Miami Airport Wants A CBD Store For Nervous Flyers, GOP Senator Blasts The Idea: 'No Edibles Will Help With The Madness At MIA'

Miami International Airport is working on improving its services, and among new plans for advancing its operations is the idea of opening a CBD retail shop. 

The airport recently issued the specification for a "Cannabis Retails Shop" selling hemp-based products, including CBD, first reported Miami Herald. These hemp and hemp-derived products are federally have been legal ever since Donald Trump signed the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Farm Bill of 2018). Under the bill, hemp is considered to have only 0.3% delta 9 THC – the compound that makes you high.

CBD or cannabidiol is one of at least 100 non-psychotropic chemical compounds in the marijuana plant that has gained attention in the medical space for its myriad benefits, including reducing pain and inflammation, helping with certain cancer-related symptoms, possible neuroprotective qualities and as a sleep aid. Proven to help with rare and severe forms of epilepsy, it is used to produce the only FDA-approved CBD-based drug, Epidolex.

CBD shops usually sell gummies, creams and serums, with retailers oftentimes assuring the calming properties of these products – a feature that the Miami Airport thought would be appealing to many flyers.

"Travelers that are stressed, anxious, and are focused on their wellness are the target market for this shop," reads the draft solicitation posted on a Miami-Dade County website. "The selected Proposer should be able to demonstrate and showcase its commitment to health-conscious and modern wellness as well as provide information on destination laws to the public traveling inside and/or outside the US and ensure CBD products sold comply with federal legal requirements which may not exceed 0.3% THC levels."

Republican Politicians Criticize 

Not everyone is pleased with the proposed CBD shop at the airport. Sen. Bryan Avila (R) slammed the idea saying, "A solicitation for a CBD retail shop further leads to the perception that the county mayor, county administration and airport director are simply not able to prioritize and tackle the challenges facing Miami International Airport," Avila said, per the outlet. 

Republican state Sen. Ileana Garcia followed up, commenting "No amount of edibles will help travelers with the madness they encounter at MIA, nor is it a suitable venue for CBD." 

The solicitation comes amid a myriad of complaints about MIA's management of broken escalators and elevators and the Concourse D Skytrain that has not been in function for about the last five months. What's more, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who oversees the airport under the county's Aviation Department, recently held a press conference announcing various improvements. 

"We have been righting the wrongs of the past and stepping up to make this airport the world-class success story it should be," Levine Cava said. 

See Also: CBD And Weed Banned On Cruise Ships: Is It A Ploy To Boost Alcohol Sales? 

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