc.

While this is a clear factor, it has been incorporated into a trading tape characterized by a pretty dominant offer, which hasn’t been the type of action YCBD shareholders really want to see. In total, over the past five days, shares of the stock have dropped by roughly -3% on above average trading volume. All in all, not a particularly friendly tape, but one that may ultimately present some new opportunities.

cbdMD Inc. (NYSE American:YCBD) managed to rope in revenues totaling $10.6M in overall sales during the company’s most recently reported quarterly financial data — a figure that represents a rate of top line growth of -0.7%, as compared to year-ago data in comparable terms. In addition, the company has a strong balance sheet, with cash levels exceeding current liabilities ($20M against $6.8M).

Tilray Inc. (Nasdaq:TLRY) is a global cannabis-lifestyle and consumer packaged goods company with operations in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and Latin America. The firm is focused on medical cannabis research, cultivation, processing, and distribution of cannabis products worldwide. Its products include dried cannabis and cannabis extracts. It operates through the following segments: Cannabis and Hemp. The Cannabis segment consists of adult-use, medical and bulk sales of cannabis under regulated licenses and sold to retail, wholesale, pharmacy, government, and direct to patient. The Hemp segment consist of hemp seed, hemp foods, board spectrum hemp extract containing CBD, which are sold in an unlicensed operation and sold to retail, wholesale and direct to consumers.

Tilray Inc. (Nasdaq:TLRY) recently announced has launched medical cannabis oral strips in THC and CBD-rich varieties. Powered by QuickStrip’s™ proprietary technology, each Aphria medical strip contains a thin, edible film that contains rapidly dissolving, micronized cannabinoids that absorb directly into the bloodstream, providing patients with a fast-acting, convenient, and precise dosing experience for relief from a range of conditions. Irwin D. Simon, Tilray’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Tilray’s medical brands, Aphria, Symbios, and Tilray, are relentlessly committed to investing in patient wellness through a portfolio of new innovative product offerings, GMP-certified cultivation, and the earned trust of the medical community. The launch of the Aphria-branded medical strips is a compelling proof point in this regard, and, given the growing expansion of medical cannabis across the globe, we believe we are exceptionally well-positioned in this high-growth, high-margin market moving forward. We look forward to extending our leadership in medical cannabis and to delivering value for patients and shareholders alike.”

Other key plays in the CBD space include Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTC US:MJNA) and Charlotte’s Web Holdings Inc. (OTC US:CWBHF).