Hemp-based CBD was fast marching towards total dominance over all facets of modern life. It was offered in body creams and ice creams, in soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, in human food and pet treats. Against its untamable march, the CBD narrative was one of looming disruption. Most notably, the threat posed by the nascent space to the pharmaceutical industry.
Indeed, the Visual Capitalist writing about the benefits of CBD for a variety of ailments advises the industry to "brace for impact". Against this narrative, one would not have been remiss in taking a long