CBD Lab Test Results, Why Should You Care About Them?

Knowing how to read CBD lab test results is crucial for you to get the best CBD products. There are many sketchy manufacturers that completely opt out of testing their CBD products at trustworthy laboratories.

You should avoid buying any CBD product that doesn’t carry a reliable lab test report showing its chemical composition. In fact, if the CBD product contains more than 0.3% THC, it is not eligible for legal sale in the United States.

The only circumstance in which that would be otherwise is if it is in one state that legalized marijuana for recreational purposes. Whatever the case, this article provides information on why you need to read CBD lab test results before buying a CBD product.

Cannabinoids

Cannabinoids are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant. When it comes to cannabinoids, the cannabinoids of plant origin go by the name of phytocannabinoids. Meanwhile, cannabinoids produced by human and animal bodies are endocannabinoids.

There are more than 100 different phytocannabinoids already identified. The most notorious out of them all is THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. THC is the psychoactive agent that makes you high when you ingest or smoke the cannabis flower.

Cannabidiol or CBD is the second-most prevalent cannabinoid inside the plant. For its part, CBD has many therapeutic benefits, yet, it is entirely free from the psychoactivity plaguing THC. Hence, it will not make you high.

What Is CBD?

CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one abundant phytocannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. It can come from either Cannabis Sativa or Cannabis Indica plants. CBD shot to fame rather recently due to the fact that both enthusiasts and researchers concluded it had some therapeutic benefits.

Thus, a sort of race happened between manufacturers where they scrambled to come up with different CBD products. They have not been short on ideas so far either, with a number of different presentations available on the market.

Where Does CBD Come From?

Manufacturers can extract CBD from both Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica plants. Cannabis Sativa has two different main varieties referred to as marijuana and hemp.

It is possible for you to extract CBD from both of these varieties of cannabis. Yet, CBD extracted from marijuana is something that, for the most part, is not legal in the U.S.

The only way in which you can enjoy it safely is in a state that previously legalized marijuana for recreational purposes. That is because CBD extracted from marijuana contains more than 0.3% THC, which is the defined legal limit for CBD products.

When the THC content of one CBD product exceeds said limit, authorities are able to consider it the same as marijuana. Something that does not pan out great for you, the consumer, if you are carrying it outside a recreational marijuana state. As a consequence, you risk suffering the legal punishment for marijuana possession when carrying CBD exceeding 0.3% THC.

Never mind the fact that it is not really marijuana. Authorities can lean into the technicality of considering all CBD products over the THC limit the same as marijuana.  On the other hand, CBD products derived from industrial hemp are legal in the majority of states since they have 0.3% THC or less.

How Is Industrial Hemp Different from Marijuana?

Marijuana and hemp are two varieties of the Cannabis Sativa plant. Both of these plants have CBD and THC.

Marijuana has more THC and less CBD, while hemp has a higher CBD level and but comparatively negligible THC. That is why you need to always look for a CBD product extracted from industrial hemp, so it’s compliant with federal law.

Hemp extracted CBD contains less than 0.3% THC and is legal in a majority of states and at the federal level as well. When extracted from Marijuana, CBD will likely contain more than 0.3% THC. Thus, allowing the authorities to treat it as marijuana and punish you accordingly where the latter is illegal.

Can You Extract CBD From the Marijuana Plant?

Yes, it is possible, but marijuana extracted CBD contains more than 0.3% THC, and the law can treat it the same as marijuana. Thus, you would need to live in a state that already legalized the use of recreational marijuana to safely purchase CBD products derived from it.

How Do they Extract CBD From Marijuana and Hemp?

The CO2 extraction method is the most effective technique to extract CBD from cannabis. CO2 is quite a versatile gas with many commercial applications. It is a common element used to extract chemical compounds from plant matter.

Manufacturers use CO2 in its normal state and a supercritical liquid form. CO2 gas undergoes compression in a highly pressurized chamber known as a closed-loop extractor until it becomes a liquid.

They then pass that liquid over the cannabis material to strip away cannabinoids like CBD. The solution undergoes heating and pressuring until reverting to gas and evaporating. This process will leave behind the CBD extracted from the marijuana plant.

What Classifies as Industrial Hemp?

The term industrial hemp dates back to the early 1960s and refers to a cannabis variety with low levels of THC. Hemp-derived CBD has less than 0.3% THC and became federally legal in the U.S. thanks to the 2018 farm bill.

However, the farm bill also allows for each state to come up with its own CBD laws instead of forcing them to adopt the federal law. Thus, the reason why some states do not allow CBD and some choose to base its legality on the legal status of marijuana.

Hemp has high levels of CBD and low levels of THC, which makes it the ideal source for federally legal CBD. Industrial hemp is, thus, cannabis with less than 0.3% THC by weight as far as the law concerns.

CBD Lab Test Results – What Are They?

CBD test results are lab tests conducted on CBD to know the actual chemical composition of the product. The product is legal in the majority of states as long as the product contains less than 0.3% THC.

All CBD manufacturers and suppliers should regularly test their products at reputable third-party laboratories in the country.

This, in order to confirm the product, has the right chemical composition and is fit for legal sale and use in the U.S. The buyer can never be sure of what they are actually consuming without reading the lab test results of the CBD product.

Buying CBD without reading lab test results increases your risk of investing in an ineffective or unsafe product. An independent lab test is the only way to confirm the manufacturers’ claims about their product. This is the reason why consumers need to be aware of what CBD lab test results are and how to read such reports.

Why Do CBD Manufacturers Need Lab Test Results?

CBD manufacturers can protect themselves from the long arm of the law by having a sample of concentrate undergo independent testing.

Verifying the chemical composition before investing in extracting a larger volume of CBD to make products off it is good business sense. Checking the THC content and the other cannabinoid’s content in the sample ensures the final product to be legally compliant.

If the sample contains more than 0.3% THC, the final product is not fit for legal sale in the country unless in a recreational marijuana state. On the other hand, the lab test will also reveal if there are any undesired elements in the final product. Some CBD products contain unwanted chemicals due to a faulty extraction process.

A CBD lab test allows the manufacturer to detect those waste elements and take action to remove them. That is why you need to buy CBD products from reliable manufacturers or suppliers. They must be able to show you independent lab test results indicating their CBD product’s compliant and safe chemical composition.

Can CBD Have Impurities in It?

Yes. Cannabidivarin (CBDV) and cannabidibutol (CBDB) are two of the most common impurities in CBD coming from industrial hemp. These compounds seem able to lower the potency of CBD products.

The CBD manufacturer or supplier should make available the lab test report to all clients so that they are aware of the quality and legality of the product. Failure to check the CBD lab test results or buying from a manufacturer that shows none shows a lack of care from the consumer.

CBD Lab Test Results – What Is A COA (Certificate of Analysis)?

A certificate of analysis or COA is a lab report certifying the chemical composition of CBD products. The COA report will indicate the content of CBD, THC, terpene, and contaminant profile of CBD products.

The report is a way to certify that the actual contents of the product match the chemical composition shown on the label. This report is also important to have in order to verify that the hemp-derived CBD product has less than 0.3% THC. Remember, CBD products with more than 0.3% THC are illegal in some states since they are the same as marijuana.

You cannot buy or use such a product unless you live in a state that already legalized recreational marijuana. In fact, a study from 2017 revealed that more than 70% of CBD products sold online might be mislabeled. That is why every manufacturer should include a certificate of analysis showing the actual chemical composition of their product.

CBD Lab Test Results – Is A COA A Good Thing?

Yes. A COA assures the customer that they are investing in a legal, high-quality CBD product that’s safe to use. Most CBD manufacturers will post the COA on their website or show the results on the product’s label.

The COA has to be up to date and match the batch number listed on your product. Remember to always read the label of the CBD products you are going to buy in order to find the COA to certify its quality.