What should you look for in third-party lab reports?

Unfortunately, there are CBD products on the market today that include everything from illegal doses of THC to prohibited synthetic cannabinoids.

Many brands offer third-party lab reports, often referred to as certificates of analysis (COA), and this is the key to knowing what is (and isn’t) in your CBD product.

In order to verify that a CBD product is pure, free of toxins and able to provide the claimed benefits, there are several analyses that need to be done.

Generally, the cannabinoids that are tested are CBD, THC, CBC, CBN, and CBG.

CBD is a non-psychoactive component and responsible for the majority of the health benefits associated with the cannabis plant.

Here are some analysis tests to look for before you purchase a CBD product:

CBD/THC ratio: It’s desirable for a cannabis or hemp product to have a higher concentration of CBD, and in fact it is required by law that they contain little to no THC (less than 0.3% by volume). Also, it should have minimal concentrations of other potentially psychoactive components.

Microbiological testing: This is done to ensure that there are no harmful mold colonies or bacteria on the cannabis or hemp plants. If there are pathogens on the plant, they can easily get inside the body if the levels are too high, and cause unwanted side effects.

Pesticide testing: This is important for ensuring the safety of cannabis and hemp compounds since the plants can be treated with fungicides and herbicides and high concentrations of these can cause significant side effects.

Residual solvents testing: Lab tests should include an analysis of residual solvents. Solvents are used when the plant is processed and turned into oil, powder or other products, but only for the solvent-based extraction process. Too high concentrations of solvents like propane, acetone, ethanol, and carbon dioxide can lead to unpleasant health effects and turn the product into a highly flammable one.