Smart Consumer's Guide To CBD Research: How To Cut Through The Digital Overload

Cannabidiol (CBD) is mainstream, and that means it’s all over the internet. To be exact, there are over two billion pages of search results when you type “CBD” into Google. Billion, with a B….

The accessibility factor is great — CBD is literally at your fingertips. But unless you have a strong CBD knowledge base to serve as blinders for irrelevant info, searching for even basic products can quickly become a chore.

Before you know it, you’ve got ten tabs open to look up vocabulary and cross-reference your choices. Sound familiar?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by how much research it takes to find reputable and effective options, it’s time to calibrate your consumer compass so you can vet CBD brands and products with confidence — without consulting anything other than your noggin. The three steps we’re sharing in this article will help you do just that!

Let’s Marie Kondo your search efforts, shall we?

Step 1: Learn Your Way Around The CBD Legal Landscape

A lot of folks have heard about CBD in the news and from friends and family in recent years, but might not fully understand laws and regulations surrounding it.

Knowing the state of the situation gives you a handle on things like:

• Which CBD oil products are legal in your area
• What’s regulated (aka standardized) and what’s not in CBD production
• How to legally buy CBD online no matter what state you live in

And knowing all of the above helps you eliminate options that aren’t worth your screen time looking into.

For example, you don’t need to spend time researching a product online that isn’t legal to have where you live, even if you can order it. You probably also wanna know the product wasn’t made in some rando operation that might be unsafe or result in a low-quality product, which is where production regulations come in.

Here are the C(BD)liff notes on these vital deets.

CBD Laws & Regulations

In 2018, the US Farm Bill legalized CBD made from hemp with up to 0.3% THC (aka industrial hemp). This is probably around the time you started seeing CBD in the headlines if you weren’t a fan of it already.

Here’s how things have played out since then:

• This federal bill made hemp-derived CBD legal in all 50 states, which made hemp-derived CBD legal to buy and sell online. (Which you can still do today!)
• However, the federal government left it to states to develop their own regulations for things like where CBD oil products can be sold, the types of products that can be sold, and how it can be made and marketed. CBD wasn’t a priority for some states, so it took a while for gray areas to get colored in. Nowadays you’re very likely to find CBD-specific laws in your area.
• In many cases, production regulations have been tightened up on a state-by-state basis, too. This is great because the more things like licensing, testing, and distribution are spelled out in law, the more consumers can chillax on their research efforts. Everything that hits the market will meet a certain standard.

To put a laws and regulations filter on your CBD research, get familiar with the CBD laws in your area.

We did a lot of this legwork for you already — just head to the CBD Laws tab here on our blog, navigate to your state on the map, and you’ll find a summary of recent laws plus a list of official state resources where you can check in for updates. You’re welcome!

Step 2: Get Schooled In CBD Basics

CBD’s come a long way since it was first legalized in 2018. With so many shiny new innovations has come an encyclopedia of terminologies like transdermal absorption and endocannabinoid system.

While you just might find some of these new ideas helpful, it’s best to start with the basics, especially:

• The various forms of CBD products.
• The different types of CBD products.

Picture it: you find a CBD product that piques your interest, and in moments you know whether or not it’s something you want to buy, just from looking at the product page.

That’s what learning these foundational facts can do for you!

Just The Basic Facts About CBD

If you’re feeling like all the CBD content out there is a bit much, knowing what type and form of CBD you want can reel things in quite a bit.

Types Of CBD

There are three types of CBD: full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, and isolate. Going into your CBD search knowing which type you want is a surefire time-saver.

• Full-spectrum CBD oil contains all of the compounds found in cannabis, each with unique properties that may benefit the body and mind.(1) Full-spectrum CBD can contain up to the federally-legal limit of 0.3% THC.
• Broad-spectrum CBD oil contains beneficial cannabis compounds, but the THC is removed. If any THC remains after it’s manipulated, it’s typically only trace amounts.
• CBD isolate is CBD, plain and simple, with nothing else. This is a zero-THC CBD option, but minus the other cannabinoids, it may not be as effective.(2)

Many people have a “the more, the merrier” approach when it comes to cannabinoids, enjoying full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD. That said, some folks prefer the CBD isolate route.

Still not sure what your type is? PasteDifferent Types Of CBD: Full-Spectrum, Broad-Spectrum & Isolate into our search bar to learn more!

Forms Of CBD

When it comes to the form of CBD — we’re talking topical creams, oral drops, vapeables, etc. — sorting out what you want is part personal preference and part science.

Don’t worry, though — you don’t need to crack open a scientific journal to figure out which one you need. Just head to our guide called The Many Forms Of CBD Products Explained for a quick lesson. There you’ll find the specs for a laundry list of CBD product forms.

Step 3: Learn How To Recognize Reputable Brands & Products

You know what CBD products you can legally have, and you know what form and type of CBD you’re interested in. Now all you have to do is figure out which of the oodles of CBD brands and squillions of products you can trust so you can tune out those you can’t.

Signs Of CBD You Can Trust

Here are five key things to look for when scoping out a new CBD company or product.

• They have good reviews — but not fishy testimonials. Take a few to read through the reviews for any product before you buy.
• They’re transparent about their ingredients. Ingredients, including the hemp source and cultivation standards, should be easy to locate.
• They follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs), which are overseen by the FDA and can reassure you about the manufacturing integrity.
• They use third-party testing.There’s no law stating that CBD companies have to use independent labs to test their products, but it’s another sign of transparency. You’ll know they use third-party testing because the product’s certificate of analysis (COA) will show where it was tested. Speaking of…
• They make the COA easy to find.The COA tells you what’s inside the product, including CBD and THC contents.

If what you’re looking at doesn’t hit these marks, don’t waste your time digging any deeper.

You’ll see all these details on the Pure Craft CBD site, with most of the info available on each product page.

Don’t Get Caught In The Wide Web Of CBD Online

Finding the best CBD products is far easier when you have an understanding of the fundamentals:

• CBD laws so you can focus your search on products that are legal where you live
• CBD product options to give you a clear idea of what you’re looking for
• Brand and product trustworthiness so you can skip over those that aren’t worth your time

When you’ve narrowed down what you want, what’s legal, and what’s reputable — your search is going to be way more streamlined. That means less time researching and more time reaping the benefits of your CBD products.

EXPLORE HEMP-DERIVED CBD PRODUCTS

References

1. Partin, AW, et al. (2017). Cannabinoids. Pharmacognosy. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/cannabinoids
2. Anderson, LL, et al. (2021). Cannabis constituents interact at the drug efflux pump BCRP to markedly increase plasma cannabidiolic acid concentrations. Sci Rep 11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94212-6