It is undeniable that CBD oil is growing in popularity around the globe. This product, which many praise for its ability to relieve them of various ailments, was once illegal in places, but today, the times are changing. CBD oil is available; it seems just about anywhere. From the beauty salon, gas station, and video store to health and wellness centers, malls, spas, and even online, you can find thousands of different CBD oil brands and products that contain this ingredient.

While CBD is helping many to find a new quality of life, there are many things that you should know about this product before purchasing. One of the most vital things that you should know is that testing is essential. Let’s dig into the topic of CBD oil testing further and look at why it matters in various ways.

What is CBD Oil Testing and What is Tested?

CBD oil testing is done through some of the same ways that we test various other products for potency and purity. The most common testing methods include High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectrometry, gas chromatography, flame ionization detection, and thin-layer chromatography. These methods test for various things such as potency (concentration of CBD), the presence of solvents, fertilizers, and other impurities as well as terpene content and various other aspects.

Legality Depends on Testing

In many places, while CBD is legal, THC is not. For this reason, it is essential that the products you utilize adhere to local laws. In some places, CBD products that have as little as a .01 THC concentration are illegal, whereas, in the United States, CBD oil produced from hemp with less than .03% THC is legal in all 50 states. So, while testing is essential to ensure that you are consuming a quality product, it is also essential to know that you are consuming a legal product as well.

Quality Ensured with Proper Testing

CBD oil that is packed full of fertilizers, chemicals, and solvents from the extraction process is not what you are wanting to consume, and unfortunately, there are many of these products on the market today. However, companies offering products that are thoroughly tested and who make those results available to the public are most often the ones that are offering products that are of high quality, purity, and potency. These are the brands that consumers globally have come to know and love.

Consistent Potency for Better Results

CBD oil testing also ensures that the product being offered indeed contains the concentration of CBD and terpene contents that are being advertised or displayed. If you know that 150mg tincture before bed helps you to sleep, you want to ensure that when a product says it offers 150mg per dose that it indeed contains that concentration of CBD. This is where testing results are vital for those individuals looking to specifically utilize CBD to meet certain health or wellness goals.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Untested CBD Oil

A study conducted by Leafly and a Washington state-licensed cannabis lab Confidence Analytics concluded some very concerning findings in a study conducted on 47 popular CBD products. Their findings discovered that 1 in 3 of these products contained less than 80% of the CBD they claim to contain. On the other hand, 17% of them contained more than 120% more CBD than the product labeling claimed. 11 % of the CBD products tested contained absolutely no CBD content.

According to Forbes, "When the FDA conducted the same study in 2016, they found that 77% of products in the market had a lot less CBD than they advertised — and often had none whatsoever."

This is very concerning, and yet another reason why you should only purchase CBD oil and CBD products that offer transparent testing.

Avoid the Black Market

This is one reason why it is essential to avoid the black market. Not only can you not be sure of what products coming from the illicit market contain, for those with certain terpene allergies or those taking other medications, the combination of ingredients in some black market products could cause a life-threatening situation.

In many places today, CBD products are legal, so there is no reason to turn to the unregulated market when there are quality products on the market that contain exactly what they claim to and have solid, accurate testing to back them.

We hope that this article allowed you to better understand the necessity behind testing of not just CBD oil but all CBD based products. As a patient and/or consumer, you have the right to know what you are getting for your money. With quality CBD testing, you can ensure that you are getting the product you are after!