As many of us know by now, not all CBD brands are created equal. Some people go into this business with pure intentions because they truly believe in their product and the benefits that it can provide to consumers. Others are in it strictly out of greed in a booming, fairly new industry. We want to shed light on the difference and help you find trusted stores and brands so that there is no question whether your product is pure CBD or snake oil! Let’s first dive into dilutions, since this is typically how people get away with false advertisements.

Diluted Products for Different Reasons

Dilution is one of the most talked about topics in CBD as of late. Why? When it comes to hemp, manufacturers must dilute their end products to ensure that they comply with legal guidelines in terms of THC (the end product must have 0.3% THC or less to be considered a legal hemp product in the US). Even if the product is THC-free, dilution still occurs so that the product has the appropriate content ratio of cannabinoids and phytonutrients to carrier oil. Other (less favorable) reasons people may dilute their products is to mask contaminants that may be present, such as heavy metals, fillers, or pesticides. This can be very dangerous as ingesting those ingredients proves to be harmful to our health. These people may also be trying to save themselves money and will fill the bottle with cheaper solutions, resulting in a potentially toxic, ineffective product with very little to no quality CBD. Ultimately, as consumers, it is our responsibility to do our research on the products we come across before we decide what to go with. Don’t worry, we know it’s a lot and we’re here to help you understand.

Questions to Ask

One of the biggest concerns we face today with many brands is lack of transparency and test results to back up the claims that a product is pure. Here are some questions we can ask the seller/brand:

• Has this product been third party tested in a qualified lab?
• Can I see the Certificate of Analysis (COA)?
• Is it safe to ingest?
• What are the other ingredients?
• What is the cannabinoid content/ratio?
• How was the product grown?
• How was the product extracted?

It is vital to speak to someone that is happy to answer these questions for you, like any of our cannabinoid consultants at Happy Trails. If you’re reading this, you’re probably on your own mission to feel better and live a healthier lifestyle, so many of us have made reading labels a habit to see what, if any, additives are in the products we are purchasing. We should be this diligent when it comes to our CBD as well!

Feel free to reach out to us if you ever have a question (many of you already do!), and visit us at HappyTrailsMED.com!