Cannabidiol Can Be Dumb: 5 CBD Products to be Skeptical of
By Erika Andrews
CBD is everywhere these days! The first cannabis product to be made legal nationwide, cannabidiol is an exciting first step into cannabis-assisted wellness for many Americans.
Folks are just now hearing about our endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for helping to regulate most of our other essential body systems.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid that is produced by cannabis and the exciting news is that it indirectly binds with our endocannabinoid system, offering the potential of positively impacting the health of millions of Americans.
People have found relief from pain, anxiety, seizures, digestive issues, and much more by using CBD. Pure cannabidiol, sold by reputable companies who have their products tested by third-party labs, offers a multitude of health benefits.
Unfortunately, as with any new popular product, some of the salespeople out there do not have your best interests at heart. Some hemp products claim to offer the health benefits of CBD but do not actually contain any cannabinoids whatsoever.
Other products on the market may actually contain CBD but do not offer any health benefits.
How can you tell the good from the bad when it comes to CBD? For starters, here are 5 “CBD” products you definitely don’t need!
Hemp Oil
Repeat after me: “Hemp oil is not CBD. Hemp oil is not CBD. Hemp oil is not CBD.”
Hemp oil does not contain CBD (or any cannabinoids for that matter). Don’t get fooled into thinking that hemp oil benefits your endocannabinoid system!
Hemp oil is cold-pressed from the seeds of the hemp plant. Hemp seeds do not contain any phytocannabinoids. Hemp oil is full of fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 and can be used as a heart-healthy cooking oil or as a rich moisturizer for your skin.
Hemp oil is not CBD!
While it certainly won’t hurt you to take hemp oil internally, it does not contain any CBD and does not offer benefits to your endocannabinoid system.
2. CBD from Amazon? Buyer Beware!
If you’re anything like me, the first place you check when you want to buy something is Amazon. It comes so quickly! Free shipping! Can’t go wrong.
I get it. The convenience can’t be beat. But please resist the urge to shop for your CBD products on Amazon.
First of all, according to Amazon’s user agreement, selling CBD via their platform is not even allowed. There are some companies who still do offer CBD on Amazon, by calling it something else. If you see a listing for “hemp extract” (NOT hemp oil), it may contain CBD.
If you must shop for your CBD on Amazon, here are some important things to remember:
Hemp extract is extracted from the stems, leaves, and flowers of the hemp plant. This is where CBD and other phytocannabinoids are produced, so hemp extract may contain CBD.
Hemp oil is pressed from the seeds of the hemp plant. Hemp oil does not contain CBD or any cannabinoids whatsoever.
If it comes in a big bottle and is really cheap, it does not contain CBD.
If it comes in a pricey, small bottle with a dropper, it is more likely to be CBD.
If the hemp extract lists a number of milligrams (per bottle and/or per serving), they are probably referring to the amount of CBD it contains.
Amazon listings cannot legally contain the words CBD or cannabidiol. If this detective work is exhausting, contact the company directly and simply ask if their hemp extract contains CBD.
OR just purchase your CBD directly from the company instead of from Amazon. It’s not worth the risk. Because CBD is legal nationwide, you are able to easily purchase it online. If the price is a concern, many CBD companies offer free shipping or a subscription service that helps you save money on your CBD.
CBD sold on Amazon might be called “hemp extract.”
3. CBD Oil Diffusers
Not only are we in the midst of a CBD craze, but the essential oil madness is full upon us as well. They just smell so dang good when you diffuse them! And they offer a multitude of health benefits as well. And the purest essential oils can also be taken internally, or utilized topically, offering plant-based wellness that benefits our whole body, inside and out.
Sound familiar? CBD is also plant-based, offers whole-body wellness, and can be used topically and internally. So can CBD also offer health benefits when diffused in the air?
Sadly, no. CBD itself is odorless, so it offers no aromatherapy benefits. Furthermore, cannabinoids are heavier than other molecules and are unable to be diffused into the air, so diffusing CBD would offer no benefits to your health.
Don’t waste your CBD oil by putting it into a diffuser!
And do not buy diffuser kits that come with CBD oil. It is probably not pure CBD oil, and if it is, then diffusing it would be pointless. Don’t waste your money.
4. CBD Candles
Most CBD candles are as pointless as CBD diffusers. CBD molecules cannot fly through the air and offer you health benefits.
However, CBD candles that are meant to be melted and then used as massage oils can offer therapeutic benefits by being topically applied to the skin.
If you want to combine your love of candles with your love for CBD, make sure you buy the kind that can be used as a massage oil once melted. This is the only way a CBD candle can benefit your health.
5. Carl’s Jr. CBD Burger
I mean, this is just silly.
Carl’s Jr. debuted the Rocky Mountain High Cheeseburger Delight last year on 4/20. The double cheeseburger, which featured pickled jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, and french fries, also came slathered with a CBD-infused Santa Fe sauce.
Hey, it does look delicious. And your body can process CBD in edible form, so it’s not completely off the wall. But the 5 mg of CBD that each serving of sauce contains is a minuscule amount and is extremely unlikely to offer any benefits to your endocannabinoid system.
The CBD burger, like many CBD products out there, was just a gimmick.
CBD Can’t Be Dumb if You’re Not
I speak no ill of CBD. Cannabidiol has changed my life in many ways. I use it for both pain and anxiety and it has helped me immensely. Real, pure CBD offers a plethora of health benefits.
However, like many truly beneficial substances and ideas, there are bound to be knockoffs. Copycats. Bad actors trying to ride the coattails of the real hero. And as a consumer, it is your responsibility to be smart about purchasing CBD products.
Remember!
Hemp oil is not CBD!
Hemp extract might be CBD.
CBD can only be used therapeutically in a few ways. It can benefit you topically, via sublingual administration, smoking or vaping, or ingesting. Any product that purports to provide health benefits via any other mode of consumption is just not genuine.
Sometimes CBD is just added as a stunt to an irrelevant product in order to help it sell. Luckily, CBD can’t hurt you, so maybe that’s okay?
Be a smart consumer and you Can’t Be Dumb about CBD!
What’s the dumbest CBD-related product you’ve ever seen? Let me know by sharing this blog using the buttons below! I can’t wait to hear from you.
✌💗🌿, E
