How to Choose a CBD Product

CBD products are everywhere!

How can you sort thru the confusion and select a high-quality product? Follow the guidance below:

Transparency: Companies should be willing to make certificates of analyses (COAs) available, in real time. A certificate of analysis is a lab report which details the amount of CBD, and other ingredients (eg, THC), in the product. A few additional points:
1. The lab doing the testing should be independent (ie, It should not be owned by the manufacturer of the product, or have any other conflicts of interest).
2. Testing should be done on the finished product itself (ie, The product to be purchased), not just the bulk hemp/CBD oil that will eventually be included in multiple finished products.
3. Look for testing that includes pesticides, microbials, mycotoxins and heavy metals. The Cannabis plant absorbs heavy metals, pesticides and other potentially harmful chemicals that may be in the soil or water. This level of testing is more expensive, but some companies are willing to pay the added cost to reassure consumers.
4. COAs should be easily accessible. You shouldn’t have to email or call customer service. Ideally, manufacturers would include a QR Code on the label of their products. When scanned, the COA for the batch from which the product was manufactured would appear. Some companies are already doing this.

Look for testing that includes pesticides, microbials, mycotoxins and heavy metals.

Labeling: Companies should be willing to put the amount of CBD - per serving - on their label.
1. It’s surprising how many companies avoid this. Most put the amount of CBD in the entire product on the FRONT label, but disappointingly few put the amount per serving on the BACK label. This is critical information.
2. Be wary of companies that use health-related claims in their marketing materials and on their websites. These messages may be compelling, and worse, they may promote exactly the desired outcome (eg, “CBD reduces pain from arthritis”). However…these claims are clearly in violation of FDA guidelines.

Companies that are seeking to be market leaders are careful about these claims. Companies that are not…are not.

Industry regulation: The FDA is still deciding how to regulate products containing CBD. In the meantime, industry has stepped forward to propose their own regulations. The US Hemp Authority is an industry-funded organization with a goal of promoting best practices among manufacturers of CBD products.
1. The US hemp authority has a certification program that covers a number of aspects including GMPs, ISO quality standards, Standard Operating Procedures, farming practices and others. Their website is a good resource. Among other things, there is a list of companies that have met their certification criteria.

Testing should be done on the finished product itself (ie, The product to be purchased), not just the bulk hemp/CBD oil that will eventually be included in multiple finished products.

Clinical research: Companies that fund research on their products understand what is needed to sustain this market for the long-term.
1. Clinical research is expensive, and takes time, but it’s critical to safety and efficacy. Only a small fraction of companies that currently manufacture and sell CBD products fund research. Support the companies that do (e.g., CV Sciences, Ananda Professional)!