With more and more people using CBD oil for many different types of benefits, the CBD industry has exploded over the past few years. It has quickly become one of the fastest-growing industries there is.
As consumers have started buying more of these products, there have literally been hundreds of brands and companies trying to make a mark on the industry. The market has been flooded with many types, styles, and uses of products. Add in the fact that the majority of shopping is done online today, and it can be frustrating to determine which products and brands are legit and which ones are simply a well-marketed scam. We’ll use the rest of the article to give you the information you will want to keep in mind when buying a CBD product online.
More doesn’t mean better
The majority of the time, as consumers, when we hear of getting more we automatically think value. That being said, when it comes to purchasing a CBD product online, more product can easily equal more challenges and difficulty. This is especially true if you are new to the CBD industry and don’t know exactly what it is you are looking for.
If you haven’t run into the issue yet, eventually you will. CBD products aren’t created equally. Just like anything else consumers are searching for, you will find high-quality CBD products, low-quality products, and a huge mess in between. What makes the CBD industry different and more difficult than others is the fact that it’s not exactly common knowledge to know how to separate the bad products from the good.
This results in CBD buyers buying products they are not familiar with simply based on the fact that a product or brand name is trending at the moment. With any well-planned marketing strategy, an environment can be created where people buy products that are lower quality. It doesn’t cost much money to create a trend on social media. Simply using demographics to attract the right people can mislead anyone, especially a first-time CBD buyer.
This results in money being wasted on a product that doesn’t deliver the results they are promising. On top of this, when a product has ingredients that aren’t mentioned, it can be harmful to someone’s health and lead to a situation they weren’t looking for, such as failing a drug screen.
There’s a solution
Sadly, this happens way too often and is becoming more of a common issue. It is happening enough that people are beginning to accept the outcome and mark it a loss when it comes to learning what they are doing. This doesn’t have to be acceptable. There is something you can do! Educate yourself and become more aware of exactly what you should be looking for on these websites. With new products hitting the market on a weekly basis, as a consumer, it’s vital that you know the key characteristics of a great CBD product.
Plenty of us has spent years making mistakes when it comes to what to look for when searching for a reliable CBD product. Here’s the list we want everyone to learn from in order to keep themselves from making the same mistakes we have,
Is a third-party testing the products?
While CBD products are now legal on the federal level in the United States, the products currently are not being federally regulated. This means anyone with a printer can print labels saying their product is something it isn’t. Back this with spending a little money on an ad campaign on a social media platform, and you can have thousands of people buying something that isn’t what it’s being advertised as.
If you are new to CBD products, make sure you are buying something that has been tested by a third-party, independent lab. This holds the company and brand responsible for how they advertise their products. If a company does have its product tested and they have nothing to hide, you will easily be able to find the results of the test.
More often than not, the results for each product can be found on the brand’s website. Every now and then you will find a product that has the results printed on the packaging. Be careful with this. Just because a product doesn’t have results on the label or package doesn’t mean the product hasn’t been tested by a third party. More often than not the company simply publishes the results on its website to save some money on packaging. Nothing wrong with that at all. The goal is to sell a top-notch product, not a fancy label.
If you do spend time going over the website and can’t find these results, we suggest avoiding the product. This testing isn’t exactly cheap and if a company is providing what they advertise, they will make it as easy as possible for you to find these results. They wouldn’t simply forget to provide them. If you can’t easily find these numbers and stats, the company has something they are trying to hide.
What to look for in lab results?
Once you have found the results of the testing, there are a few specifics you will want to see. For starters, who did the testing? Is this an accredited lab? Are they doing the testing for other brands and companies? The entire CBD industry can be shady if you are looking in the wrong place. Just like there are brands and products to steer clear from, there are also bad testing companies willing to do whatever it takes to produce more profit. Make sure they have been accredited by the ISO, International Organization for Standardization.
Also, what was the date of the report from the lab being approved? There are yet to be specific guidelines on how often a product needs to be analyzed. No, you shouldn’t expect the same product to be tested every four to eight weeks. As we mentioned earlier, this testing isn’t cheap. That being said, you don’t want to see results from a test that is from more than 12 months ago. Again, if a company is sure they are marketing and promoting their product for what it is, they will want you to regularly see these results.
There are tons of different things a company can test their product for. What matters most is what they offer is contaminant-free, the cannabinoid content listed by the product is demonstrated through the results, and many people will want to know where the cannabis was grown. This is all information that should be listed within the lab results.
Is the THC level .3 percent or less?
While many states have made it legal to use a CBD product, many others haven’t. In order for a specific product to be legal on the federal level and be ok to use where it is not against the law, the product can not have a THC level above .3 percent. That’s the amount that was determined could safely be used without the person getting high like they would if they were smoking marijuana.
Many people believe the misconception that because CBD is derived from the cannabis plant, you can’t use it without getting high. This simply isn’t true. As long as the THC level is under the legal level of .3 percent, you will not get high using CBD, regardless of the method you are using. Unless you live in one of the states that have legalized the use of THC, it’s very important that the CBD product you are using meets this specific guideline.
Which other ingredients are used in the product?
Just as important as seeing the results of testing from a lab, you need to make sure you spend a few seconds going over the product’s listed ingredients. If you are unable to find the ingredient list, this should be a sign that you need to avoid the product. Again, if a company is being honest about their product, this is information they will want to make sure you can find.
It is often recommended to only use products that contain all-natural and organic ingredients. You may also be interested in a product that specifically includes ingredients that will enhance the benefits of using CBD oil such as vitamin B12 or melatonin.
How was the hemp cultivated and where did it come from?
CBD is primarily extracted from a hemp plant. The quality of the CBD oil is greatly influenced by the hemp’s quality. There are plenty of CBD companies and brands going to great links to build and maintain strong relationships with the hemp supplier. On the other hand, there are just as many CBD companies concerned with getting the best deal they can on a larger amount.
If a brand doesn’t provide information concerning where the hemp is grown, that’s a good sign that they don’t know themselves. The United States mandates some of the best farming practices you will find in the world. Because of this, hemp that is grown here will generally be much better quality. Again, because CBD products are federally regulated, anyone can tell anyone what they want to hear.
You are much better dealing with a CBD company that has a strong business relationship with their hemp provider. Not only are farming practices much stricter in the United States, but there are also serious requirements on the land being used for farming. Qualities such as soil being used and the surrounding environmental area of the farm are key factors that too often go overlooked. Be sure you know the history of the product you are buying to ensure the quality is higher.
What are others saying about the brand or product?
If you are new to using CBD, what others are saying needs to play a factor. A quick Google search of the product will provide you with the comments others have left. Keep in mind, a lot of negative is said simply as a result of someone having unreal expectations that were not met.
Use some discernment when going over the comments. Was this person simply looking for a miracle product and they were let down? Or do they have a legitimate complaint with the product? What is the ratio of positive comments to negative ones? What was the person using a CBD product for? This information will provide you with details leading you to a product that will fit your needs.
This is by no means a complete list of everything you need to know about buying a CBD product online. These are simply a few topics that are often overlooked by someone who is new to buying CBD. By doing some simple research, you place yourself in a better position to buy a product that will work for what you need. Happy shopping!