How To Spot Real vs Fake CBD Oil
Yes, there is such a thing as fake CBD oil, and these products can be found across Canada. There are many CBD products that lie within an unregulated market and because of this, some products may not always be what they say they are. There are many factors to consider when determining whether CBD oil is real. Let’s dig deeper into learning about what makes CBD oil real or fake.
CBD Derived from Hemp Flower
CBD or cannabidiol is a naturally occurring chemical called a cannabinoid found in the cannabis and hemp plant. Finding a true CBD product is determined by where your CBD is derived from and how we identify that by the THC content. CBD products that are hemp-derived will have below 0.3% THC which is little to no traces of THC. Cannabis-derived products will have more than 0.3% THC which means there will be enough THC to have intoxicating effects. Be sure to read the labels of your CBD products and identify where your CBD is derived from and what kind of CBD it is to ensure that it is THC-free.
Know your source
Once you have identified whether CBD is truly a hemp-derived product, the next thing to learn about is where the hemp is grown. Reputable companies will have partnerships and supply contracts with organic hemp farms that also have an extraction facility on site. Making sure that the hemp farm is certified organic and has all required certifications to ethically grow and produce CBD concentrates gives you full transparency in your products.
Analyze the quality
Speaking about the transparency of your products, the best way to figure out exactly what is in your CBD is by asking for a certificate of analysis or COA from the company you are purchasing from. A certificate of analysis is a lab report created by an accredited third-party research facility that outlines the purity and potency of a CBD product. The COA will outline things like a cannabinoid profile, the concentration of CBD in the product itself, the method of extraction, and pass or fail on heavy metals or other harmful pesticides. A reputable company with real CBD products will have their certificates of analysis right on their website to easily find. If you cannot find the COAs on the website, then it is recommended to reach out to the company and request them.
Stay away from medical claims
As more studies begin to emerge on CBD, we are seeing promising results of its health benefits. However, because CBD is not regulated as a ‘medical-grade’ product, companies are unable to make health claims about the benefits of CBD because they are not qualified to do so. If the CBD product has claims on it that state it is going to treat or cure an issue, the claim is false, and therefore, so is the product. You want to look for companies that are properly educating on the use of CBD and its positive health benefits in a way that identifies CBD as supplements such as other vitamins or minerals.
Fairly Priced
With the CBD market becoming more familiar and a variety of products coming out on the market, there are a wide range of prices circulating which is confusing to buyers. There is no regulated, standard way of pricing products to follow but the most common way to price products is by the concentration of CBD.
Identifying the concentration of CBD by analyzing the certificate of analysis and breaking that down by the price will help to understand the affordability of your CBD. There will be companies in the market who may have low concentrations of CBD at high prices, which is unaffordable, overpriced, and may not be real. Always shop around for pricing and compare concentrations between companies to see what is most affordable. Not only is pricing important, but the quality of the product should follow suit and therefore a high-quality product should be priced fairly.
Purchasing on Amazon
CBD is not regulated on Amazon and a lot of the products have little to no CBD content in them. You will see a lot of products that are identified as ‘hemp-extract’ or ‘hemp-oil’ which is also referred to as hempseed oil and these products do not have an identifiable concentration of CBD in them. CBD and hempseed oil will be individually identified on a CBD product and an amount or concentration will be associated with the type of CBD in the product. Always read the labels of your products before taking any new supplements, especially CBD. You want to make sure there is a type of CBD identified, an accurate concentration associated with the CBD, and know where your CBD is coming from.
To summarize, there in in-fact fake CBD products on the market and there are some ways to identify true products from those that are not. Understanding where CBD is derived from will tell you whether it is a pure CBD product or if it has a THC content. Knowing the source of the hemp being used for the extraction of CBD provides transparency in the product showing the true colours of its quality. Analyzing its quality through a certificate of analysis will break down the profile of the CBD from potency to purity. Doing research on the health benefits of CBD through reputable sources sheds a light on how CBD can help you instead of depending on false medical claims from unqualified companies. Lastly, buying fairly priced products that are high-quality and accurately identify a concentration of CBD are products you want to look for.
