Florida Named "Epicenter of Exploding CBD Trend," With Miami Leading the Way

Florida was recently named one of the most stressed-out states in the nation — and South Florida one of the most stressed-out regions — so it should be no surprise that residents of the Sunshine State are turning to CBD, the nonpsychoactive compound in marijuana that has proved effective in treating anxiety.

In fact, Florida was recently named the "epicenter of the exploding CBD trend" in a study by DankGeek CBD, an online CBD marketplace that counted the number of tweets about CBD from every state from July 15 through August 15.

The bulk of those tweets came from South Florida, with the majority originating from Miami, according to the study, which used geotagging to determine the location of Twitter users.

Though it’s probably not the most scientific study — Twitter in June removed users' ability to geotag their tweets — what does have scientific backing is the fact that CBD has been shown in multiple studies to be just as effective or even more effective than pharmaceuticals in treating stress and anxiety. And it's much safer.
CBD has also proved effective in treating dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s, conditions that largely affect seniors, who make up a significant portion of the state's population. Florida also has the third-largest population of military veterans, many of whom are turning to cannabis to treat PTSD.

The Sunshine State is also home to the only company specializing in CBD-infused Cuban coffee, which takes the jittery edge off yet still delivers the mental sharpness derived from our beloved cafecitos.

Florida was followed by Colorado, Oregon, Missouri, and Connecticut to round out the top five states making up the bulk of CBD-related tweets during July.

Though it’s true CBD can be effective in treating many ailments, quality matters: A 2017 study showed that 84 products from 31 companies contained inaccurate amounts of CBD compared to what was listed on the label. The best thing to do is obtain a medical marijuana license to purchase CBD products from local dispensaries, or at least ask for a third-party laboratory report from the companies that sell CBD on the internet, most of which are based out West.

By 2024, sales from CBD nationwide are expected to surpass $20 billion.