Of all the health and wellness trends that have emerged in recent years, one of the most significant involves cannabidiol (CBD), one of the numerous chemical compounds found in hemp plants. CBD is not a psychoactive compound; it targets various neuroreceptors in the endocannabinoid system, which means that it can help the central nervous system with regulating vital functions such as sleeping, pain management, suppression of inflammation, relaxation, and balancing the immune system.
Generally speaking, CBD can be described as a highly effective herbal supplement that does not cause the intoxication and impairment associated with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) compounds. As with all supplements, the manner in which CBD products are sourced, extracted, formulated, and purified is crucial. Not all botanical extracts are the same; when it comes to CBD, you will want to ensure you the products you choose are of the highest quality.
1- Purchase Certified Products
Similar to how the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) manages a certification program for meat and poultry products, the CBD industry is self-regulated by the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, an organization that issues certificates to producers, wholesalers, and retailers that adhere to certain standards of quality. What you want to look for is a U.S. Hemp Authority™ Certification label on your CBD products.
2- Know the Differences Between Full-Spectrum and Broad-Spectrum CBD
There are three major CBD extraction and production methods: isolate, full, and broad-spectrum. With isolate CBD, you get a pure concentration devoid of THC. Full-spectrum CBD refers to all the compounds that can be extracted from hemp plants that have negligible levels of THC, which are legally no more than 0.3%. Broad-spectrum aims to remove trace amounts of THC while keeping other compounds. Full and broad-spectrum CBD products take advantage of other compounds to activate and maximize therapeutic properties.
3- Focus on Educating Yourself
The dynamic and therapeutic potential of CBD deserves to be learned by those who seek to reap its benefits. There is a lot to learn about recommended CBD doses, certificates, bioavailability, half-life, and indications. When you browse the website of a CBD retailer, check for learning sections, instructional blog posts, and guides you can download for easy reference. Some dispensaries that offer both THC and CBD products in legal states tend to focus too much on the former and not enough on the latter.
4- Look for Third-Party Testing
Providers of quality CBD products tend to include QR codes on their packaging so that you can scan them and check the batch results of the quality control checks completed by U.S. Hemp Authority inspectors. This level of transparency was pioneered by the CBD industry, and it is starting to be adopted by THC producers.
5- Check on the Customer Service
Reputable CBD producers and retailers take pride in offering prompt customer service for matters ranging from indications to shipping and from order tracking to order cancellation policies. To this effect, live chat is a popular option for customer service, but this can also be provided through email, social networks, and even voice calling.
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