These days, you can find CBD products anywhere from gas stations to Whole Foods. But ubiquitous though they may be, they are not all created equal. Indeed, they’re not even all manufactured to be safe to ingest. The FDA does not regulate CBD products, which means there’s no oversight or requirement that the product itself matches the label printed on it.
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, 70% of unregulated CBD products don’t actually contain the amount of CBD their labeling claims. In fact, some of them have only trace amounts of the cannabinoid, while many were found to contain forms of illicit synthetic cannabis and no CBD at all. So how can you be sure you’re getting the CBD you came for?
Hello, dispensary.
If you live in a state that regulates cannabis, you are blessed with the privilege of buying CBD that is rigorously tested and meticulously labeled with everything the product contains. It’s the law. But it only applies to CBD sold at dispensaries – not Whole Foods. Not the gas station. Not anywhere else. If it’s on a dispensary shelf, the vast majority of the time you can rest assured that it has been independently lab-tested to ensure it is free of pesticides and harmful chemicals, contains the advertised amount of CBD and discloses any ingredients or additives used in manufacturing.
Most people who seek out CBD products are not looking to get high, they’re looking to get healed. So, it’s even more important to know exactly what’s in the product you’re about to put in your body to prevent unintentionally sabotaging your health. Mold, pesticides, microbials and heavy metals can all end up in CBD found on the unregulated market, and ingesting these chemicals over time can lead to serious illness and disease – even cancer, which incidentally, many people buy CBD to treat.
If you think this consideration is only relevant for CBD you ingest, think again. Even creams and topicals can have harsh – even toxic – chemicals that can penetrate the skin and enter your bloodstream. But without the regulation that oversees the licensed cannabis industry, it would be virtually impossible to know if and how much of these chemicals have found their way into over-the-counter CBD products.
Another major advantage to sourcing CBD from dispensaries is the wide availability of full-spectrum CBD products. While CBD derived from hemp may come from a whole-plant extraction, many are stripped-down, pure CBD extracts. And though “pure CBD” has a nice ring to it, this singular cannabinoid working on its own does not contain the benefits of the “entourage effect” that full-spectrum CBD products provide. This means that when you buy full-spectrum, you don’t just get CBD, you get a symphony of other components of the plant that contribute to wellbeing – from terpenes and flavonoids to a wide range of other cannabinoids – which together create a certain synergy that provides a broader spectrum of care and relief. Dispensaries often carry a vast array of full-spectrum CBD products, in addition to pure CBD for those whose conditions require it – all lab-tested for quality.
So, why leave your health up to chance when you can get legit CBD that is tested and true from your favorite dispensary? And from budtenders who are trained to help you navigate the menu and find the very best CBD for your unique needs? It’s a no-brainer. Buy gas at the gas station. Buy CBD from your local dispensary.
