With so many products out there, it can be a challenge to find something reliable. One thing you can do as a savvy consumer is to check the lab results of the product you are interested in. There are no lab results? Run the other way! You might be buying a product with questionable CBD levels, or contaminated with heavy metals or mold.

First, check the CBD label on the product for a QR code. (You know…that funny little Rorschach test square that will link you to a webpage.) If there is a QR code, you can scan with your phone to see lab results. Some websites include helpful links to lab results. Generally, you will need to find the lot number on the product and match to the lot number of the lab result.  Once you have found the results, don’t be intimidated. A thorough report can be many pages long, but don’t be intimidated.

Look for a brief basic physical description of the product, such as “soft solid cylinders” for dog treats or “viscous dark amber oil”.  You want to make sure the product breakdown goes with the product you have. Besides a basic physical description, there are a few fundamental items that should be included. First, potency results containing a listing of all the phytocannabinoids should be included. Not only will you see figures for CBD, but you should also see information on CBN, CBG, and the other cannabinoids. Next, look for a terpene profile. Terpenes are the aromatic oils that give cannabis its unique aroma. (We will discuss terpenes in depth in future posts.) In addition, a good lab report will tell you if there are heavy metals present in the product. You don’t want these. Finally, there should be information about microbiological contaminants. These are pesky contaminants like E.Coli, mold, and yeast. You certainly don’t want to worry about consuming a product with those contaminants!

Be a smart consumer. Make sure you are getting a quality product that you feel good about taking. Look for transparency in your CBD vendor. Question any business that wants to sell you a product without fully disclosing the lab results.

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