RINCON — An increasingly popular natural remedy is opening wary local eyes.

Testimonials about the successful use of cannabinoid (CBD) oil are flowing out of Your CBD Store. The business at 135 Goshen Road Extension, Suite 109, debuted seven weeks ago.

Derived from industrial hemp, cannabinoid oil is a growing option for people seeking relief from pain and other symptoms without the mind-altering effects of marijuana or certain pharmaceutical drugs. The substance contains no Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis.

Count Brenda Showalter among CBD oil believers. Her 80-year-old mother, Marilyn, is using it to treat the horribly unpleasant side effects of Ofev, a drug she takes to combat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a terminal disease that results in scarring of the lungs.

“(On June 28), I bought the CBD oil, went home at three o’clock and gave her one drop of twenty-five milligrams,” Showalter said. “Thirty minutes later, she had no nausea. I was like, ‘Wow!’ — and so was she.”

Showalter has continued to give her mother 25 milligrams of CBD oil twice a day.

“She hasn’t had any nausea since she started it,” Showalter said. “She is amazed. I am amazed. My family is amazed.”

Your CBD Store owner Deirdre Froehlich, a native of South Africa who moved to Effingham County 22 years ago, is heartened by Showalter’s story. She is passionate about the CBD-infused products she sells, including bath bombs, pain creams, lip balm, skin care cream, gummies and more.

“There are so many health benefits,” she said. “What drove me to this was my sister — a breast cancer survivor.”

Eight years following her breast cancer victory, however, Froehlich’s sister developed mastitic cancer in her bones. The disease and treatment caused excruciating pain and nausea.

“She passed three years ago and CBD oil was not available then like it is today,” Froehlich said. “She had just met with a pain specialist to get off those painful chemicals that were just making her nauseous. She was about to get some relief from it when she lost her battle.”

Shortly thereafter, Froehlich’s father developed prostate cancer. He used CBD oil as part of his treatment, prompting his daughter to start researching it.

“His prostate levels right now are normal,” she said. “I have seen a lot of health benefits with CBD oil and I wish it had been available for my sister.”

Hemp-derived CBD oil is now legal in more than 30 states and sold in more than 200 Your CBD Store outlets across the nation. 

“(Your CBD Store) plans to have more than two thousand locations in the next year and a half,” Froehlich said. “There are so many people jumping onto it.”

All the products in Froehlich’s store are organic, including pet treats, and produced by SunMed. The hemp SunMed uses is grown in Colorado, allowing company officials to fully monitor the manufacturing process from the field to the laboratory.

SunMed’s method of THC extraction results in a product that is rich in concentrated cannabinoids. After the THS is removed, SunMed introduces a proprietary blend of plant-based terpenes known to increase the efficiency of the product.

A third-party lab report on the purity of each batch of CBD oil she sells can be easily obtained from Froehlich or through the use of a telephone app. A photo of a code of the back of each bottle will bring instant results via the internet.

There is scientific evidence that indicates that CBD oil is effective against two types of childhood epileptic seizures. Some clinical trials suggest that it could also be effective in treating symptoms of anxiety and depression, and as an anti-inflammatory medication.

There are also reports that CBD may be an effective treatment for diabetes, substance abuse, mental disorders and certain types of cancers. At this point, however, there are no Food and Drug Administration studies to support these kinds of claims.

“It’s more word of mouth and testimonials of benefits that folks have seen and what it has done for them,” Froehlich said. “We always tell people that we are not medical professionals and we will not make any kind of recommendations on medications they are taking. They always have to include their physician when starting this product.”

On July 18 at 6 p.m., Froehlich is set to conduct a free “Knowledge Night” at her store for those interested in learning more about CBD. Participants will be treated to a barbecue dinner.

Froehlich opted to host “Knowledge Night” after visiting a similar event at a Your CBD Store in Anderson, S.C.

“I don’t think anybody there was under the age of fifty,” she said. “That was kind of a shock but not a shock. I thought that generation might be a little harder to get through to about what CBD is just because folks my age still question it.

“It’s nice to see that they were open to it because that’s kind of our community here in Effingham County.”

Showalter, 54, lauded Your CBD Store manager Courtney Tripp for her product knowledge.

“She was so informative about everything with the oil, what the store is about and what they offer,” she said. “I am very grateful because she helped me make the decision for my mother to try it.”

Danny Gibson, one of Your CBD Store’s younger customers, is thrilled with the skin cream he got from Tripp. The eczema on one of his arms showed considerable improvement immediately following the use of a free sample.

“Made a huge difference,” he said.

Froehlich loves to hear about Your CBD Store success stories.

“It’s been fun,” she said. “We’ve had all stages, phases and walks of life come in.”