A recent report has revealed a worrying variation in the quality of cannabidiol (CBD) products currently available.
CBD
The report, by the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis (CMS) highlights how millions of consumers are being misled by marketing surrounding CBD products.
The research analysed 30 products in the UK in a bid to verify the quality of CBD products being sold and to define any areas of concern. The CMS commissioned UK-based laboratory PhytoVista to test available products in the first major third-party testing exercise.
The findings showed that almost two-thirds (62%) contained less than 90% of the declared CBD ingredient; that 45% had measurable levels of THC making them technically illegal in the UK; and that 11 contained levels of solvents exceeding food safety regulations.
One product which retails for £90 was also found to contain no trace of CBD and another product classes as an alcoholic beverage due to it containing 3.8% of ethanol.
With an estimated six million people having tried CBD in the UK, the report calls on the industry as a whole to use these results to identify areas of weakness and to secure the supply chain.
The report mentions how there are no rules that set basic standards for supply chain activities in relation to CBD products, meaning that testing and validation processes may differ from product to product.
One company that passed the test was Dragonfly Biosciences with its DragonflyCBD oil complying with all testing criteria, such as correct amount of advertised ingredients, pack information and absence of THC and contaminants.
The company applauded its testing infrastructure for the success and how it can trace each bottle back to laboratory reports.
Hannah Skingle, chief operating officer, Dragonfly Biosciences said: “With the ongoing proliferation of CBD products, robustly designed tests and reviews can help consumers to identify the brands and retailers that they can trust. Discerning retailers can also learn from these assessments in order to choose CBD partners whose integrity can be counted on for product quality and responsible marketing.”
“We are committed to the highest production standards to ensure the highest quality product and this why we work with expert chemists at our own laboratories. This includes a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography testing facility. Hence, we control the process from seed to shelf, guaranteeing the highest and most consistent product quality. We work strictly within the frontiers of current legislation and operate with total transparency, ensuring product integrity as well as all marketing materials and on pack information meeting all food supplements claims regulation and status."