By now you’ve probably heard of CBD (cannabidiol), a natural compound found in the cannabis plant. Its gained popularity in the news as more and more people are using it to treat a variety of symptoms. Unlike THC, another compound found in cannabis, CBD is not psychoactive —meaning it doesn’t change your state of mind when you use it.
Though the use of CBD is growing rapidly, the industry is still in its early stages. It’s important to note that not all CBD is created equal.
Use caution when deciding what you purchase and where you purchase it. Some brands cut corners and deliver inferior products to save money. Here are a few things to look for when purchasing your CBD products:
Safe ingredients. Do you really want any fillers or unnecessary chemical flavors? Review any chemicals that you are not familiar with before ingesting them.
Quality ingredients. Most CBD oils use a carrier oil such as coconut oil and hempseed oil. Just like olive oil, there are different grades of these oils and it impacts the flavor.
Accurate labels. Look for clearly stated ingredient lists and nutritional information.
Test results from 3rd party laboratories. Check the supplier’s website for lab results. Make sure the CBD content on the lab report matches what is stated on the product label and that the THC content is less than 0.3%
Full spectrum vs isolate. A big difference between CBD products is whether the CBD oil is full spectrum or an isolate. CBD is just one of over 100 compounds found in the cannabis plant. Each compound has the potential to magnify the benefits of the others (called the “entourage effect”). A full spectrum CBD product will contain a wide variety of these compounds, including up to 0.3% THC (not enough to get you high but enough to increase the entourage effect), while an isolate only has CBD.
Even though CBD is now available at convenience stores, liquor stores and more, it’s never a good idea to buy from an outlet where the staff might be uneducated about the products and their effects. Also, beware of buying on the internet. Most doctors recommend that you not buy CBD online unless it’s from a retailer that has a local location that you are already familiar with. Without verification there are just too many downsides. The best way to protect yourself and make sure you get the safest, highest quality CBD is to shop at a local specialty store that puts their products — and their associates — through a rigorous vetting process.
A local store specializing in CBD and other remedies should be able to show you testing reports for all their products from a third-party lab, information about their growers and growing processes, the extraction method used for each product, and whether or not the CBD is full spectrum. And, of course, they’ll be able to guide you to the products which will be most effective for your specific symptoms and advise you on dosing and administration of the CBD.
Cape Ann Botanicals is a local CBD store that can provide you with testing results, nursing consultations, and other useful information about the products they sell. For more information about how CBD may help with a variety of ailments, visit www.capeannbotanicals.com or one of the stores: 8 Central Street in Ipswich (978-356-3493) or 49 Pleasant Street in Newburyport (978-462-6200)