A small business owner in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, is suing the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office for what he says is his legal right to sell extracts of cannabidiol, a chemical found in hemp.
“Ultimately, we just decided, hey, we’re gonna file a lawsuit or a restraining order, try to do something to get our product back because it’s legal in the state of Georgia and all 50 states for the most part,” Joe King, owner of the Shoppe, said in a phone interview.
A hearing was held Friday, and King said it lasted all day. He said he thinks the court case is going in his favor, and Judge Brian House of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit is expected to make a ruling within 30 days. King said he hopes to go back to selling CBD in his shop after the ruling.
Research compiled by Harvard University suggests CBD can help with anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain and help lower cravings for tobacco and heroin. Research continues, but the fact that most CBD is sold as a supplement — not medication — allows it to avoid Federal Drug Administration regulations regarding purity and safety.
King, while warning he’s not a doctor or pharmacist, said CBD is “a medicinal thing,” and people want it because they think it helps. He said he has seen people wean themselves off opioids and treat pain. King uses the products to treat his anxiety and depression, he said.
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CBD store sues to sell its products in Catoosa County
“I’ve…