Need proof of the growing awareness on the benefits of CBD? Look no further than a few internet searches on Google.
A new paper from the Journal of the American Medical Association indicates how popular CBD has become in internet searches. Their findings show that searches for “CBD” and “cannabidiol” increased 126% in 2017 compared to the previous year. A 160 percent increase is seen in 2018 and similar rises are forecast for this year.
The total number of searches for CBD this April also surpass those for exercise, veganism, acupuncture and meditation. The rise is especially notable because internet searches for CBD and cannabidiol were “stagnant” until 2014.
“Interest in CBD across the United States has increased considerably and is accelerating,” the study authors write. “While our study is limited in that Google searches may reflect interest in CBD rather than interest in use, search trends are associated with many health-related behaviors… years ahead of traditional data. Our findings suggest that investigation into CBD should become a public health priority to catch up with the public’s interest.”
The researchers conclude with suggestions for developing “product safety standards” and standardized “marketing practices around CBD.” They note that “marketing that misleads the public could erode trust in evidence-based medicine.”
The study author’s results are also consistent with other findings this year. In April 2018, CBD overtook Beyonce in internet search popularity. Internet users now look for CBD more than three times as frequently as they do for the pop star. The frequency of these searches also surpass those for Kim Kardashian and kale. Click here for the findings.
Sales Climb As Views Shift
The growing popularity of CBD on the internet also reflects an increase in CBD product sales. A recent Brightfield Group analysis reports that CBD sales will see a 700% increase this year compared to 2018. They also predict that the CBD market will reach $23.7 billion by 2023.