CBD Oracle has released a set of objective, expert-backed criteria to help consumers find better hemp products and lay out clear expectations for companies. 

The hemp industry has been a lifeline for many farmers, but it’s a minefield for consumers. Everyone tells you to check lab reports, but much of the time they don’t include safety testing, and sometimes they’re even outright fake. Brands talk a big game about not selling to youth but then don’t check IDs on purchase or delivery. And even if you do find a brand that doesn’t do this stuff, their labels are probably still misleading and there may be unintended and unknown ingredients that even the lab doesn’t mention.

There is a lot of talk about self-regulation, but with very little top-down control, bad actors are still widespread and the challenge of finding safe, reliable, and effective products falls primarily on consumers. At the same time, honest brands are faced with competing pressures, hoping to put out products that tick all the right boxes but balance this out against profitability.

CBD Oracle set out to address these issues, interviewing 22 experts and two governmental agencies about what they’d look for in a hemp product if they were recommending one to friends, family, or patients. The result is a set of objective criteria for evaluating cannabinoid products, covering everything from the plant on the farm right through to the labeling and marketing of the finished product.

For consumers, it’s a guide for what to look out for, but for brands, it’s a blueprint for making the highest-quality cannabinoid products you can and standing out from the bad actors.

You can read the full report here: A Comprehensive Framework for Evaluating Cannabinoid Products (PDF) 

The Problems With the Hemp Industry and How They Affect Consumer Trust

While the 2018 Farm Bill left the regulation of hemp products to the FDA, the agency has dragged its feet in establishing regulations and left the task to the states. The end result of this is often described as a “patchwork of regulations,” but this misses what is arguably the biggest issue: enforcement varies drastically from state-to-state and this lack of oversight means that customers cannot depend on anything, even if their state theoretically has solid rules in place. 

This leaves consumers facing many issues including inaccurate labeling, deceptive marketing, unsafe products (often containing unknown and unreported byproducts), and a general lack of consistency.

For brands, this has serious knock-on effects:

• Reduced consumer trust: Consumers know that many brands don’t hit the mark, so they are more likely to stick to one or two brands they can rely on and shop around less.
• Governmental scrutiny: The lax standards in the hemp industry attract negative media coverage and in turn encourage state governments to crack down on hemp.
• Market uncertainty: The lack of trust from consumers and skepticism from the government brings uncertainty into the industry. The threat of increased regulation or even outright bans hangs over the future.

A Comprehensive Framework for Evaluating Cannabinoid Products: In Brief

CBD Oracle spoke to 22 experts from the industry, research, medicine, and the law, as well as the FDA and the California Department of Public Health, and reviewed existing standards to come up with their Comprehensive Framework for Evaluating Cannabinoid Products.

The entire framework is in CBD Oracle’s PDF report and blog post, but briefly, the experts identified several key factors consumers should look out for and the industry should strive towards.

The plant’s origin and cultivation method 

The plant should be grown in the US, ideally using organic farming methods, outside under natural light, from a single strain and single origin, and preferably in states with ideal climates and robust hemp programs.

Extraction

The extract should be made from flower using a clean method that removes contaminants while preserving beneficial compounds, such as CO2, with natural cannabinoids (not converted) and terpenes (or at least 99% purity for isolates).

Third-party lab testing

There should be full-panel tests publicly available for each batch/lot of each finished product, ideally including tests of raw materials, from an accredited lab with a credible reputation, which confirms that the product is free from contaminants and the potency is within 10% of the advertised amount (20% for low-dose products). The lab report should be less than a year old and should have a QR code for easy verification.

Quality control

The company should be a GMP-certified manufacturer, with an FDA-registered facility, that oversees the entire production process (i.e. not a white-label brand) and has a chain of custody documentation. The hemp should ideally be USDA certified organic, and with NSF sport certification if it’s intended to be 100% THC-free.

Ingredients and additives

The product should be made without harmful or unnecessary additives, including (but not limited to) vitamin E acetate, synthetic fragrances, artificial colorings, parabens, or synthetic cannabinoids, shouldn’t include unregulated supplements, and any vape products should preferably use a base of propylene glycol (and/or vegetable glycerin).

Packaging and labeling

The product should comply with all labeling requirements, be packaged in a child-resistant container, with packing and expiration dates shown, clear dosing instructions, a batch/lot number for traceability, complete ingredient listing, a QR code linked to the lab report and appropriate health warnings.

Reputation, transparency, and marketing

The company should not make unapproved medical claims, use marketing intended or likely to appeal to youth, or sell hemp products without substantive age verification. They should be transparent about their team, work with experts, ideally engage in advocacy or be a member of industry organizations, and offer good customer service, including a money-back guarantee.

Conclusion – Working Towards a Better Industry

It’s likely that the upcoming update to the Farm Bill will come into force before we get any substantive regulation of hemp at the federal level, with the update likely restricting intoxicating hemp. The only way to show the industry is responsible before then is to hold it to higher standards, pushing customers to expect more and companies to do more to ensure their products are safe, efficacious, and reliable. While the criteria won’t solve the problems facing the industry, they offer a clear path forward for the industry and empower consumers to expect more of the companies whose products they buy.  

You can access the full report in a PDF here: A Comprehensive Framework for Evaluating Cannabinoid Products