In five years, sales of CBD products will grow by 132%. One report says the CBD market will rake in $22 billion by 2022.

Once hemp products hit the market legally, everyone jumped on the CBD bandwagon. Unfortunately, not everyone out to sell CBD products has healing in mind.

Buying CBD products in the current market is more or less a guessing game. There are few federal regulations keeping everyone safe.

How does one find honest CBD suppliers with so many options out there? Don’t get snagged by a shady CBD supplier.

Use this guide to find a CBD supplier you can trust for years to come

Know Your Local Laws

There’s a bit of mystery about any laws on cannabis products. In 2018, the Farm Bill declared that products made from hemp, a form of cannabis, is legal.

But what’s the difference between hemp and marijuana? Why is one legal and the other not?

For legal purposes, hemp is any cannabis plant under a certain percentage of THC. These are the plants harvested to make most commercial CBD products.

Thanks to their low amount of psychoactive cannabinoids, hemp products are sold nationally.

On the flip side, marijuana is classified as any cannabis plant containing above 0.3% THC. That is because THC alters the way the user sees the world and may pose a danger.

CBD doesn’t interact with your body’s cells in the same manner. Organizations like the WHO consider CBD safe for human consumption.

Even the FDA considers CBD useful. They’ve approved two CBD-based products to help with epilepsy.

As far as other CBD products go, though? They’re caught in a gray area. That’s why you need to be careful when shopping for CBD suppliers.

Always Read the Label

Due to CBD products’ hazy status, there isn’t a lot of regulation on production. Unsurprisingly, there is even less regulation behind imported hemp.

Before buying your CBD oil or tincture, read the entire label. Check to make sure there aren’t additives that will trigger your allergies.

Look for the percentage of CBD and other cannabinoids, as well.

This is extra important for states with recreational marijuana laws. There are CBD-heavy products in dispensaries. These oils and tinctures also have much more than the 0.3% THC in most other products.

Don’t be afraid of being too cautious. Contact customer support if you have any questions about their product. Pay attention to their attitude.

Reliable CBD suppliers want customers to trust them so they will come back. They won’t neglect a customer with concerns.

Look for Reviews of the CBD Oil Products

Reviews are often what make or break a product. This is also where you get a glimpse at the CBD supplier’s customer service in action.

Read through the reviews for any product that catches your eye. Pay attention to rave reviews and negative reviews. Sometimes the negative reviews reveal where the supplier is lackluster in their job.

When you’re dealing with supplements like CBD, a supplier can’t slack on anything.

Check websites not controlled by the supplier for reviews. Customers feel bolder knowing the supplier probably won’t read their review.

Suppliers who track down reviews to antagonize customers is a huge red flag. Avoid businesses like these at all costs.

Instead, you want to find CBD suppliers willing to work with customers to solve problems. If they put that much care into making the public happy, surely they do the same with their product.

Pro tip: Keep an eye out for spam comments.

Some websites buy positive comments to make the product look like a hit. Other times sites are review bombed to intentionally harm a product’s rating.

Check for Third-Party Testing

With no official oversight from the FDA about CBD production, it’s left a large problem to deal with.

How do CBD suppliers make sure their products are safe?

States with official marijuana laws have some regulations. But with online retail, knowing who you’re buying from is impossible. They might say they’re from a certain state and fake paperwork.

To help keep customers safe, CBD suppliers started using third-party labs to test their products.

When CBD shopping, these test results should be easy to find. When a company hides the tests, you know they don’t want you to see how they do business.

A lab running tests on CBD products should meet ISO 17025 standards. They should also use tests approved by organizations like:

• The America Herbal Pharmacopoeia
• The Association of Official Agricultural Chemists
• The U.S. Pharmacopoeia

Learn how to read the CBD lab tests. The most important items are:

• Percentage of CBD
• Percentage of THC
• Percentage of other cannabinoids
• Amount of pesticides found in the sample
• Amount of fungus/mold found in the sample
• Amount and types of bacteria found in the sample
• Heavy metals found in the sample
• Residual solvents found in the sample

Don’t trust a CBD supplier that doesn’t test for mold and other contaminants. What are they trying to hide by refusing to fully test the products?

Keep an Eye Out For Marketing and Deals

Like any other business, CBD suppliers need a lot of customers to stay in business. A supplier who wants to stay in business for a while will run regular deals to bring in new customers.

A lot of CBD suppliers run newsletter deals. Look for a sign-up prompt on their website.

Be wary of websites that overload you with emails. That’s another red flag. Their products and reviews should speak louder than their email promo.

Some CBD suppliers make advertising deals with other websites. They’ll create coupon codes for the sites to share. Look for these codes around holidays to find the best deals.

Never Buy From CBD Suppliers You Don’t Trust

The goal for everyone seeking CBD is to feel better. But with so little regulation in the CBD market, sometimes the result is far from feeling better.

Don’t fall for any CBD suppliers’ tricks. Follow this guide and your CBD journey will be safe.

Want more information about the benefits of CBD? Check out the health and cannabis sections on our website.