You can choose to ignore it as another ‘voguish’ trend carved out by a savvy and partly-unscrupulous nutraceutical industry that thrives on buzzwords.
But you cannot deny that CBD’s popularity has as much to do with scores of anecdotal-instances that are flooding social media.
Advertisements can be churned out by the dozens.
Surrounding you with colorful images about a natural, alternative panacea is a great sales tactic.
What cannot be doctored though, are life-changing stories like this and this.
Clearly, CBD has a lot going for it, and if the sheer number of clinical studies that are underway are to go by, then it is here to stay.
Why it might well change the way we treat some of the most debilitating conditions that we are currently struggling with.
That said, the industry is nascent. It’s unregulated.
There aren’t enough brands or manufacturers with repute and trustworthiness.
Moreover, there’s a clear imbalance between supply and demand, which is burgeoning with each passing day.
When this occurs in any industry, there’s automatically an influx of smaller players who enter the space trying to pass off their lower quality products as the holy grail.
That’s precisely what’s happening with CBD.
If you are shopping for CBD for the first time, then here are 10 pitfalls that you’d want to avoid at any cost.
#1 – Buying Cheap CBD
CBD and Cheap are a paradox.
Don’t get swayed by fancy vials of CBD oil at dirt-cheap prices on online stores. Those might be terribly under dosed, or even worse, may not contain CBD at all.
Extracting quality CBD oil requires two things.
- A reliable source of industrial hemp
- Specialized equipment that on an average, costs $80000 – $200000
While there’s an abundance of organically-grown hemp available in the United States following the Farm Bill of 2018, not every brand can afford the machinery and the expertise needed for CO2 supercritical extraction, which is the preferred extraction method for CBD oil.
Any brand that can afford CO2 extraction will have an extensive range of CBD oils in precise concentrations.
Their products are also more likely to be third-party certified, which is another sizeable addition to the manufacturing cost. Then there’s advertising.
More the competition, higher the advertising cost.
In a nutshell, quality CBD oil will not be cheap.
Cheap will rarely be a quality, reliable product.
#2 – Not knowing the difference between Hemp oil and CBD oil
Hemp Oil is not the same as CBD oil.
While both these products are sourced from Industrial hemp, they are not the same.
Hemp oil, also known as Hemp seed oil or Hemp extract, may be extracted from the seeds of the plant. It is rich in Omega 3, 6 & 9 and is widely used in cosmetics as well as the Food & Beverage industry.
CBD oil on the other hand is extracted from the stem, the leaves and the flowers of the plant. It can contain anywhere from 5 to 30% of Cannabidiol or CBD, the phytocannabinoid that is responsible for the plethora of health benefits.
Hemp seed oil may not contain CBD at all.
That doesn’t stop manufacturers from pasting the Hemp leaf label on the bottle and selling it for a premium.
Be aware of the difference between the two and shop according to your needs.
#3 – Not looking for third party certified CBD oil
Third-party certification is the hallmark of a quality CBD product, considering that testing is voluntary in most states in America.
Any brand that goes the extra mile to get their products tested for concentration, purity, terpenes, solvents, contamination, pesticides, mold and mildew and heavy metals, should be considered more reliable and trustworthy than a brand that just slaps a fancy label on their products and puts it up for sale.
Low-quality CBD oil is typically mass-procured from overseas.
It can also be sourced from biomass facilities and may be table-dressed or not contain CBD at all.
Look for products that offer independent third-party certificates for every batch of product. That’s the finished product mind you. Not the Certificate of Analysis for the raw material.
While there are no fixed rules for testing Cannabis, different states have created their own guidelines which were formed after the VAPI lung injury outbreak in 2019.
#4 – Not being aware of CBD vs. THC
Any CBD oil or CBD product that you buy online must contain less than 0.3% of THC and has to be sourced from Industrial Hemp.
If it contains more than that or it is sourced from Marijuana plant, which is a distant cousin of the Cannabis Sativa plant, then it’s classified as Marijuana oil. Not CBD.
Marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance in most parts of the USA and you could land yourself in trouble, if you are caught with CBD oil that contains more than trace amounts of THC.
This is why a third-party certificate is so crucial.
#5 – Not knowing about the origin of the Hemp
Like we briefly mentioned a while ago, there’s no dearth of quality, organic, homegrown industrial hemp in the United States anymore.
But, that does not stop some manufacturers from sourcing their hemp from overseas.
While that might not necessarily be a bad thing, it is crucial for you to know the origin of the Hemp.
Hemp is a bio-accumulator which absorbs anything that it comes into contact with in the environment that it is grown in. So, it can absorb pesticides, chemicals residue, heavy metals and other toxins which will eventually be passed on to the CBD oil extracted from it.
Buy CBD sourced from organically-grown Hemp only.
If possible, buy CBD oil extracted from Hemp grown in the USA or Europe.
China and other south Asian countries are notorious for poor agricultural practices, so it’s best to avoid products sourced from Asian grown hemp.
#6 – Not understanding the ingredient list
Many a time, brands throw in ingredients that add no real value to the final product. This can be a preservative to increase the shelf-life or an artificial flavor to improve the palatability.
Some brands even add sugar to make the oil more appealing to a specific demographic.
Check the ingredient list carefully, especially for synthetic additives. Check the origin of the carrier oil used in the product.
Check the preservatives used in it.
Every ingredient should be minutely scrutinized to avoid being fobbed off.
#7 – Not evaluating the active CBD dose
It’s crucial to know the exact concentration of CBD in the product you buy, both per dose and in total.
This will allow you to accurately measure your dosage and work your way from a low dose to a tolerable and safe one.
More importantly, it will prevent the risk of overdosing, which may cause some unwanted side effects.
In a study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania that was published in the Jama Network, it was revealed that 70% of the CBD products that are sold online are mislabeled or under-dosed.
Another, more recent study was published by Bonn-Miller in the Journals of the American Medical Association also concurred that only 30.95% of the 84 CBD products that they sourced from 25 companies, were accurately dosed.
What’s alarming is that many contained more THC than what’s considered legal.
#8 – Buying the highest potency product
While it may be very tempting to start off with the highest dosage of CBD to achieve the therapeutic benefits as soon as possible, it’s not the smartest idea.
If this is the first time you are using CBD, you have no idea of how sensitive your system is to the effects of Cannabidiol.
In such a scenario, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and start from the lowest possible dose and work your way to a dose where you experience the positive benefits.
Buying a low concentration product will help you to adapt and adjust the dose. Also, it lets you micro-dose if need be.
On the other hand, if you buy a high potency product, it will become very difficult to adjust your dosage once you reach a plateau, which is when you stop experiencing further benefits.
#9 – Assuming that all types of CBD oil are the same
There are three types of CBD oils being sold in the market. It’s important to pick one that’s suited to your specific needs.
- CBD Isolate: CBD Isolate is pure CBD oil extracted with CO2 Supercritical extraction mixed with a carrier oil, like Hemp seed oil or any MCT oil. It does not contain any other cannabinoids except CBD. It is best suited for therapeutic applications like preventing-nausea, certain-types of epilepsy and preventing SAD (societal-anxiety-disorder).
- Full-Spectrum CBD oil: This type of oil contains all the cannabinoids found in the Cannabis plant. This includes Cannabidiol (CBD), Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), Cannabigerol (CBG) and Cannabichromene (CBC) among others. It also contains terpenes which are aromatic molecules which are used in aromatherapy. According to some researchers, full spectrum oils are more beneficial than isolates because Cannabinoids work better in synergy. This effect is called the Entourage effect and it is still being researched. All said and done, full spectrum cannabis oil may not always be sourced from Industrial hemp. So it may contain more than the stipulated 0.3% of THC and can produce the psychoactive effects of the plant. If you purely seek the therapeutic benefits without the high, then you are better off with CBD Isolate or Broad Spectrum oil. On the other hand, if you are specifically looking for the entourage effect of cannabinoids, then full-spectrum might be a better pick.
- Broad-spectrum CBD oil: Broad-Spectrum is essentially full-spectrum CBD oil without THC. So, this will partly produce the entourage effect without causing the psychoactive effects of pot. We said partly, because THC plays a key role in the entourage effect.
#10 – Not being aware of the effects of CBD
Most of the people who end up disappointed with CBD are the ones who aren’t aware of the positive effects and how it works in the body.
CBD is known to interact with the Endocannabinoid system, a network that regulates several critical biological functions in the body. Although, more recent research has revealed that it may also have a profound effect on several other biological pathways, by which it exerts its action.
This may take weeks or even months.
For example, people who use it for anxiety-relief, may not notice the positive effects for almost two to three weeks.
It is important to be consistent with your dosage and work your way to a dose where you start to feel the effects.
There’s also a remote possibility that it might not work for you.
Despite what you might have read about it or what vendors would like you to believe, CBD is not a quick-fix.
Changes can be very subtle when you start off. They can also be painstakingly slow, depending on what you are using it for.
Don’t expect miracles overnight. Educate yourself about the effects and be patient.