CBD Quality..What’s Really In Your CBD?

CBD Source – Hemp vs. Cannabis

CBD is CBD. RIght? While that is true, it isn’t all of the same quality or even from the same plant. There has been a massive increase in CBD use, which has created an influx of different brands and products for us to try! This has been great for cannabis and for us consumers in terms of variety, but we need to make sure we are getting the safest, cleanest and most effective product. 

Let’s take a look at how we can do that. 

Hemp Derived CBD (seen in gas stations, online, etc.)
  • Sourced from low-resin hemp plants, typically grown outside
  • Requires a lot of plant material to produce a fraction of what a medical plant can produce
  • More plant material increases risk of toxins and byproducts
  • Usually unregulated and sold out at easy access places such as gas stations and online
  • Lacks the full spectrum benefits that comes from the inclusion of other cannabinoids and terpenes due to heavy processing
  • CBD content is often mislabeled because it either wasn’t accurately tested or wasn’t tested at all. In fact, a study published in 2022 testing 80 hemp-derived products purchased online and at local shops, only half were labeled within 10% of their actual CBD content.
  • Another study in 2017 found that only 31 percent of products were labeled accurately!
  • Inaccurate labeling means you may be over-consuming or under-consuming CBD. Neither is good.
  • Can be a viable option if the product is grown on a certified organic farm and is shown to be lab tested for toxins, including heavy metals. 
Medical Cannabis Derived CBD (seen at dispensaries and licensed sellers)
  • Sourced from high-resin medical cannabis plants or “drug” plants
  • These high-resin plants don’t require much plant material, therefore creating higher quality and higher CBD %.
  • Regulated product since it is coming from a medical plant that not just anyone can grow.
  • This means it is tested for heavy metals, pesticides, and mold before being sold on shelves.
  • The labeling is much more accurate as more rigorous testing is required by law. 
  • There is also labeling done if there is any amount of THC or THCA in the product.
  • Other cannabinoids, as well as terpenes, are present and create the “entourage effect” or a synergistic bond between these compounds.
Do Your Own Research

Many of us don’t have access to a dispensary. Whether it is medical or recreational. If that is the case, hemp CBD may be the only option. Be sure to do research. Find out the brand of the product that is sold near you and find out as much as you can. Even give them a call if possible. Find out what kind of testing is done to ensure it is of highest quality and has accurate labeling.

Look at reviews of products as well. Reddit and other forums are a great place to find trusted reviews. Just type in a product on google and see what comes up. 

We will try to keep an up to date tab on CBD products that we recommend. The landscape is changing rapidly and many people are just out to sell a cheap product to make a quick buck. Stay safe out there, and if there are any questions, feel free to reach out to us.

References and Licenses:
  1. Johnson, E., Kilgore, M. & Babalonis, S. Label accuracy of unregulated cannabidiol (CBD) products: measured concentration vs. label claim. J Cannabis Res 4, 28 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-022-00140-1
  2. Bonn-Miller MO, Loflin MJE, Thomas BF, Marcu JP, Hyke T, Vandrey R. Labeling Accuracy of Cannabidiol Extracts Sold Online. JAMA. 2017;318(17):1708–1709. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.11909