Know before you buy

Not all CBD is created equally. Regulations are changing. Legislation is pending. Formulations are developing. New products are dropping. Wise CBD consumers look for labels and read up on the issues.

VERIFY THE SOURCE

Was the CBD extracted from cannabis or hemp? CBD products sold at licensed dispensaries come from cannabis and contain an array of cannabinoids that work in concert with one another to create what researchers call the entourage effect. Such products are called full-spectrum or whole-plant products.

CBD products sold elsewhere come from hemp and are formulated as isolated and distilled powders or oils. They contain no other cannabinoids, such as THC, CBG, CBN and others proven to stimulate appetites, quell pains and improve moods.

“It’s like buying orange juice versus Sunny Delight,” said Kimberly Dillon of Papa & Barkley, a Eureka company that distributes both whole-plant and CBD isolate products.

COUNT CANNABINOIDS

Read labels and do the math. What’s the total cannabinoid content? If it’s a hemp CBD product purchased at non-licensed cannabis store, unless cut with another ingredient, it’s 100 percent CBD (if you have faith in unregulated product labels at all). CBD products sold at licensed stores should list total cannabinoid content — CBD, THC and all other cannabinoids.

“That’s the active ingredient you’re paying for,” Dillon said. “It’s not like the beauty industry, where you wonder, ‘Is this just water and hope?’ ”

KNOW RATIOS

It’s important to know which ratios of CBD to other cannabinoids work for you. Industry-standard ratios list CBD first and THC second. (Other cannabinoids are generally not noted in ratios.)

Regulated CBD products are sold in a variety of ratios: 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 1:4, 1:3, 1:2 and even 30:1.

People who are averse to THC’s psychoactive effects may seek out products with higher CBD ratios. A product with twice as much CBD as THC may make for a more mellow high. Cannabis affects people differently, and different ratios may work better for different people.

It will behoove bargain hunters to do the math. Products with more CBD generally cost more because of the pricey extraction processes.