PORTLAND, Ore. – Right now, we all have to keep our guard up, and not only to combat the spread of COVID-19, but also to avoid being victimized by scammers.
There have been many attempts for scammers to capitalize on coronavirus fears, and unfortunately, some even seem to be banking on the popularity of CBD to do so. Lumi Wellness, a plant-based medicine shop in Portland, claimed to have CBD products available that provide “COVID Lung Support Immunity Tinctures.”
The Oregon Attorney General’s office sent an investigator to Lumi Wellness and informed the shop it was in violation of the Unlawful Trade Protections Act. Fortunately, Lumi was cooperative and removed the sign.
“We were very pleased that the store was willing to remove their sandwich board sign when our investigator explained that it could be in violation of Oregon law,” Kristina Edmundson, a representative with the AG’s office told KGW8. “Unfortunately, the message is simple: There are no known cures for COVID-19. Please don’t try to sell something that suggests there are!”
The shop’s owner, whose name was not printed by KGW8, said it was all just a misunderstanding.
“Their concern was that our sign could be read that you could be immune from COVID, which wasn’t our intent,” she said. “Our heart is in the right place and we want to help people as much as we can.”
CBD companies promoting unsubstantiated claims regarding CBD’s medicinal potential have been targeted by federal agencies including the FDA over the past year.
Although Lumi Wellness was participating in controversial marketing practices, there are scammers out there doing far worse. An SMS text circulating promotes a fabricated story that attempts to pass itself off as a published FOX News article. The fake news piece claims that CBD is a solution to fight back against the coronavirus outbreak. Users are then provided links to sites where they are asked to provide personal information and purchase CBD products.
The CDC, on its website, said there “is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).” They recommend social distancing, frequent hand washing, and the covering of one’s mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
