The Contamination and Mislabeling of CBD Products | Chow420

August 19, 2022

The recent spate of legislation legalizing medicinal or recreational marijuana has helped fuel interest in the potential medical benefits of using CBD (cannabidiol). Some of this interest is because of its association with marijuana, but CBD is quite different from the common perceptions about marijuana.

If you are thinking about jumping on the CBD bandwagon, here are some things you should know.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical naturally occurring in the cannabis Sativa plant (marijuana plant).

CBD releases neurotransmitters that interact with your complex endocannabinoid system, which helps regulate many of your bodily functions. These include sleep, appetite, digestion, memory, mood, reaction to pain, inflammation, and other immune responses.

What is so great about CBD?

There is no surprise that people from all levels of society perk up when they hear about CBD, especially if they have been frustrated seeking relief from any number of physical issues.

In addition to the prospect of relief, CBD use is appealing for these four reasons:

It is typically unregulated if it contains less than .03% THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol).
There is growing evidence that it delivers a broad range of medicinal benefits.
It doesn’t make people high because of the insignificant amount of TCH.
There is no evidence of CBD abuse.

What’s not to like? It is estimated that the CBD market exceeds $2 billion in annual sales.

Why do people use CBD products from Chow420?

A sample of the most reported benefits of using CBD are:

Relieves multiple common arthritis symptoms
Relieves specific symptoms associated with Crohn’s disease
Lowers insulin resistance to help manage diabetes
Calms your endocannabinoid system to lessen anxiety and help overcome insomnia
Relieves certain chronic pain conditions when used along with other drugs
Has a therapeutic effect on children suffering from seizure disorders

Claims vary and haven’t always been supported by clinical studies. Overwhelming anecdotal evidence, however, supports claims regarding several medicinal benefits of CBD.

Can you trust CBD products?

Yes – but only if you buy reliable brands from a trustworthy source.

As with any products that you put into your body, especially ones from a newer, emerging industry, using them comes with a word of caution.

The CBD industry is mostly unregulated, and an increasing volume of sales occurs online or at non-dispensary retailers. This adds to the appeal and availability of its projects, but also presents two prospective problems:

Studies have shown that as much as 70% of CBD products sold online are affected by one or both issues.

Why is contamination a problem with CBG?

Marketers of CBG products are required by law to assess the amount of THC they contain because THC can get you high and may cause cognitive impairment and other health problems. They are not, however, obliged to test to determine the exact contents of their products.

Inferior quality control can result in finding undesirable components in CBD products, including:

Lead, arsenic, and other heavy metals.
Pesticides.
Toxic mold.
Other impurities could potentially be dangerous.

None of these things are good for you, and you don’t want to put any of them in your body.

Why is mislabeling a problem with CBG?

Mislabeled CBD products are a problem because it's important to know what you’re buying and putting in your body.

Studies have revealed that CBG products sold online and by non-dispensary retailers were frequently over labeled or under labeled:

Nearly half had a higher concentration of CBD than was stated on the label.
More than a quarter had a lesser concentration of CBD than was stated on the label.
Sadly, less than a third of the tested products were within 10% of what they claimed on their labels.

Your concern about mislabeling should go beyond just demanding that you get what you pay for. Here are two reasons why:

Products that don’t contain what they claim can nullify the potential clinical effects that you expect. In other words, the product just won’t work.
Products with contents that inconsistently vary from batch to batch can result in uneven, unpredictable effects for their users. In other words, you can’t depend on them.

The bottom line is that you want to buy your CBG from a reliable, trustworthy source.

How to confidently select CBD products

The good news is that it’s easy to be an informed and discerning consumer of CBD products.

Quality CBD brands and retailers are willing to transparently display the contents as well as third-party test results that back up their contents and claims. Third-party testing will verify that the product is free of impurities, has low THC levels, has high CBD levels, and verifies that the label is accurate, as seen on Chow420.com

Conclusion

There is growing evidence that CBD products can be safe and effective medicinal remedies for a variety of conditions.

Millions of people swear by their medicinal effectiveness, especially for relieving nagging pain. CBD is also reputed to be effective for easing discomforts associated with insomnia, arthritis, seizures, insulin management, and more.

The CBD industry is newer and is less regulated than other industries. Consequently, in many instances, CBD products may be contaminated or mislabeled, especially those purchased online.

You can protect yourself against using contaminated or mislabeled CBD products by reviewing test results conducted by third-party laboratories. These will confirm what is in the product. Top-quality online sellers will be transparent and committed to safety and quality.