5 Ways to Distinguish Real CBD Products from Fakes

Unfortunately, when you buy CBD online, there are risks attached. The market is poorly regulated, meaning anyone can create a CBD ‘brand.’ Consequently, research shows a shocking trend whereby CBD products are routinely mislabeled. 

The consequences of buying a dud product go far beyond denting your wallet. If the item isn’t adequately tested, it could contain substances damaging to your health. With so many fake CBD products on the market, it is essential to be wary when making a purchase. This article outlines five ways to differentiate between real and fake CBD.

1 – The CBD Products Come in Clear Glass (Or Even Plastic!)

We hope you know well enough to steer clear of CBD oil in a plastic bottle! However, many customers assume that a clear glass bottle is fine. After all, such containers are used to store various foods and beverages.

 Alas, a clear glass bottle is a bad sign when it comes to CBD oils and tinctures. High-quality brands ensure their liquid is bottled in dark-colored glass, usually green or brown. The problem with clear glass is that UV light breaks down the oil’s compounds. Therefore, the substance will degrade if left on a shelf for a while. In contrast, dark glass protects the CBD oil from UV light, ensuring it keeps its potency for longer.

2 – A Laundry List of Ingredients

This mainly relates to CBD oils and tinctures, as it is standard for gummies to contain many ingredients. Regarding CBD oil, all you want to see is hemp extract, MCT oil, perhaps sunflower seed oil, and natural flavors. Some brands also add terpenes that are lost during production; this is acceptable. 

However, if you see several additional ingredients in the oil, steer clear. Top-rated brands such as PureKana keep things simple by limiting the number of ingredients. As a result, you know that you’re getting premium-grade CBD oil with no filler.

3 – Ultra Low Pricing

Reputable brands sometimes give discounts and have special offers. This is usually your best chance to benefit from reasonably priced CBD products. However, in the quest for low prices, customers often buy poor-grade cannabidiol that could prove more harmful than beneficial.

Supercritical CO2 extraction is regarded as the best way to extract CBD and other important compounds from hemp. It is an expensive process, meaning companies must set a minimum price. Once you see suspiciously cheap CBD products, you must wonder whether they are safe to ingest.  

4 – No Lab Reports (Or Fake Ones)

An independent third-party lab report should test all CBD products. Reputable brands publish the results of these tests online, usually on a product’s page or a separate ‘Lab Reports’ page. These certificates of analysis (COA) include information on the cannabinoid content of products, along with evidence that they have been tested for heavy metals, pesticides, and other chemicals.

You should immediately be wary of sites that fail to publish any lab reports or make them difficult to access. It is also wise to check the date of the COA. It isn’t unusual for brands to have reports from a couple of years ago, which is another red flag.

Also, research the lab itself. Some unscrupulous CBD brands use fake laboratories hoping the customer doesn’t notice.

5 – Vague (Or No) Information on the Hemp Source

Most American customers prefer hemp grown in the United States. However, you can find excellent hemp in several European Union nations.

Look for brands that get their hemp from farms in Kentucky, Oregon, or other states known for producing high-quality hemp. If products are USDA-certified organic, all the better.

Don’t spend your cash on any company that fails to tell you where it gets its hemp. Such businesses tend to get cheap hemp that’s possibly contaminated.

Final Thoughts on Differentiating Between Real & Fake CBD Products

In a nutshell, high-quality CBD products:

 

• Are contained in dark-colored glass containers (specifically oils and tinctures)
• Contain no unnecessary ingredients
• Are competitively priced but not exceptionally cheap
• Publish recent third-party lab reports
• Come from American or EU-grown hemp 

There are plenty of brands that tick all of the above boxes, like PureKana. Therefore, make sure you visit the official websites of such brands rather than waste your money on fakes.