Walgreens and CVS Signal CBD’s Mainstreaming


Skift Take

It’s another win for CBD brands, as two major U.S. drugstore chains will now carry hemp-based pain-relief and skincare products. And it’s only a matter of time before each chain expands its offerings.

We wrote last week about how CVS is now stocking its shelves with CBD products like pain-relief ointments and creams from Medterra and Curaleaf (the CVS announcement, by the way, sent Curaleaf’s stock soaring). Even though CVS can’t legally sell CBD edibles, such as supplements or food products, it sees a big enough demand already for salves and lotions. “Anecdotally, we’ve heard from our customers who have used those products that, 'Gee, it’s helped with pain relief for arthritis and other ailments,'” said CVS CEO Larry Merlo. Not to be outdone, Walgreens just announced it will add CBD products to its lineup, too. It's an obvious move — the drugstore giant likely doesn’t want to miss out on this CBD trend, especially as momentum builds. Still, both companies are only rolling out these offerings in select states to test out the goods in places already familiar with CBD and hemp products, like Colorado and Kentucky. Based on consumer demand, both companies will