5 Easy Ways to Spot Fake CBD

The Food and Drug Administration has a significant role in controlling CBD products. But because of the lack of regulations, consumers are more likely to stumble upon fake CBD on the market than real ones.

While CBD is legally permitted, the unregulated market for these products can be complicated and confusing for users looking for quality hemp.

Scam retailers take advantage of customer ignorance and regulatory ambiguity to sell fake wellness products. When considering CBD for your health needs, make sure you understand the details of what you are purchasing, as fake CBD products can potentially harm your health and cause side effects.

For example, more than 50 people were admitted to the hospital in Utah in 2017 after consuming synthetic CBD deliberately contaminated with a harmful substance. Currently, some CBD companies are advertising their product as they can prevent or cure COVID-19. Do not believe what those brands say about COVID-19 defense or anti-viral properties. Report them to the FDA if you see them advertise this.

So how to tell if CBD oil is bad? In this article, we will discuss 5 easy ways to spot fake CBD.

The first step to consider when finding a CBD product is finding relevant COA paperwork that shows how their products were screened for contaminants such as THC and CBD.

In order to prove that the product was made of real CBD, it must have its batch number and detailed instructions on the levels of CBD and THC in the item.  Products should also carry certification ensuring that heavy metals, pesticides, and solvent residues meet acceptable limits (which may vary depending on the state.

If there is no information about lab testings or if the product has an old or outdated COA, these are strong indicators that the advertised ingredients do not actually exist.

These details should be available on the brand's website, or there should be a QR code that directs you to these details from the product.

Cheap Price

The CBD world is full of counterfeits, so a cheap product may very well be fake.

Be suspicious of anything that seems too good to be true. CBD prices are still high, so if a product is significantly cheaper than others, it possibly is synthetic CBD oil.

Many costs go hand in hand with running a CBD business, along with the standard ones. One of the best examples is professional extraction equipment and qualified staff to use it. And there are the additional costs of planting hemp.

Caring for hemp plants can be time-consuming, expensive, and limited outside of a handful of states. What's more, you'll need to pay for testing from a third party.

These all indicate that producers spend tons of money making CBD products, and cheaper ones are probably fake.

Clear Plastic Bottle

CBD oil should be stored in brown or black colored glass to protect the oil compounds from UV light. In order to increase the shelf life of CBD, it is advised to keep it in the dark place. So, it is logical to sell clear CBD oil in a black-colored glass.

A reputable brand would only store their CBD oils in a bottle that will adequately protect the product.

In addition, plastic breaks down over time and can spoil the oil. That is yet another reason why glass is a more suitable material choice. So, if you saw a clear plastic bottle, it was most likely a fake CBD oil.

The Location You Got it From

You can find a lot of great items in convenience stores, big-box retailers, and gas stations, but do not risk buying CBD oil from these locations.

One of the biggest challenges facing consumers today is distinguishing quality products from junk. The person selling it to you should be able to tell you where and how it was grown. And it's pretty much unlikely that the average gas station employee would have this level of knowledge. And if the store employee is on commission or a store owner only cares about doing well financially, you could be in trouble.

Retailers often sell products with higher margins, even when they know the customer will not like them.

Check the List of Ingredients

You should also pay careful attention to how CBD was sourced. Hemp or hemp seed products have different effects depending on their source material.

Pure CBD is made of hemp, and it's associated with numerous wellness benefits. Hemp seed oil, meanwhile, does not contain enough CBD to produce any benefits and is mainly used in beauty and industrial applications.

You can't get CBD by itself; it needs to be mixed with something. The most common carrier is coconut oil, which aids digestion and helps dilute the CBD, so you don't have to take as much. 

So, if you saw ''only CBD'', ''pure CBD'' or something like that written on the label, it means there is something wrong with the product, and most probably it is a fake CBD.

Watching out for fake products can be difficult, but the chemicals and compounds described as being in those products may provide hints of their authenticity.

To Conclude, 

Many people are turning to CBD as a natural alternative for their health and wellness needs. Unfortunately, there is an increasing number of counterfeit products on the market claiming they have CBD in them when all it contains is hemp seed oil or some other low-quality product. So, we hope you found our article helpful if you were looking for ways to tell if your CBD is real or fake.