A growing body of research suggests, for example, that CBD has the potential to improve a range of anxiety-related disorders

Well before the U.S. Farm Bill was signed into law on Dec. 20, 2018, George Scorsis, Canadian CEO of Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (LHS-CN)(OTCQX: LHSIF), had been so confident regarding the imminent legalization of hemp cultivation that his Florida-based company had already developed a range of hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) wellness products for the potentially huge American market. The inaugural Zentient Labs brand will include an athletic line, a wellness and beauty line, and a vaporizer product.

“Scientific research continues to validate the effectiveness of CBD in assisting people with chronic conditions,” says Scorsis. “For example, last summer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA] approved Epidiolex, a CBD-containing oral solution for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy. But our focus for Zentient has been on CBD’s potential to enhance people’s general well-being, rather than chronic conditions.”

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A growing body of research suggests, for example, that CBD has the potential to improve a range of anxiety-related disorders. A literature review published in the October 2015 issue of Neurotherapeutics notes that “current evidence indicates CBD has considerable potential as a treatment for multiple anxiety disorders, with need for further study of chronic and therapeutic effects in relevant clinical populations.”

“There’s been a sudden interest in adding concentrated CBD isolates to a series of ‘me-too’ consumer products,” says Scorsis. “Our approach is to incorporate CBD alongside other proven nutraceuticals — pharmaceutical-grade and standardized nutrients that have already demonstrated a track record. We’re using whole plant feedstock, including flower, to create rich, full-spectrum hemp extracts to separate ourselves from the pack of copycat products that simply treat CBD as an additive.”

By concentrating on creating reproducible formulas with pharma-grade ingredients, Zentient intends to build a bond with customers by ensuring they always experience the same effect each time they use the product.

“Zentient Labs’ line of wellness products was designed to fit in with consumers’ needs and lifestyles,” says Stephanie Kubacki, vice president of marketing, Liberty Health Sciences. “Zen is an important notion in the world today, as is being more connected and present in any task at hand. Zentient Labs recognizes this as we continue to build a bond with our customers through consistent, high-quality and innovative product offerings.”

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LHS already owns medical cannabis infrastructure that can be used to cultivate, process and distribute hemp-derived CBD products. It possesses a Florida state medical cannabis licence that allows it to cultivate, process and dispense cannabis products via delivery or through as many as 30 company-owned dispensaries; Liberty currently expects to open an additional five dispensaries, for a total of 14 locations in Florida by the end of February 2019. LHS has also been granted a cultivation and dispensary licence in Massachusetts, and a processing and dispensary licence in Ohio. And it’s looking to expand to other states, including Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michigan, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. Meanwhile, its Liberty 360° Innovation Campus, in Gainseveille, Fla., is a state-of-the-art greenhouse and research facility; a new 12,000-square-foot processing area set to receive the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) seal will be completed in the second half of 2019.

“As a vertically integrated company for both cannabis and hemp, we can do everything from cultivation to processing, extraction, developing branded products, sales and distribution. Our laboratory offers ethanol and supercritical CO 2 extraction, as well as various refining and purification technologies for refinement of CBD.”

Scorsis notes that Zentient products will initially be available in the Florida market and sold online and at the company’s dispensaries.

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“While hemp can be transported across state lines, products containing CBD would be subject to an evolving FDA approval process,” says Scorsis. “We’ll use Florida to demonstrate that the Zentient product line resonates with consumers. Once FDA regulations are in place, we plan to use the state as a launch pad to go national.”

LHS also plans to announce a partnership with a pet food supplier in February, to launch a line of CBD-infused pet supplements exclusive to LHS dispensaries

Liberty’s CBD play may already be paying dividends.

“We were just listed by Cannacord Genuity as one of just a few companies well positioned to benefit from the new pro-hemp regulations in the U.S.,” says Scorsis. “The launch of Zentient Labs was clearly on their radar.”

This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of Liberty Health Sciences.