Why Testing is Important
Lab testing is incredibly important in the CBD industry because the FDA does not currently regulate the CBD products on the market. As a result, many companies sell products that contain traces of harmful chemicals and toxins. Some of these come from the way that the hemp was grown, while others come from the manufacturing process. Another byproduct of the lack of regulation is that many companies lie about the CBD content of their products by advertising a higher level of CBD than can actually be found in the bottle. The responsibility for testing products falls entirely on each individual CBD company, if they decide that it is worth the money. If you are considering buying CBD, it is a good idea to look into the company’s product-testing practices.
Heavy Metals in Source Plants
Hemp is a soil remediator, meaning that it draws toxins from the soil that it grows in. This is great for cleaning up farm land for future crops, but those plants retain the toxins or heavy metals that they drew from the soil. A responsible CBD company would never use plants that have been grown in those conditions, but the unfortunate truth is that these plants are often cheaper than those grown in cleaner conditions so companies purchase them to save money. The toxins and heavy metals in these plants are likely to end up in the finished CBD product, which can be very dangerous for consumers.
Pesticides
Pesticides are widely used by farmers to control pest populations that could wipe out their crops. For some crops, the FDA considers certain pesticides generally safe to use. However, the same pesticides are not considered safe for hemp plants. One reason for this is that hemp extracts are concentrated to create CBD products, so the amount of pesticide chemicals found in CBD products may be more dangerous to consume.
Residual Solvents From Plant Extraction
Residual solvents from the extraction process can also pose a threat to the health of consumers. Some companies utilize hydrocarbon solvents like butane or propane to extract CBD from hemp plants. These solvents are purged from the final product, but sometimes leave trace amounts behind that can be dangerous to consume. Supercritical CO2 extraction eliminates the possibility of leftover solvents because CO2 is a natural component of the atmosphere, and is not harmful like its hydrocarbon counterparts.
(100.1% purity??? Our CBD is more pure than the lab's CBD that ours is being tested against!)
Potency
Testing for toxins and heavy metals is important for the safety of consumers, but testing for potency is also important. Many companies make fallacious claims about the CBD content in their products because there is no accountability or regulation forcing them to tell the truth on their product labels. Potency testing allows reputable companies to prove that their products contain the advertised amount of CBD.
Our Testing
As shown in in the photo above, we test our base oils for pesticides, heavy metals, and residual solvents to ensure the safety of our customers. We also test each batch of every finished product for potency, to make sure that we are consistently maintaining the potency that we advertise. When you buy Active CBD Oil products, you can rest assured that you are getting what you pay for, and that we put a lot of effort into ensuring your safety.
