Cannabis products are used daily by many people around the world for various reasons. In today’s age, with the use of technology, it is so much easier to carry out proper research to find out the best places to buy high-quality cannabis-based products. Like any drug or supplement, it’s important to find out the effects cannabis can have on your body and to ensure you are buying from a reputable brand.
Why Do People Take Cannabis
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant and it does not give the high feeling that is often associated with cannabis; this is caused by another cannabinoid known as Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which contains a psychoactive component. Cannabis products have been part of a growing market over the past few years, especially since the legalization of hemp and/or cannabis in a lot of states and countries.
People take cannabis products because there is evidence that they can have multiple health benefits, and for THC products they can also enjoy the euphoric feelings. For example, it may help people with anxiety and sleep problems. The guys over at Orange County CBD suggest taking CBD oil about an hour before bed to help you fall asleep more easily, and to reduce the number of times you wake up during the night. There are other medicinal uses of CBD too, including in an FDA-approved drug known as Epidiolex, which can reduce the frequency of seizures in rare epileptic conditions.
The Importance Of Quality
Like any product, the quality of cannabis-based products can vary. Because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not fully regulate these kinds of products (aside from Epidiolex), there can, unfortunately, be a lot of false medical claims and inaccurate dosages on labels and on websites. The FDA works to correct and take down this kind of misleading information when it can, but they don’t enforce control over the actual products, how they’re made, and how they are presented to the public. This lack of standardisation can lead to problems in quality, including the following.
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Contaminants
These are unwanted substances that can enter the plant through the soil. These contaminants then stay in the plant and can transfer to humans upon consumption. This can include heavy metals, pesticides, and microbes, which can be harmful and toxic to the consumer. Soil quality is therefore a major factor in the quality of the plant and final product, and can be affected by the use of things such as synthetic pesticides.
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Mislabelling products
Inaccurate information on the amount of CBD in the product is not uncommon. A study found that only 25% of the 40 products (and 21 different brands) they tested had the same level of CBD that was advertised on the label.
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Unfounded medical claims
Research into the effects and potential health benefits of CBD still has a long way to go. There is simply not enough evidence to know for certain that CBD can help in certain disorders. Yet, some companies will market their products in a way that can mislead consumers into believing CBD can definitely help them medically in curing or preventing diseases such as Lyme disease and Alzheimer’s.
Types Of Products
There is now a range of ways you can consume cannabis-based products, not just inhalation by smoking and vaping. With technological and scientific advancements, there are now topicals (such as creams, lubricants, and lip balms), consumable oils that you can add to drinks and foods, pills, and edibles in a range of flavours. How you ingest a cannabis product is down to personal preference and what you want to get out of it, For example, for general anxiety, you might use CBD oil in your cup of tea each morning. Or if you have a skin condition, such as eczema, you might use a lotion to target the area.
How To Find Quality Products
Once you’ve decided how you want to consume cannabis, you can get to researching what brand and specific product you are going to use.
Certificate of Analysis (COA)
The COA of a product can give you the best idea of the quality of a cannabis product. Despite not being FDA-regulated, products still need to go under federal tests and checks. These tests should have been done by either the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC), or the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP). You will be able to see the THC, CBD, and contaminant levels that were recorded and whether the brand’s labs meet scientific ISO 17025 standards. If a store or company refuses to show this information then that’s a major red flag. They should have this available for people to see and it may be a sign that they are trying to hide something.
The Plant
There are many different places a cannabis plant can be sourced from, including overseas where quality checks are different. You can see where they come from on the COA even if it doesn’t say on the product itself. Have a look at whether the plant comes from a state-licensed dispensary because this means that they test soil quality and check the use of pesticides.
Organic Or Not?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for classifying a product as organic or not. Organic is often associated with high quality because the plants are not allowed to be genetically altered and normally only natural pesticides are used (i.e. using other animals to kill pests that eat the plant).
Labelling
As we’ve already established, the levels of cannabinoids in a product can sometimes be inaccurate. If the product only displays the total amount of cannabinoids (not just CBD or THC), then consider this suspicious. They likely have not tested the individual amounts, or the amounts may vary from product to product; some companies do this to avoid trouble with the FDA.
To summarise, technology can make it a lot easier to research cannabis-based brands and products. Ensuring you have a quality product is important to keep you safe and can experience cannabis and the effects it offers. Looking at the COA is one of the best ways you can do this, where you should check things like the different levels of substances and the source of the cannabis plant.
