Demand Verifiable Lab Results

North Carolina is poised to be a leader in the hemp industry, especially in the full spectrum hemp tincture marketplace, but without credibility and responsiblity, it may fail before it has a chance to fly.

The 2018 Farm Bill allows for more strict regulations of hemp products in the coming months. The USDA and FDA are working with states to set standards and they are watching the current trends in the marketplace. And frankly, if there is not a rise in responsible testing and full transparency, it will not be a surprise when hemp tinctures are not allowed in the marketplace.

To drive responsibility consumers can demand verifiable test results. Growers and processors can set responsibile examples with full transparency and encourage peers.

To make the message perfectly clear, not buying CBD, not buying full spectrum hemp tinctures, or flowers without full testing and transparency will drive the ‘gold standard.’

Buy products with verifiable lab results correlating to product with batch numbers. FULL PROFILE test panels include THC/CBD levels, a 10-cannabinoid profile, 9 beneficial terpene levels, and potentially harmful substances – 32 residual solvents, 4 heavy metals, including cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and lead, a 21 mycotoxin screen, mold and yeast, at least 220 pesticides, and a pathogen screen. Test panels with less may have more than you bargain for.

Reading lab results is imperative, for example, CBD-Girl-Next-Door.com, your consumer watchdog has reviewed lab results for product reviews with only 1 pesticide tested, only 2 mycotoxins tested, no heavy metals tested, and other irresponsible testing reports, such as testing for only the current compliancy requirement of THC/CBD levels.

What is so discerning about the COA below?

Notice the attempt to block identifying information of product owner and lab. Notice the missing numerical value for THC. This product could be ‘Mary Jane.’ Is this the product you are willing to risk for your loved one? Well, that is exactly what you are doing when you do not DEMAND VERIFIABLE LAB RESULTS.

Look for a FULL PROFILE of tests.

DEMAND VERIFIABLE LAB RESULTS

Allergic reactions to potentially harmful substances can cause serious illnesses and death. DEMAND VERIFIABLE LAB RESULTS. There are hemp companies here in NC owned by self-proclaimed leaders of the industry and physicians and lawyers who choose not to be fully transparent. They use double-talk to confuse the consumer into believing that their products are safe simply because they said so and even imply that the products have been deemed safe by the FDA.

There are scores of products out there with high levels of lead due to leaded fuel in tractors that polluted the tobacco fields. I have read many of these COAs. I have also read COAs with high levels of cadmium.

An article in LiveScience (2018) relays cadmium’s health concerns:
In 1945, closer studies and regulations of cadmium arose after incidents in Japan led to residents in the Toyama province becoming ill and experiencing pain in their bones and joints. It was found that increased levels of cadmium had been introduced into the water used to irrigate the crops from nearby zinc mines. When the crops, especially rice, passed along the increased levels of cadmium to the population, the metal caused the amount of calcium in the bones and the density of the bones to decrease enough where is some cases, even simple motions caused bones to break.

I have also read COAs with mold, pesticides and pathogens. Insist on a full profile COA with a correlating batch number.

Responsible, fully transparent growers and processors readily share lab results on websites. When lab results are not on websites, request before purchase. When a hemp product is at a retail site, request the COA from the clerk or manager. Verify the lab’s credibility by a readable header and contact information, considering that many Las Vegas labs were fined and shut down last year.

The NCIHC works with Avazyme Labs in Durham and they proudly serve many local hemp farmers.

It is not recommended to purchase any hemp product without verifiable lab results.

Have a great day!

Your CBD Watchdog – Stephanie