Women to Watch: Ceally Smith
Ceally Smith, owner and founder of The Original Hemppreneur and mother of 2, first became an advocate for CBD when her son’s life changed for the better while using it. She went from consumer and advocate to entrepreneur when she became frustrated with the lack of education surrounding the use of CBD.
CBD is an organic compound found in cannabis flowers, often sold in hemp oil or in terpenes. CBD is one of the hundreds of cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant.
CBD was recommended from a friend that had symptoms similar to what her son was experiencing ranging from: behavior problems, nervousness, feeling overwhelmed, hyperactivity, lack of focus, and beyond.
Smith now hosts free seminars for the general public in seat and online about using CBD. At the seminars, she shares her “son’s story and being a voice for parents that might consider using cannabis for themselves or with their children.”
For her son, CBD drastically improved his mood and behavior, but also his digestion. Smith left a career in nutrition to pursue CBD. But Smith and her son’s journey to CBD was a bumpy one.
“Check labs and make sure you are really buying CBD, it’s the Wild West right now in the industry,” Smith said. “Buyers need to beware. Unfortunately, my son and I learned the hard way when he first tried CBD he had an allergic reaction to a CBD product that was riddled with fillers and additives that are not necessary in a quality CBD product. After this event, I focused on educating on how to find quality products and clear education in the industry.”
Smith said after 3 months being treated with CBD, her son was unlocking previously unseen behaviors and coming out of his shell. Not only did his quality of life improve, but her entire family’s quality of life improved.
Smith said bad CBD products have economic impact beyond immediate health.
“A study published in JAMA found that 30% of CBD products are mislabeled. Vape products were mislabeled most often,” Smith said. “This mislabeling means consumers are often getting less CBD than they paid for or more THC than they bargained for- and that is a major risk. No one wants to take a product to improve their sleep only to fail a drug test that could impact work, insurance, or other commitments.”Smith stressed anyone considering CBD to Google “the Endocannabinoid System,” saying “our bodies are hard wired for it!”
In a few weeks, Smith will go to Washington, D.C., to advocate for regulation in the CBD market.
“The industry is filled with bad guys coming into the industry just to make money, they don’t care about the quality or the standards of which the product is sourced or how it’s made,” Smith said. “With people that look at this product as Hope, they shouldn’t have to worry about it impacting them more negatively. I’m going to D.C. to be a voice for the industry for consumers and for my son, in hopes that having clear guidelines in the industry will resolve the gaps!”
Learn more from Smith about CBD in the June edition of Greenway Magazine. Learn more about Smith at ceallysmith.com.
