Business

CBD Products are Providing the Boost to the Cannabis Industry

Published

6 years ago

November 28, 2019

CBD products on both sides of the Atlantic are growing in popularity and legislators are becoming more friendly toward the sector’s development. US companies like Veritas Farms Inc (OTC: VFRM) are already taking advantage of this trend, proving the potential of CBD market to save the cannabis sector is huge.

Hemp has been known as a medicinal and ornamental plant for thousands of years. However, this does not apply to the broad masses or science. On the contrary, hemp is still frequently mentioned in the same breath as illegal drugs such as THC. For some years now, however, more and more people have known about the active substance cannabidiol (CBD) and its numerous positive properties.

In the meantime, a solid market has established itself, which is constantly growing and has already sold hundreds of millions of dollars in the USA alone. And there is no end in sight – quite the opposite. Only the uncertain legal situation is slowing down the market somewhat.

Like the European authorities, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was initially sceptical about the CBD. However, due to the completely different properties than THC, the FDA now assesses cannabidiol as positive as the EU and a broad market for the dietary supplement has developed on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2018, the CBD market in the USA achieved a total sales volume of USD 367 million. This represents an increase of 40 percent over the previous year. The financial magazine Wallstreet-Online reports conservative estimates that the American CBD market could reach a total volume of 16 billion dollars by 2025.

CBD companies grow fast, just like Veritas Farms Inc

The growth rates of companies specialising in the production and sale of products containing cannabidiol are taking on almost unbelievable dimensions. For example, Veritas Farms Inc (OTC: VFRM), a producer and distributor of high quality full spectrum hemp oil products from Florida founded in 2015, continuously records impressive growth year after year.

According to the company’s announcement of their latest Q3 results, Veritas achieved total revenue of $5,712,085 which is a 347% increase compared to $1,277,914 Year-To-Date 2018. The company’s gross profit went up by 578% to $2,645,905, compared to $390,074 Year-To-Date 2018.

Veritas Farms’ business strategy is what brought them these impressive results. Veritas focuses on delivering high quality products, transparency and honesty. Their customers can check products’ quality anytime on their smartphones, thanks to the QR code packaging system the company released last April.

Honesty and transparency is also what earned the company recently announced deals with Winn-Dixie and Bi-Mart. Their products will be available at over 220 new stores across Florida, South Carolina and the Pacific Northwest.

German market also growing strongly

Financial experts in the Handelsblatt expect a strong increase in sales volumes of CBD-containing products in Germany by 2023. The current volume of 34 million euros is expected to rise to 550 million euros by 2023. The increase in European cultivation areas for special hemp cbd is also impressive. In 2013 the total area under hemp cultivation in Europe was 15,700 hectares, three years later in 2016 it was already 33,000 hectares.

Potential still far from exhausted

The scientific situation seems to be clear: CBD is considered harmless and even an effective alternative to other dietary supplements and active ingredients. The only obstacles to growth – if one can call it that at all in view of the figures mentioned – are still very different legal bases in various countries. A further development of the market could thus be promoted by the establishment of uniform regulations.

It is still a very young market in which the potential is far from exhausted. However, not all countries will be affected by the CBD boom: In Southeast Asia, even the possession of CBD oil with less than 0.2 percent THC can lead to serious criminal consequences.

Business

Click for Counsel: YesLawyer Wants to Make Lawyers as Accessible as Wi-Fi

Published

5 days ago

April 1, 2026

Matthew Wiles

Photo Courtesy of: YesLawyer

Byline: Andi Stark

For many people facing a legal problem, the most difficult part is not understanding their rights but finding a lawyer willing to speak with them in the first place. Long wait times, unclear pricing, and administrative hurdles often delay even the most basic consultations. YesLawyer, an AI-enabled plaintiff firm operating across all 50 states, is testing whether technology can shorten that gap.

Founded in 2024 by 25-year-old entrepreneur Rob Epstein, the platform offers free intake, automated screening, and, in many cases, same-day conversations with licensed attorneys. The idea is simple: reduce the friction between a client’s first request for help and an actual legal discussion. In this interview, Epstein explains how the system works, where artificial intelligence fits into the process, and what problems the company is trying to address in the broader legal system

Q: When you say you want lawyers to be “as accessible as Wi-Fi,” what does that mean in practical terms?

A: It’s a way of describing speed and availability. Someone dealing with a workplace dispute, a serious injury, or an immigration issue should be able to move from an online form or phone call to a real conversation with counsel in hours, not weeks. YesLawyer is structured so that a client begins with a free case evaluation, goes through automated conflict checks and basic screening, and, in many instances, speaks with a lawyer the same day.

Q: How does the process work once someone contacts the platform?

A: We use a structured workflow. It starts with a short questionnaire and an initial conversation to capture basic facts. That information feeds into conflict checks and internal review. The system then proposes a match with a licensed attorney and provides a calendar link for a virtual consultation, often within 24 hours. After the meeting, the client receives a written legal plan outlining next steps, deadlines, and estimated fees.

Q: Where does artificial intelligence fit into that process, and where does it stop?

A: AI is used for organizing and routing information, not for giving legal advice. It helps with conflict checks at scale, case categorization, and structured summaries so attorneys can focus on the substance of the matter. Every consultation is conducted by a licensed lawyer, and all decisions about strategy or next steps are made by humans.

Q: What problem is this model trying to solve in the current legal system?

A: Delay and cost are still major barriers. Many civil plaintiffs face long waits just to get a first appointment, along with high retainers and hourly billing that make early legal advice risky. We try to respond with faster consultations, flat-fee options, and financing. The idea is to remove administrative friction so lawyers spend less time on logistics and more time speaking with clients.

Q: Some critics say platforms like this blur the line between a technology company and a law firm. How do you describe YesLawyer?

A: We describe ourselves as a national, AI-enabled plaintiff firm that connects clients with independent attorneys. That structure does raise regulatory questions, especially around responsibility and oversight. We focus on licensing verification, attorney-written case plans, and clear communication about fees and services.

Q: You’ve said the main bottleneck is “systems” rather than people. What do you mean by that?

A: The issue isn’t that lawyers don’t want to help more people. It’s that the systems around them make it hard to scale their time. Intake, scheduling, and document handling take hours. Automating those parts means attorneys can handle more matters without being overwhelmed by repetitive tasks.

Q: Does this model risk favoring only the most profitable cases?

A: That’s a real concern in legal technology. Automation often works best for repeatable, high-volume disputes. Our view is that lowering administrative cost can actually make it easier to take on smaller or more complex cases that might otherwise be turned away. Whether that holds over time depends on the data.

Measuring Impact Over Time

YesLawyer’s attempt to compress the timeline between inquiry and consultation reflects broader changes in how legal services are being delivered. As artificial intelligence becomes more common in administrative work, firms are experimenting with new ways to reduce wait times and clarify costs.

The company’s early growth suggests that many clients value faster access to an initial conversation, even before considering long-term representation. Whether this platform-based model becomes widely adopted or remains one of several emerging approaches will depend on regulatory developments, lawyer participation, and measurable outcomes for clients. For now, YesLawyer’s experiment highlights a central question in modern legal practice: how quickly can help realistically be made available to the people who need it.