So, what is the truth about CBD? Well, that depends.
Over the last 5 years, Americans have witnessed a litany of their elected representatives, legislators, regulators, and politicos flip their positions on Cannabis. They appear to have re-evaluated its immense potential for good.
Upholding their "majority" belief in the need for Cannabis prohibition for the last 85 years has proven to be untenable politically, yet many patients and consumers are left with even more questions about CBD regardless.
As an author, and publisher who personally tests, reviews, and recommends high-quality CBD products for sale, I hope our members at Cannabis Animus and our casual visitors will appreciate some important truths about CBD in 2021 America.
As expected, many of our members and customers have inquired about the products they are taking (or have taken). Our visitors inquire daily about the efficacy of CBD products they are considering as an alternative to prescription medication(s). It is with this in mind that we take a good look at CBD product testing, analysis, and disclosure to consumers.
Updates on the following areas of interest:
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CBD Regulation and Changes
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CBD Product Lab Testing
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QR Codes and Lab Results
CBD Is Definitely Big Business
We all know this! Well, perhaps not as acutely as we all should. It’s huge!
From Forbes.com to Fool.com, it is estimated that the trend is running at about $30 billion estimated in entrepreneurial revenue (pre-tax) from Cannabis products for 2021. Now, we see CBD products showing up in liquor, convenience stores, gas stations, and even health professional offices!
Nationwide sales for CBD in 2018 were estimated between $600 to $750 Million.
It’s expected by the forecasters in the business to exceed 30 billion for this year 2021. So much for pessimist forecasters.
So since the secret about the benefits of CBD therapy is no longer much of a secret, all of the scammers and Internet marketing gurus are lit up like Christmas Trees and moving their assets to other rocks to crawl under while they take advantage of “the next best thing” to monetize. After all, the marketer’s motto is always “Give ‘em what they want”.
CBD Regulation
As with any substance that is suddenly reclassified and subsequently turned from “bad” and illegal status to now a “good” substance, the DOJ, FBI, and local law enforcement agencies, etc. are left to manage public expectations with mud on their faces and chips on their shoulders.
For example, President Biden is retreating from the Progressive Movement's call for the Federal legalization of Cannabis. And they aren't happy about it, nor are the Libertarians on the far "Right."
It's halfway through the year 2021 and CBD (cannabidiol) is still not acknowledged as a healthy, dietary supplement, substance by the FDA. This flies in the face of common knowledge and a multi-billion-dollar CBD industry within the U.S. borders. After all, we know that Cannabis is one of the most healthy and universally accepted food supplements used by humans for at least the last 12,000 years.
Seems strange that there are still no effective, industry-wide, federal regulations and/or testing requirements for Cannabis product manufacturers. Even today, policing of the industry has been a natural and free-market response to consumer demands and expectations as opposed to the typical cast of government regulators.
This is especially true for the CBD product manufacturers due to its non-toxic, non-psychoactive, and non-addictive advantages as opposed to “medical marijuana” which comes with tons more political baggage. See below for more information on legislative and regulatory changes that are affecting the commercialization of Cannabis (Hemp) and CBD.
CBD Product Testing Results
One of the results of my research on this subject revealed that a testing facility called Evio Labs measured results from products manufactured by over 400 companies. Bio-chemists evaluated the results after testing for how much CBD was actually contained in the product compared to what was provided on the labels.
Their data showed that 25 out of the 35 tested did not contain the amount of CBD claimed on the label, and some had no CBD in the product whatsoever.
CBD in the form of Gummies were found to be the most often type of product to be low or no CBD.
Chris Martinez, the owner of Evio Labs explained that, more often than not, their results from the sampling showed that most of the products tested did not match their claimed CBD content regardless of the explanations offered by those manufacturers in response to the test results found.
Ironically, there seems to be a direct correlation between advertising claims as “The Highest in CBD” were, in fact, low to absolutely no CBD whatsoever. The truth about CBD is becoming more complex.
Check out this 3-minute video that is quite descriptive of their Test Results.
Testing Results Deserve Your Attention
I’ve personally tested over 100+ CBD products as part of my work as an author and publisher of CBD product reviews. As opposed to even a year ago, I find that the high-quality brands all have QR Codes on their labels which are intended to be scanned by the consumer using the camera on your smartphone or mobile device.
What could be more convenient! Simply scan the square-shaped, black & white image (if available) with your smartphone's camera, and you will be provided the 3rd Party Test results of the exact batch from which your product’s container originated.
Any self-respecting, conscientious, and worthy manufacturer will have this QR code image on all of their product’s labels.
You’ll discover truth about their CBD products within seconds.
Changes in Regulations and Legislation
The truth about CBD is that mutative laws, regulations, taxes and other bureaucratic power mechanisms along with Big Banking, Big Pharma, Insurance Companies, and big money market-makers/IPOs are all vying for position. From my observation point, this obfuscation buys these players more valuable time. Meanwhile, those of you who want to know “the truth” may find it a bit elusive.
Nevertheless, people like you and me are ultimately responsible for understanding what is going on if we want to optimize our experience and opportunity as patients and consumers… and TAXPAYERS!
Following is a list of important and highly relevant changes related to CBD, Cannabis cultivation, and myriad Government influences:
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In June of 2018, the FDA approved its first CBD-based prescription drug called Epidiolex was approved. This well-planned introduction coincided with the passing of The Farm Bill. Growers, distributors, and retailers still face discrimination in the form of risk premiums for banking and merchant transactions along with bans from PayPal since 2015.
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By December of 2018, The Farm Bill opened up the cultivation of “Hemp” which is defined as the genus and species of “the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of the plant, including any part of the plant including the seeds thereof, and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of no more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis."
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The Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) finally rescheduled some CBD products, but somehow came up with a new classification of “Legal CBD” to be only those products or plants that contain less than 0.1 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta THC 9) and its bio-chemical relatives like the new rage Delta 8 which is now in 2021 being synthesized from Hemp in order to be safe under re-classification under Schedule 5 of the Schedule of Harmful Drugs. This means that all Hemp-sourced extracts and final products are now rescheduled (re-classified) as and on Schedule 5... which is the least 'harmful' of "drugs" according to the DEA.
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CBD foods and CBD dietary supplements are being purchased at neck-breaking speed with volumes to the tune of $2.5 billion per month while the previous FDA Commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, states that the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDC) upholds its position that it is illegal for any party to introduce drug ingredients like CBD and THC into the food supply. This says something very clearly about the FDA even though they are not clear.
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Physicians and health professionals are federally prohibited from selling or prescribing any CBD product other than the Epidolex brand manufactured by the drug giant GW Pharmaceuticals for the treatment of only certain forms of epilepsy. No other manufacturer/brand can be prescribed regardless of the physician’s personal knowledge, his/her Hippocratic Oath, or personal opinion on its benefit for their patients (unless you suffer from specific forms of epilepsy). But physicians are allowed to prescribe “marijuana” on a State-by-State basis. The smoking lamp is lit, just not for CBD yet.
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There’s a ‘patent’ land grab that has been going on for some time now, and the Federal government’s position is that they have patented all the derivatives of the Cannabis plant and its seeds not to exclude plants that haven’t even been grown yet. Among other legislative sleight-of-hand is the fact that Cannabis, CBD, and Hemp patents “must meet statutory requirements… and therefore, can be challenged in Federal Courts and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office”. Make no mistake about it, the Federal Government reserves the right to challenge even intellectual property by citizens who ‘they’ feel are not thinking clearly enough.
Summary
I’ve been authoring, personally testing CBD products, and publishing within the “CBD industry” since before people even knew what it was. I’m now 63 years young, and I hold advanced degrees in business, marketing, and medical sales licenses and experience training glaucoma specialist surgeons in microsurgery techniques and micro-surgery equipment. I feel I can share the truth about CBD because I believe we all can handle the truth about CBD. You want the truth.
Marketing is a creative activity. But it’s not necessarily going to deliver the product that you are looking for.
Consider orienting yourself toward CBD Products that show a QR code on the label where you can capture 3rd party test results.
The truth starts with getting the amount of the valuable substance that you are supposedly paying for, as well as being assured that you are not ingesting pesticides, heavy metals, or any other unhealthy or unwanted ingredients.
I have two success stories to relate:
First: My friend was seriously injured in an auto accident. Partially paralyzed and in great pain. I got her on CBD LIVING daily tincture. Her pain eased tremendously.
After 6 weeks, she decided to go off of the tincture, thinking that she didn’t need it….Within 10 days, she was suffering greatly. She asked me to PLEASE bring back the tincture. It definitely limited her pain.
Secondly: My husband has been taking CBD LIVING daily tincture for 2 1/2 months. He has type two diabetes. He takes a terrible prescription blood thinner. His latest blood test showed that his prescription blood thinner should be cut in half. I look forward to the other benefits for him and improving diabetes blood test results.