Cannabis.net sat down with Cannabis Care Online Dispensary & CBD Canada, a Canadian producer of third party lab-tested CBD products (including lab tested CBD Oil), to discuss the importance of third-party lab testing. Lab testing has been a big issue this year with reports of how cannabis growers are "shopping for lab results", as we wrote about here. Basically, they are bringing their product to different labs and whoever gives them the highest THC rating, gets paid. It is the same way bond ratings for companies work in the US Financial markets. We figured what better way to get to the bottom of this and head North, and talk to lab tested CBD producer.
Why Is Third-Party Lab Testing Important When It Comes To CBD Products?
Lab test results – especially third party lab test results – are confirmation that the CBD product contains what's on the label and only that. They offer protection against fraud and potentially faulty products.
This means that people can use CBD products with confidence that they're free of contaminants and potent as advertised, so they can safely partake in the benefits of CBD.
What Information Can People Get From CBD and Cannabis Lab Tests?
From lab testing, a cannabis or hemp product's cannabinoid profile can be determined. While there are more than 120 known cannabinoids, the most commonly known are THC and CBD.
THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is the cannabinoid most famously associated with the cannabis "high." CBD or cannabidiol has become extremely well known for its medicinal properties, perhaps foremost among them its anti-inflammatory properties, which alleviate a wide variety of conditions and symptoms.
When purchasing CBD products, the lab tests verify the purity and concentration of the CBD – and the lack of other cannabinoids such as THC, if desired.
The forms of CBD detected during a cannabinoid profile may sometimes also include CBDA aka CBD Acid – the precursor of CBD that is produced by a living cannabis or hemp plant. When heat is applied, it becomes CBD by shedding the "Acid" group from its molecule – a process called decarboxylation.
Industrial hemp plants, or specialized strains, are often used to produce CBD products since they contain 0% THC.
Similarly, when THC appears in a cannabinoid profile, it comes in two activated forms and one precursor.
Δ9 THC is the most commonly recognized activated form of THC, and the most psychoactive. Δ8 THC has similar but less profound effects.
The precursor to THC is THC Acid, or THCA, found in raw cannabis plants. As with CBDA and CBD, THCA becomes THC through decarboxylation.
Cannabinoid lab tests also frequently report on some of the lesser-known cannabinoids, which may often include CBG (cannabigerol), THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin), CBV (Cannabivarin), CBN (Cannabinol), CBC (Cannabichromene), or others.
What Is The Different Between First-Party and Third-Party Lab Testing?
First party testing takes place when a producer tests their products. It's important for internal quality control and therefore an integral part of the growing and extraction process. First party pro
While first-party testing is important, any responsible producer must involve third party testing,
third-party testing involves the testing being conducted by an independent tester, a certified laboratory who specializes in testing and certifying products. These laboratories themselves are subject to stringent requirements
Through third-party lab testing, CBD producers can guarantee the potency of their products, and guarantee that no THC will be present if desired. This means that customers can similarly guarantee their dosing.
What Can Lab Test Results Tell Customers About Products & Supplements In General?
Firstly, lab tests help assure safety. Before a product's cannabinoid potency is the subject of testing, the product is tested for contaminants and toxins. Therefore, whatever the reported potency, the presence of a lab test report also means that the product tested as uncontaminated.
Of course, once purity has been established, lab testing allows the precise measurement of a substance. When it comes to cannabinoids such as CBD or THC, or even cannabis and hemp products in general, the dosing precision that is afforded by lab testing can make all the difference.
How Does Lab Testing Work For CBD and Cannabis Products?
The most common technique employed by testing labs is called High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, or HPLC. HPLC is used in cannabis testing and the testing of many other substances.
When HPLC, is employed to test CBD a sample is collected from the source (flower or concentrate) and mixed with a solvent - usually ethanol. The resulting cannabinoid-ethanol solution is then pumped through a specialized tube, at very high pressure.
The HPLC testing tube contains material that attracts molecules in the solution in a manner that differs based on their chemical properties and molecular attributes. The attractive powers of the tube slow down different molecules to varying degrees, which allows a detector at the end to calculate which molecules reach it first, and their relative concentration.
Why Should Consumers Choose CBD Companies That Third-Party Lab Test Their Products?
There are two main reasons that it's important that CBD companies test their products in independent labs – and why customers should choose independent lab-tested CBD products.
The first reason is simple safety and purity. Lab testing guarantees that any products that make it to market are free of impurities.
The second reason is guaranteed potency. When CBD products are guaranteed potent, and certified as such but a third-party lab, they can be used properly for precise dosing. This helps users ensure they're getting enough but also prevents wasteful overuse.
How Can People Find Third-Party Lab-Tested CBD Products In Canada?
Since early 2016, Cannabis Care Online Dispensary & CBD Canada has been providing Canadians with guaranteed potent lab-tested CBD products – one of the first companies to do so.
With convenient online ordering and guaranteed potency and delivery, Cannabiscare.ca remains one of the most convenient and trusted ways for Canadians to get lab-tested CBD.
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