While this might not be a total deal breaker, it is cause for concern and will require you to do some further research into the company. If a lot of their focus is based on marketing then there’s a chance the company may be spending the majority of their capital on promoting their product rather than on the actual product itself. Producing a CBD product, or any health product for that matter, requires a significant investment of knowledge and capital (and we would add in ethics) in order to ensure the quality of the product is at a level that is safe for consumption, which includes both the ingredients and the way the product is manufactured. If a large percentage of a company’s money is spent on marketing (especially a new company) that likely means they are skimping on other areas of their business, like quality control, innovation, hiring the right people, etc.

Take a look at the company’s website and social media pages. Do they show any actual videos or images of the production process? If so, do the images look legitimate or could they be stock photos? If a company is actually extracting and producing their own oil, trust us, they’ll want to show it off. If a company doesn’t show this then it is likely that they aren’t producing their own products. This is a major cause for concern since they won’t have a role in overseeing the quality and process of the actual products their selling and thus, cannot fully ensure that their products are of a certain quality and standard. Certificates of Authenticity (COA’s) and third party testing only has meaning and validity if done properly and tracked by a company who controls the entire process. More on that in the next section.

Most CBD companies will state that they provide third party testing on all of their products for quality, potency, and purity. This is notable; however, it can also be misleading. That’s why it is important to find out how they conduct their testing. Is it conducted per 55-gallon drums or is it done by the liter/gallon? Bulk third party testing is not as safe or effective as by the liter or gallon. Third party testing in bulk quantities can cause skewed results so if you are looking for the purest and best quality CBD products available, then look for companies that test in smaller batches.

Raw extract oil is the most common form of CBD available. It contains all the medical properties of the hemp plant including cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. Raw CBD oil often has a lower advertised concentration of CBD compared to isolate but don’t let that fool you. Due to the phenomenon called the “entourage effect”, raw CBD oil is believed to carry the most therapeutic benefits because it uses all of the hemp plant. A CBD Isolate is different than raw, as it only contains the isolated CBD compound without any terpenes or flavonoids. Initially believed to be the better, that theory was proven untrue by the Lautenberg Center for General Tumor Immunology in Jerusalem In the 2015 study. Researchers have discovered that CBD is actually more effective when used with other compounds of the hemp plant, which is why we recommend buying a broad spectrum oil made with raw extract rather than an isolate. To make the buying process even easier, we’ve compiled a list of some great CBD companies that we recommend. Of course, our top choice is botanCBD, but we understand if you’re looking for something a little more local…