CBD: Avoid Being Swayed by Misleading Product Information and Sales Scams

As the popularity of CBD increases, so does the potential for confusion. Unfortunately, too many people have been taken advantage of by misleading marketing and advertising practices. A few clicks on your keyboard could direct you to hundreds of CBD vendors, all with the same goal of selling their products.

This presents a situation where the buyer, you, need to be aware of some of the misleading information that could result in purchasing an inferior product, a product that you are not pleased with, or a product with no potential benefits. Knowing a few simple details could help you avoid some of the pitfalls and scams that lurk within the shadows of the CBD industry.

CBD from Hemp and Hemp Seed Oil Are Not the Same

Too often people are swayed by the misconception that hemp seed oil and hemp oil are the same product. Since you may already know that you want a CBD product sourced from the hemp plant, rather than a CBD product sourced from marijuana, some manufacturers will use the word “hemp” against you. Unscrupulous vendors of hemp seed oil products may knowingly lead you to believe that hemp seed oil, which costs much less than hemp oil (CBD), is as potentially beneficial. This is simply not the case.

Hemp oil (CBD) is extracted from the stalks and stems of the hemp plant. Often times, retailers of CBD products will label them as “hemp oil”. This is fine and not meant to be misleading. The problem is created by retailers who knowingly misrepresent hemp seed products as CBD.

Because of this type of misinformation, it’s important to verify that the product you select is made with hemp oil extracted from the stalks and stems of the hemp plant. Hemp oil contains the natural cannabinoids, plant terpenes, vitamins, minerals and flavonoids of the original plant source. Hemp seed oil, which you can find at your local grocery store, contains extremely low levels of cannabidiol, if any, and does not offer the same potential benefits as a dietary supplement.

This is not to say that hemp seed oil is not a good product. It has its place. Hemp seeds are an excellent protein source; hemp oil adds a nutty flavor when replacing olive oil on your salad and is often used for making soaps and lotions. But if you are looking for a topical hemp product, look for a product that informs you of how many milligrams of CBD it contains.

Beware of Large Bottles that Seem to Offer More For Your Money

You need to know that the size of the bottle has little to do with the amount of CBD in a product. There are companies who will use vague terms such as “high potency” or “the strongest,” to lead you to believe you are getting a potent product. Often, these vague terms are trying to camouflage the fact that the supplier is not providing any indication of how much CBD the product contains.

The CBD products sold by a reputable vendor will specify exactly how many milligrams of CBD are present in each of the products they offer. You will typically have a choice of several CBD concentration levels, and the prices will rise accordingly. It’s important to know how many milligrams of CBD are in your product before making a purchase.

Rethink Choosing Price Over Product Quality

If you are finding a CBD product that is priced drastically lower than product competitors, proceed with caution. The low price typically means a low concentration of CBD, particularly if the seller uses vague terms such as “high potency” without providing any information about how many milligrams of CBD is in the product. These products could contain significant amounts of coconut or olive oil, used to dilute the CBD. Just because a product claims to have CBD, does not mean there is enough CBD in the product to be of any value.

Avoid Products with Too Little CBD Content to Provide Potential Benefits

Once you understand how vendors should be documenting the amount of CBD in their products, you should also be leery of purchasing a product with too little CBD per serving to be of any value. You can determine this by dividing the milligrams of CBD by the number of milliliters in the bottle.

For example, a 15 ml bottle containing 250 mg of CBD contains 16.66 mg of CBD per ml. A milliliter is typically ten drops, depending on the size of the dropper opening. It is also common to find that a dropper full is typically about a milliliter.

Your physiology is unique, the right CBD dosage for you will be different than anyone else’s. When trying to determine your ideal CBD dosage, it is often recommended to start with a small dose and increase your dosage weekly, if necessary, until you discover the appropriate amount of CBD to satisfy your needs.

Avoid Companies Who Do Not Provide Product Verification

When selecting CBD products, it’s essential to purchase from a company that values transparency. That means that they are able to provide verification that the products they sell, meet the requirements of the product claims. In simple terms, if you order a 500 mg CBD product, the seller should provide some form of documentation that the product in your bottle contains 500 milligrams. This information is typically provided in the form of a third-party, analytical laboratory test. Batch certification by a neutral third party ensures product purity and potency.

You can be more confident in your product selection if your product provider is willing to share their batch-testing information. Not only should you watch for verification of the CBD content, but also the levels of THC. To comply with federal laws, the THC content of hemp-sourced CBD needs to be 0.30 percent or less.

A reputable vendor will also be transparent in their extraction methods and the quality of their hemp plants. It is imperative that you only buy CBD that is extracted from non-GMO, pesticide-free hemp.

Avoid Any Company Who Promises a Cure

Although CBD is a potentially beneficial dietary supplement, it is not a cure or a medical treatment for any medical conditions. CBD (cannabidiol) is a dietary supplement that may provide benefit to your body by supplementing the processes of your endocannabinoid system.

Your endocannabinoid system is the network of neurotransmitters and receptors that facilitate the communication system between your body and your brain. CBD is a dietary supplement that has the potential to mimic the effects of the neurotransmitters (endocannabinoids) produced by your body. The potential benefits of CBD supplementation are based on laboratory tests, animal studies and the testimony of those who use CBD products. There are no medical claims made at this time.

Protect Yourself by Purchasing from a Trusted Source

When beginning your CBD journey, it’s important to be aware of some of the misleading information that could result in purchasing a product that is of little value. Unfortunately, there are too many unethical people willing to take advantage of those who are still learning about products and trying to decipher the terminology. Once you understand the potential hazards, it’s much easier to find what you are looking for through a trusted supplier.

To further gauge the trustworthiness of a supplier, you may want to check out the reviews posted on their site. A review is much like a personal recommendation of products and business practices. Customer recommendations are much more meaningful when the retailer relies on review verification.

Verified reviews, comments, and opinions are processed through a third party. When an online retailer engages a third party review verification, you will know that all comments are authentic reviews from authentic clients. If you notice all “5-star reviews”, particularly if the reviews are not verified, you may want to move on and keep looking. Perfection may be an indication of fraudulent reviews.

We support your efforts to learn all you can about the potential health benefits of CBD from non-psychogenic hemp. Feel free to download The Ultimate User Guide to learn more about your endocannabinoid system and the potential benefits of CBD products.

Visit CBDistillery for a high-quality assortment of CBD products, including tinctures, vape products, ointment, capsules and pet products. Our CBD assortment is sourced from non-GMO, organic hemp and tested by a third party to verified their potency, quality, and purity. You will find the batch testing verification within the photographs section of each product.

Sources:

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2. Chronic Therapy. (2015, August 25). Hemp Oil Vs. CBD Oil: What’s the Difference?
3. Hemp for Health News. (2017, October 27). CBD Scams – Don’t Fall for These 3 Tricks.
4. Buy CBD. (2017, December 29). CBD Oil Scams: How to Protect Yourself.
5. Marijuana Break. (2019, March 6). How Much CBD Oil Should I Take?
6. Honey Colony. (2018, January 30). 4 Things to Look for When Buying CBD Medical Hemp Oil.
7. Trusted Site. (2017, July 11). What Exactly are Verified Reviews and Why Do They Matter?
8. Invesp. The Importance of Online Customer Reviews.