Lifeway Foods to enter CBD-infused products market

Morton Grove-based Lifeway Foods plans to enter the accelerating cannabidiol products market once the Federal Drug Administration has given federal approval of the products.

The maker of fermented dairy and vegan probiotic products will produce a CBD-infused version of its Plantiful probiotic plant-based beverage once it is legalized at the federal level by the FDA, the company said in a release.

CBD is a chemical found in cannabis and hemp plants. While there has been little clinical research on the medical effects of CBD, some believe it can treat certain conditions without providing the mind-altering "high" connected with another cannabis-related chemical, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. The FDA is only now beginning to look into hemp-based CBD's health claims, unlike the highly regulated medical marijuana industry, and it could be years before any standards, regulations or guidelines are in place.

Lifeway Foods CEO Julie Smolyansky said the company will file a comment in support of the FDA crafting a science-based structure to support the sale of products containing CBD.

A gold rush has ensued in the industry following the legalization of hemp farming in 2018. Entrepreneurs and investors have begun cultivating CBD and selling infused products. A study recently published in Forbes magazine estimates 2018 CBD product sales between $600 million and $2 billion nationally, and it could become a $16 billion industry by 2025.

CBD-infused products ranging from vapes to oils to chewable gimmies are already on sale by a number of companies, and interest in CBD-infused products is gaining interest from global companies like Coca-Cola and beer maker InBev AB.

Smolyansky said in a statement that CBD "shows promise as a way to promote lowered anxiety and stress relief.

"Science has shown that probiotics are natural inflammation reducers, and we believe that the addition of CBD will create an unmatched combination in the beverage space," Smolyansky said.

Once on the market, the product will be sold in biodegradable 3.5 ounce bottles with a portion of sales going toward restorative justice initiatives for those hurt by U.S. drug policy, the company said.