Harney and Sons CBD Tea Is Out On the QT
The Hemp Devision is a new CBD-infused tea line from Harney & Sons, but they don't seem to want to talk about it.
Something strange is brewing at Harney & Sons tea blenders in Millerton, New York, and it’s not just the new line of bottled iced teas infused with CBD extract (the recently legalized non-intoxicating compound derived from hemp).
What’s so strange is that Harney & Sons appears to be going out of their way to keep the new line, The Hemp Division a secret despite the fact it’s being sold throughout our and their communities. Over the past month, it’s popped up in numerous area markets, farm stands and natural food stores.
Personally, I enjoyed sampling this line of five teas, with CBD amounts ranging from 5 to 18 milligrams per bottle. I think they’re all delicious, high quality and complex. I have also seen first hand the benefits from the medical and recreational use of CBD and am supportive of the burgeoning new industry. However, even if it’s a company we have come to know and love like Harney & Sons, it's a little troubling to purchase a CBD product from any producer that is unwilling to openly discuss their methods, process, or where they procure their extract.
Harney & Sons do not mention The Hemp Division anywhere on their website, and the site listed on the back of each bottle, thehempdivision.com, does not appear to exist at the time of this reporting. In fact, the only official information available online about the brand is second hand in a post on a regional food distributer’s website.
When reached for comment on April 10, Harney & Sons Marketing Director Emeric Harney responded by email, “Glad to hear you're enjoying the product. At this time, we have no comments, sorry.”
Issues surrounding the sale of CBD edibles and drinks have been in the news a lot recently. In February, The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene forbade city eateries from selling CBD products, claiming the compound has not been “deemed safe as a food additive.”
The situation surrounding CBD products is frustrating for businesses and customers. When RI wrote about the fabulous CBD-infused shrubs and drink mixers made by Hudson Standard, owner Marianne Courville said companies like hers want to follow the law but legislators haven’t been able to provide clear regulations. Yet she was more than happy to discuss her CBD extract and distillate provider, Hudson Hemp, which is local, organic and transparent about their practice.
Because the use of CBD has shown numerous positive health and wellness benefits, from stopping epileptic seizures to making the meeting of a tight reporting deadline feel less stressful, we hope the respected company of Harney & Sons will soon feel comfortable acknowledging their own product line. If a company isn’t comfortable openly discussing some of their products, they probably shouldn’t be selling them to their neighbors.
