The popularity of the cannabis extract CBD increases daily, with an estimated 250,000 people using the food supplement to support a healthy lifestyle. However with popularity, also comes some scrutiny as to whether what has been sold to you as CBD, is in fact CBD at all. Let’s take a look at the CBD Certificate of Analysis and how you can make sure that the premium CBD oil you’re buying has the appropriate content of CBD within it.
What is in My CBD?
The most commonly found CBD products are CBD Oil, which is placed directly under the tongue or mixed with food and drink, and CBD Vape Oil which is used with an e-cigarette or vaporizer. Additionally, CBD seems to be cropping up in many of your household items now too. From face cream and coffee to chocolate and beer, CBD is more often than not blended in one way or another with other items.
CBD is just one of over a hundred cannabinoid molecules found in the cannabis species of plants that includes the industrially used hemp plant. Other cannabinoids that exist include the known psychoactive molecule THC, as well as THCA, CBDV, CBN, CBDV and more.
A bottle of VSAVI's 10ml CBD Oil, for instance, will typically contain a measure of between 300mg – 1500mg of CBD that has been extracted from high-grade hemp. This is then blended with a high-grade olive oil to produce the final product. VSAVI’s CBD Vape Oil uses the same CBD together with a blend of the commonly used e-liquid of propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG).
The CBD Cowboys
While a few years ago there may have been a handful of CBD producers, the market has since become flooded with sellers citing unsubstantiated health claims and marketing products inaccurately. Leaving CBD customers in a mire of confusion, you can be forgiven for being distracted by the numerous shiny offerings out there. Whether being endorsed by celebrities on social media or recommended by a friend, not all CBD products are necessarily what they seem.
As reported by the BBC recently, random tests conducted on CBD products from different companies yielded some suspect results, with over half of the 30 products tested not having the correct content of CBD as labelled. Additionally, almost half the products contained quantities of THC that exceeded the legal limit of 0.1%.
A naturally concerning state of affairs, how do you as a customer know what you’re buying is what the company selling it to you say it is? It’s not like you have a laboratory in the back garden that can help. Luckily for you, you don’t need a lab or white-coat - you simply need to know that your CBD product has a batch number and an accompanying CBD Certificate of Analysis that your seller can provide for you.
What is a CBD Certificate of Analysis?
A CBD Certificate of Analysis is the documentation from the CBD manufacturer that details the purity of CBD that has been extracted, A result will typically display various cannabinoids that may have been picked up while being analysed, such as the cannabinoids like THC and CBN mentioned earlier. While these cannabinoids are picked up, the quantity will be below any kind of adverse level and within the legal limit.
In the case of a cowboy CBD, these results would contain high levels that exceed the legal limit.
Any legally compliant, reputable and responsible seller should be able to provide you with a certificate. If they can’t, then you’ll know that all’s not what it seems. Stay safe, ask to see a CBD Certificate of Analysis.