When Jeff Brinkman used products containing hemp-derived CBD (Cannabidiol) for pain prevention, it opened his eyes to the possibilities offered by such products.

“I wrestled and coached wrestling for many years, so I woke up with the aches and pains everybody else does,” he said. “I was reading about CBD and got interested in how it decreases inflammation and helps the body heal and recover. I tried a few of those products and found out they worked well.”

From there, Brinkman started researching the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s industrial hemp pilot program, which was started to help farmers and businesses find new markets for industrial hemp. He also spoke to farmers in Colorado and Oregon, who suggested that he look into the flowers.

“I started using the flower in vape form about a year ago and I haven’t had an aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen or any other form of pain control medication ever since,” he said.

On Tuesday, Brinkman and partners Tom Cotter and Marty Tebay opened the doors of Superior Cannabis Company, an industrial hemp company that grows high CBD hemp under the MDA pilot program, at 125 North Main St. for the first time.

A variety of CBD products can be found at Superior Cannabis, such as CBD vaporization pens.

“They’re not like an e-cigarette vape; it’s all-natural ingredients,” Brinkman said.

Superior Cannabis Company also offers CBD oil inhalers, oils that can be dripped under the tongue and oils for massages and pain control, among other items.

“It’s a broad spectrum of hemp products,” Brinkman said. “We have personally used everything that we have on the shelves. It’s been a great learning experience.”

But sales aside, Brinkman, Cotter and Tebay hope to educate the community about the cannabis plant.

“The first thing people think is a recreational high,” Brinkman said. “CBD is a component of cannabis that has very little psycho activity. It does have a calming effect on the brain, but not a euphoric effect. There is no intoxicating effect from CBD and that’s what interested me. If you feel relaxed and pain-free from a natural plant that doesn’t affect the brain or have an intoxicating effect, that’s a pretty valuable plant.”

“I think it can help a lot of people,” he added. “We’re excited to do that.”

Even so, Superior Cannabis Company will not sell to anyone under 21, a self-imposed regulation.

“If a parent decides they want to use it for their 18-year-old, I want them to make that decision,” Brinkman said. “We knew if we opened it up to anybody that we would probably have kids coming in here. We want parents to make that decision. With Austin passing the ordinance for tobacco sales, we thought we would fit right in with that and not cause any controversy.”

Superior Cannabis Company is open from 3-6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Depending on business, the hours may expand.

Brinkman hopes to open more Superior Cannabis Company locations in the future.

“The community support for this has been incredible,” he said. “We had people coming out and volunteering their time and experience. A lot of people are looking for something different.”