Is gas station CBD safe? With the hemp CBD industry still widely unregulated, it’s key that you take extra care to ensure that you buy CBD that is both safe and high-quality.
For Americans living in the 2020s, cannabidiol (CBD) is not hard to find. In fact, it’s sort of hard to miss. Whether in conversations or in gas stations, hemp-derived CBD has become a presence in American culture. But what makes some CBD products better than others?
As with other health and wellness fads, there are those who are only seeking profit without consideration of consequence by pushing CBD products in high traffic places. This list includes gas station CBD, shopping mall CBD, and even some grocery store CBD.
If you’re confused about the regulation of CBD and whether the quality and safety of gas station CBD products are monitored, you’re not alone. Most Americans are confused about who regulates CBD.
Yes, CBD oil has shown itself to hold exciting beneficial properties, but because the hemp CBD industry remains overly unregulated, it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re buying only safe and quality CBD oil.
So how do you know what CBD is of high quality and worth purchasing, and what CBD products aren’t up to par?
CBD Quality Makes a Difference
With CBD popularity on the rise, there is much miscommunication when it comes to actual quality. That’s why it’s helpful to find a CBD business who has been around for a while and has the experience to know what CBD oil offers the most value.
Medical Marijuana, Inc. was the first company to bring hemp CBD oil products to the market in 2012. That was after nearly a decade of research and development. We wouldn’t toot our own horn unless we could back it up.
It’s worth noting here that there are two distinct variations of CBD oil on the market, hemp-derived CBD oil and marijuana-derived CBD oil. Hemp-derived CBD oil is available just about anywhere and that’s what this article is focused on.
CBD oil made from hemp is federally legal because by law hemp contains less than 0.3 percent THC, the intoxicating chemical compound which can cause is known to give that “euphoria” feeling. Without only trace amounts of THC, consuming hemp-derived CBD oil products doesn’t elicit euphoric effects.
Some types of cannabis oil come from marijuana and contain higher levels of THC, which can have intoxicating effects. The only legal place to find cannabis oil with higher THC concentrations is in a marijuana dispensary in states that have legalized recreational or medical marijuana. If you do not live in a state with full legalization and see a CBD product claiming it has intoxicating effects, it’s likely from the illegal market or just false advertising.
So before reaching for one of those gas station CBD gummies or inexpensive CBD oils near the check outline, take some time to gain the knowledge to make a safe decision about CBD. Luckily, we are here to help give you the facts.
The Risks of Gas Station CBD
Is gas station CBD safe? Let’s just start there. Unlike most health and wellness products that fly under the radar of regulation, CBD has proven itself to be beneficial by supporting the body’s endocannabinoid system. There is simply no denying that CBD oil is one of the most revolutionary substances in the health and wellness space today.
When addressing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at a special public hearing in 2019, our CEO Dr. Stuart Titus explained, “We believe that non-psychoactive hemp products containing CBD and other cannabinoids, as they support our endogenous cannabinoid system, are an essential nutritional supplement for optimal health, just as is Vitamin C. In addition, botanical hemp products containing CBD are safe and extremely well-tolerated.”
The tricky part is that as of now, there are not any official federal regulations on CBD from the FDA. The federal agency has yet to evaluate the CBD products available in gas stations, grocery stores, shopping malls, or anywhere else, leaving consumers susceptible to potentially low quality and unsafe products.
The following is a statement from the FDA, which sums up what they do know about cannabis-derived products, including hemp-derived CBD.
“FDA recognizes the potential opportunities that cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds may offer and acknowledges the significant interest in these possibilities. However, FDA is aware that some companies are marketing products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds in ways that violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and that may put the health and safety of consumers at risk.”
So to address the question again– Is gas station CBD safe? It’s hard to say. What this all means is that there are no rules that CBD manufacturers have to follow when it comes to growing hemp, extraction, formulation, packaging, testing, and more. The gas station CBD you come across could be made with unsafe practices from hemp grown using potentially-toxic methods, and may not even contain CBD.
The FDA is currently under tremendous pressure to release regulations for CBD products, but the latest reports show it could take several years. Until they get that sorted out, it’s up to the consumer to do their due diligence.
Where the CBD Oil You Buy Comes From
Just like any other product people consume, it’s important to know where CBD comes from, seed to soil to oil. Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, it is now fully legal to commercially cultivate hemp here in the U.S. but prior to December 2018 federal laws strictly limited hemp production inside the U.S.
Because of this, other countries are way ahead of the game when it comes to hemp cultivation. Some European countries have been cultivating hemp for more than 700 years. After searching around the globe for the ideal growing microclimate, farming practices, and the perfect plant variety of hemp, Medical Marijuana, Inc. selected a generational family-owned farm in the Netherlands. This is where the high-quality hemp used in Medical Marijuana, Inc. products is grown.
Location is one important factor in choosing your CBD oil brand. Another is what goes into the hemp growing process. For many, non-GMO and natural foods are a staple in the home, and so should it be with CBD.
Our hemp-derived CBD is grown naturally, without the use of pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers. By sticking with the natural practices passed down from farmer to farmer over generations, the hemp seeds grow from the pure, rich soil to twelve-foot-tall, with robust, leafy green stalks.
Another sign of high-quality CBD is in the techniques used in the extraction process. We use clean, naturally-occurring CO2, rather than damaging solvents, to extract the full-spectrum CBD oil from the stalks of the hemp plant.
Can you find that on the label of the gas station CBD product? Probably not.
Consistently High-quality CBD
Another problem may arise in purchasing gas station or convenient store CBD products, consistency. Perhaps you or someone you know has already tried out CBD from the convenience store. It’s likely the product didn’t quite add up to what was hoped based on the product label. There’s a good chance that the ingredients in the inexpensive CBD oil or gummy were not tested for quality assurance.
Another roll of the dice consumers may take when buying gas station CBD gummies or inexpensive CBD oils, is the accuracy of dosage on labels. As noted before the FDA does not evaluate CBD products. Unless you happen to run a private laboratory with testing capabilities, there’s no verifiable way to tell what the actual CBD content is unless you are looking at high-quality CBD products.
Each batch of our hemp CBD oil undergoes our rigorous Triple Lab Testing® standard, which involves examining quality and safety at three points of the production process.
First, the oil is tested after extraction from the hemp plant. It is tested again after it arrives from the Netherlands and clears U.S. Customs. Finally, our hemp oil is examined a final time after formulation into one of our award-winning final products.
These tests are critical for measuring cannabinoid content, as well as checking for any contaminants. This unique, Triple Lab Tested® process ensures that each time someone purchases high-quality CBD oil from Medical Marijuana, Inc. they can feel comfortable that it is both safe and contains a reliable level of CBD.
If that’s not enough to raise your CBD standards, hold on, there’s more.
Seal of Approval for CBD Products
There’s another approach to finding out whether any CBD product, including that gas station CBD you may have eyed, is safe and high-quality. Even if you are considering buying your CBD online, there is a literal seal of approval that can help distinguish high-quality CBD products from the rest.
The U.S. Hemp Authority Certification is the first of its kind quality certification program for CBD products. The certification program launched in 2018 and is essential for CBD product transparency. Medical Marijuana, Inc. was among the first companies to make the cut and consumers can find the seal of approval on our product labels.
The hemp and CBD businesses that earn the Certified Seal from the U.S. Hemp Authority have met the organization’s stringent self-regulatory quality and safety standards, in addition to passing a third-party audit. To date, only 27 Certification Seals to hemp and CBD businesses have been awarded.
CBD Oil Products
As you go to buy CBD oil, you’ll find that there are several common ways to ingest CBD and add the compound’s natural balancing properties to your body’s systems. Unlike many gas station CBD products, all of our CBD products are packaged with easy-to-understand labels that provide you with information on CBD concentration and ingredients.
To get high amounts of CBD and the nutrients in hemp oil, CBD oil consumption, CBD oil concentrates are a great way to go. Medical Marijuana, Inc.’s flagship hemp oil concentrate product, Real Scientific Hemp Oil® (RSHO®) CBD oil concentrates, is as close as you can get to the natural hemp plant. This pure hemp oil extract is packaged in a convenient oral applicator tube and designed to be used under the tongue, swallowed, or added to foods.
CBD oil capsules deliver the benefits of CBD oil concentrate in a handy pill and can be a convenient way to get a daily serving of CBD. We have a variety of CBD capsules to choose from with an easy-to-read label showing the exact CBD amount available in each capsule.
CBD tinctures and liquids deliver CBD oil in a versatile liquid form and are taken under the tongue for the fastest absorption, swallowed, or mixed into foods and beverages. Our CBD tinctures also come with easy-to-read labels.
Another popular way to enjoy CBD is by taking CBD edibles, which provide your body with the natural benefits of hemp-derived CBD while enjoying their naturally delicious flavor.
If you’re looking to buy CBD oil but need some more guidance on finding out which CBD oil is right for you, visit our CBD products catalog or take our CBD oil product recommendation quiz.
More on CBD
Discover more about CBD, its benefits, and how to make sure you make educated CBD buying decisions by visiting our CBD oil education page.
