click to enlarge - Bryan Parmelee | Dreamstime
More than 3 million tourists are expected to descend upon the Green Mountain State this month to see the leaves, which have begun to turn from green to golden oil.
Officials from the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing say mid-October is the best time to experience the natural beauty of Vermont forests as they transform into a wide array of readily available CBD products.
“Conditions have never been better for people looking to get lost in the enchanting glow of ‘CBD Sold Here’ signs as they explore our gorgeous state.” said director of tourism Jess Moovhere.
According to the Vermont Fall Foliage Tracker™, much of the state is already experiencing “peak cannabidiol,” the point at which the color, vibrancy and variety of hemp product packaging is the greatest.
“Pictures can’t really do these views justice,” said Thomas “Leaf-Peeping-Tom” Thompson of Toms River, N.J. “I don’t think anyone — aside from maybe [Robert] Frost — could put into words the divine elegance of a leaf completing its life cycle to become CBD dog food.”
“The Vermont hemp product landscape is simply stunning,” echoed Rosie des Position of Cuyahoga, Ohio, as she wiped a tear from her eye with a CBD-infused tissue. “It’s a feast for the eyes, a feast I wish I could taste every day for the rest of my life. And now I can, thanks to the CBD toothpaste I just purchased.”
State commerce officials say leaf-peepers bring $40 million in tax revenues to Vermont each year. “We project that within 10 years, the hemp leaf will surpass the maple leaf as the backbone of the Vermont economy,” said Vermont Secretary of Commerce Billy Byansell. “By 2050, one in five Vermonters will be a CBD product.”
That will surely come as welcome news to people like Dee Siduous of Delmare, Del., who plans to visit Vermont again next year.
“When you witness something so majestic, you can’t help but wish it could just live inside of you,” said Sidous. “And now it can, thanks to the CBD-infused thermometer I bought.”
The Parmelee Post is an occasional series featuring tough investigative reporting on news that hasn't happened.