If you’ve heard about CBD testing then you have probably asked yourself what it means. So, what does CBD testing mean? Well, it all depends! Let’s take a look at some of the different references to CBD testing that may come in to question as well as why CBD testing should or even would take place.
Tested vs. Untested – Why It Matters
Think about it for a minute. Almost every product in your home has been tested to mean certain specifications, requirements, and standards. Behind each of those products, there is likely a business that can be held accountable for any issues with the product such as defects or complications that may occur from using the product. Shouldn’t there be an entity behind CBD products to also hold accountable? Shouldn’t the manufacturers of products that are being utilized for medicinal purposes be held to certain standards and requirements? We sure think so!
Forms of Testing
When it comes to testing CBD products on the market today, there are two basic things that can be tested. One is the potency or concentration of CBD within the product. Potency is significant for measuring the efficiency of CBD products at different intake levels. The other is its purity. No matter what product you put into your body, its purity and quality should be held to certain standards. Let’s take a look at the difference between the two testing types as well as how that testing is performed.
Testing for Concentration of CBD Content
As with any medicine, it’s important to know how much you’re consuming. This is especially true for CBD, and other cannabis-derived products. This is because they are not regulated by the FDA, and there are no “set in stone standards” for how much CBD should be utilized for addressing different ailments. After all, there is a big difference in treating a condition such as Epilepsy in comparison to treating something such as Acne with CBD.
This means that those who utilize CBD must rely upon their own experience and the anecdotal experience of others when they set out to address an ailment. Then it’s trial and error until they find what works best for them. In this journey, it’s essential that the strains and products being utilized by patients are tested for potency/concentration so that individuals are able to pinpoint the specific dosage of CBD that works best for their ailments. Now let’s take a look at how CBD testing for potency is performed.
How CBD Testing for Concentration is Performed
The most common way that the potency of CBD in cannabis strains is tested is through High-Performance Liquid Chromatography or HPLC. HPLC is utilized as it has the ability to separate and quantify chemicals through a liquid solution.
HPLC is performed via the following steps.
- A sample of cannabis flower is mixed with a solvent
- The sample is them pumped through a tube utilizing extreme high pressure
- While being pumped though the tube there is a material that attracts specific molecules (in this case being CBD) from the sample
- At the end of the tube, there is a detector that receives the molecules. The ones that were attracted to the material will reach the detector after molecules that were not.
- Detectors can measure UV light absorbance allowing them to measure the relative abundance of specific molecules. Cannabinoids such as CBD and THC travel at different speeds through the tube. This can be calculated by the detectors which allow for concentration of different molecules from a sample to be measured and reported.
Testing for Purity
The purity for many people is just as important as the potency of a product. Combine that and the fact that there are no quality standards that must be adhered to when it comes to CBD products as well as very little to no oversight, having lab reports showing their purity from harmful things such as pesticides, heavy metals or residual solvents is crucial. Below you can find more information regarding how these tests are performed.
- How Testing for Pesticides is Performed
- How Testing for Heavy Metals in CBD Products is Performed
- CBD Testing for Residual Solvents
Drug Tests and CBD
Another reference to CBD that could come in to question is in regard to CBD and drug testing. Seeing how CBD is derived from either the marijuana or hemp variation of cannabis, many people question whether or not CBD will cause them to fail a drug test. Here is what you need to know!
Will CBD Cause me to Fail a Drug Test?
CBD products that contain CBD that’s isolated shouldn’t cause you to fail a drug test. According to a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, levels of THC lower than 50ng/ml should not cause you to fail a drug test.
Luckily many of the CBD products that are sold today are made utilizing hemp. This means they contain much lower levels of THC. If you happen to live in a state where full spectrum cannabis is available, chances are the CBD you are consuming was made from “marijuana” rather than hemp. In this case, the concentration of THC in the product could cause you to fail a drug test depending on its potency.
Some CBD products that are made from “marijuana strains” rather than hemp cultivars have higher levels of THC than others, depending on the specific product. This is where the accuracy of potency is extremely important when it comes to CBD testing.
Isn’t Tested Better or Is It?
So, when it comes to the topic of CBD testing, there are many questions that could be asked. We hope that this article helped you to have a better understanding of different things pertaining to CBD testing. As more research is available about cannabinoids, the testing of products that contain them will become more advanced than ever before.