Have you noticed CBD products popping up
seemingly everywhere in the past
couple of years? It is nearly impossible to go through your day without seeing
an advertisement for CBD products online, on a billboard or storefront as you
commute to work, or as you run your daily errands. It is not uncommon either to
find CBD products, in various forms, in places like gas stations, coffee shops,
vape stores, and more. This has left many or us wondering: What exactly is CBD
and why has it suddenly become so popular? And is all CBD created equal? Just like with so many other trending
products, there is the “real deal” and then there is the cheap knock off,
so-to-speak. Therefore, it is definitely worth while to do your CBD homework.
At Pharmstrong™, we are intimately familiar with all aspects of CBD and its
production and, therefore, truly know
what constitutes a quality product. We’ve done the research for you and
gladly share our findings with you.
Let’s dive in.
When Did CBD Become So
Popular?
First, many people are curious about the
sudden explosion of CBD onto the health and wellness scene. Why the sudden
increase in popularity? The short answer is the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018,
better known as the 2018 “Farm Bill.” This bill legalized all hemp-derived
products containing .3% THC or less. Prior to December 2018, the industrial
uses of hemp – for paper, plastic, and biofuel, to name a few – were well
known, and it’s wellness properties were garnering the attention of the
scientific and medical communities. However, hemp was unfairly categorized as a
Schedule I substance. Since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp has
fortunately reclaimed its good reputation as a very useful, versatile, and
beneficial plant. And with that, the headline making component of hemp,
known as cannabidiol (CBD for short), has gained quite the reputation as it is:
- Extracted from the hemp variety of
the cannabis plant
- One of over 100 cannabinoids
(beneficial molecules similar to the body’s endogenous endocannabinoids) found
in the hemp plant
- Safe to ingest, non-addictive, and
will not get you “high”
- Highly effective and very
versatile in its uses
- Easy to incorporate into any
lifestyle
As mentioned above, CBD has become quite
trendy this past year. But at Pharmstrong™, we have a sneaking suspicion that
this “trend” will be here to stay, as CBD is actually living up to all the
hype.
Does Quality Really Matter?
Simply put – yes. It’s not always necessary
for every item you use in day-to-day
life to be “name brand” or “top of the line.” But when it comes to products in
the health and wellness category – those you ingest or use topically on a
regular basis – that is an entirely different story. With these types of
products, quality absolutely matters, and CBD products are no exception.
As we mentioned earlier, not all products are
created equal. Some things may be inherently healthy, such as many fruits and
vegetables. However, how they are grown and processed certainly matter – a lot.
If they are grown in nutrient deficient/depleted soils and sprayed with
pesticides, something that was potentially very nutritious and beneficial to
the body is now not nearly as healthy. The same goes for CBD. The soil the hemp
is grown in, the way it’s processed, the ingredients used, and so on – it all
matters. If a company takes something healthy and turns it into an
unrecognizable product, void of all it’s nutrients, what good is it? A
reputable company, on the other hand, will take special care to preserve the
goodness and effectiveness of their product(s) every step of the way.
So, with CBD seemingly popping up on every
street corner and all over the internet, how do you get a CBD product
that’s as healthy and natural as it claims to be? We help break it down in the
next section. Read on.
How to Spot a Quality CBD
Product
How the
ingredients are grown and processed, as well as what other ingredients
are included in (or excluded from) the final product, and who sells the
product, should all be taken into consideration when purchasing a CBD product.
It’s not enough to simply trust the claims on the label or fall for the pretty
packaging. Remember, don’t judge a book by its cover.
This is not an exhaustive checklist, but we recommend looking for the following before
choosing a CBD product:
-
Grown in the USA with Meticulous Farming Practices - The origin of your product, as well as the farming practices used to
produce it, should always be disclosed. Additionally, keep in mind that CBD
products originating from Colorado, in particular, are widely known for their
superior quality.
-
Verified Pure Premium Grade™ - This
label is a recognition of product quality and purity, and a sign
that a company goes above and beyond to ensure these two very important
qualities.
-
Quality Ingredients - A product is only as
good as the sum of its ingredients. Pay attention to what is included in your
product and make sure the active ingredient is not mixed with or cut with
subpar additives. Combining CBD with simple, quality ingredients such as
organic olive oil, beeswax, and essential oils is ideal (compared to artificial
fragrances, flavors, etc).
-
Lab Testing - This is potentially the most important, as
labs verify that what a company claims is in the bottle, is actually in the bottle. No guessing
about the ingredients. No guessing about the CBD levels. And just as important
as what is in the product is what is not present. The only way to verify the
absence ofharsh chemicals
(pesticides, solvents) & contaminants (mold, heavy metals, etc.) is through
3rd party lab testing. Additionally, the lab results should always be
available to the customer – either clearly shown on the website, or
accessible through scanning the QR code or entering the unique batch number on
the product.
-
Farm Bill Compliant - In order to be legal in
all states and compliant with the 2018 Farm Bill, CBD products must be hemp-derived
and contain 0.3% or less THC.
-
Company Transparency - A trustworthy company
will make themselves readily available to their customers and be open and
honest about the creation of their products from seed to bottle. Should
customers have any questions about a product (or the processes used to create
it) or need assistance placing an order or selecting the right product for
their individualized needs, the company’s contact info should be easily
accessible.
-
Hassle-free Return Policy - Along the same
lines, a reputable company – one that is confident in the quality and
performance of their products – will generally have a clearly outlined return
policy and offer a money back guarantee. It gives customers the peace of mind
of knowing that if, for any reason, they are unhappy with a product, they have
not simply wasted their hard earned money.
A respected company should be completely transparent
about the quality and production of their products and candidly share that info
with you, the valued customer. At Pharmstrong™, we are proud to report that our
Colorado based company meets every one of the above requirements and that our
commitment to quality, and belief in the effectiveness of our Pure + Potent products, is unwavering. You can conveniently shop our premium-grade,
broad-spectrum products online any time. However, if you are in the
Breckenridge, CO area, we would delight in the chance to answer your CBD
questions in person and have you try some of our top-notch products from our one-of-a-kind
sample bar.
