A CBD Buyers Guide for Beginners and Experts

It’s been one hell of a “Cannabis learning” journey here at BeTheHippy. As much as we’ve enjoyed diving in, we hope our discoveries can help those who follow. So, we put together a CBD buyer’s guide primarily for beginners and a refresher for experts of the field. Let’s try to get up and running a little quicker with the following info. We’d like to welcome you to our evolving research findings. Tips and tricks as well as some clarity and understanding of Cannabis, Hemp, Marijuana, THC and especially CBD. Thanks for letting us tickle that brain of yours and feel free to dig deeper on your own.

This CBD buyer’s guide will go over the basics, beginners and experts welcome to join the conversation. This includes things to consider before buying, what to look out for when buying and the difference between hemp and marijuana derived CBD.

Things to Consider Before Buying CBD Oil

There are many different types and brands of CBD oil to pick from, and your final choice will be determined by your personal needs and how you plan to utilize CBD.

Some of the questions you’ll want to ask yourself are:

  • How many milligrams of CBD oil will I need? Learn More About Dosage
  • Do I want something flavored or unflavored?
  • Will I be using CBD oil at home, on the go, or both?
  • What’s my main consideration – strength or price?

What to look out for when buying CBD

Nothing! No, we kid, there are some red flags to avoid when diving into the world of CBD. As always, double check the labels, reach out for help and don’t be afraid to google.

Learn more about our red flag process.

Always request third party lab results

Customers should always request third party lab results that test of the product. Looking for potency, pesticides, residual solvents, and mycotoxins of the CBD oil. If a company is reluctant to share these results with you, it should automatically be a red flag. This may indicate that they have something to hide. Most companies should list it as part of the “benefit” of their product. If you don’t see it, walk away.

Pay attention to the product labeling.

What is the dosage of the actual active CBD? Pay particular attention to the product labeling. Is the dosage (mg) listed on the bottle the actual active CBD in that product? Or is it the dosage (mg) of the CBD hemp oil? These are two clearly different measurements that could make a strong difference in the potency of the product.

Look for safe methods of CBD extraction.

We prefer companies who’s oil extracts are made with a simple, hand-crafted and low-temperature process of oil infusion. This is the most natural and least toxic method of extracting CBD from whole cannabis flowers. You can use high pressure and CO2 (carbon dioxide) – the preferred method. Also, you’ll see chemicals such as alcohol or butane to extract the CBD. You can use edible oils, such as olive, sunflower, or coconut. Some of these methods are more extreme. They are efficient (such as butane), but they can leave harsh chemicals in the finished “oil” to avoid. We would not want to consume, especially if you’re already sick. Look for cannabis that has been extracted with an edible oil or alcohol – substances that you would normally eat, or CO2. These are the safest of the extreme extraction methods. You must avoid CBD that is extracted with any industrial chemical.

Ask for advice

Don’t be shy to ask for expert advice when you’re buying CBD oil products. The CBD oil market is young and immature, where the regulations and quality control practices are still sub par at best. Don’t just trust a product because it’s a “known brand” (we’ve found many reports of bigger CBD brands having dubious quality control). You can even reach out to us reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns while shopping for CBD oil.

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Hemp derived CBD vs Marijuana derived CBD

Wait, they both produce CBD? Yup. Shocker, at first, but as we dug deeper it made sense.

The primary distinguishing characteristic is truly the composition or “make-up” of what is in the plant. Both hemp and marijuana can produce varying levels of CBD, but the real issue lies in the measure of THC produced. A Hemp must have less than 0.3% THC otherwise it is considered Marijuana plant.

This measurement is also what allowed the full legalization of CBD against the slow “roll out” of THC through the 2018 Farm Bill.

An interesting point here is that there isn’t all that much difference between CBD from both plants, they’ll give the same effects and benefits – we were surprised too.

Jeremy Riggle, Ph.D., and Chief Scientist at Mary’s Nutritionals says that “the CBD molecule and its associated pharmacology are the same, whether it was extracted from hemp or from marijuana. CBD is CBD, regardless of where it was originally derived from,”

The most important three words we can stress are “derived from Hemp” – meaning less than 0.3% THC – for it to be legal and not a classified as a controlled substance.

Because of the THC difference, CBD derived from a Marijuana plant with 0.3% (or more) THC is not technically legal. So, be careful and be sure you know your state laws and check the label.

Learn more about the characteristics of Hemp and Marijuana plants

Where to Buy CBD Flower

  • Cannaflower is one of our favorites. A small New England farm dedicated to growing and sourcing the highest quality CBD hemp flower available. Their packaging is beautiful! 10% off – Use BeTheHippy
  • Joy Organics has become a leader in the CBD industry, setting the standards for manufacturing, testing, and quality.
  • Dr. Ganja has been around for a while and care about the quality of their products. Take a look at their history and also the amount of tests they put their flower through. 7% – Use BeTheHippy
CBD PILLOW

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bethehippy

Your no-nonsense, sometimes witty, cannabis knowledgeable hippy from the Midwest, hanging around Chicago these days. Learning the ins and outs of the cannabis world while learning to blog. In hopes that our lives become a little more… relaxed.