Yesterday, we completely refreshed our Top Online CBD Brands page. We wanted to share some more information with our readers about this top CBD update.

There are hundreds or even perhaps thousands of CBD products on the market. However, the CBD market is also largely unregulated. That means, there are few restrictions on how CBD products are sold. There’s no guarantee that what you’re buying is accurately labeled or honestly marketed.

That’s where the Ministry of Hemp comes in: we’ve surveyed the hemp industry, its brands, and as many CBD products as we can. We want to make buying CBD easier for you. For this top CBD update, we picked 16 of our favorite CBD brands, and highlighted some of our favorite products from them.

HOW WE CREATED OUR TOP CBD UPDATE

For each of the 16 brands selected to appear on our Top CBD brands page, we broke down their offerings a few different ways.

Key Highlights

We’ve selected a few features and product offerings that stand out about each CBD brand. For a few brands, our editor and review team gave a special award to the brand. These brands are listed first. However, every brand on this list more than meets our high standards of quality.

Types of Products

For each brand, we display icons indicating the types of products they offer, including CBD tinctures, capsules, topicals, vapes, edibles (such as gummies) and pet products. Some of our top CBD brands offer just one or two products, while others have extremely diverse offerings.

Established

We wanted to learn how long these brands have been around. While some great brands are newer, others have been around since the 2014 Farm Bill, which first re-legalized hemp in the U.S. for research purposes.

Origin of Hemp

It’s vital to know how and where hemp was grown. That’s because hemp is a bioaccumulator, meaning hemp absorbs contaminants from the soil while it grows. So if the soil it was grown on is not good, clean soil, then that plant might contain high levels of lead or mercury.

When hemp is imported, it’s harder to ensure the hemp is grown responsibly, sustainably and without adding potential toxins to the products made from the crop. While it used to be that most CBD brands imported their hemp, today more and more brands use domestically grown hemp. We’ve also included some brands that use responsibly grown hemp imported from Europe.

3rd Party Lab Results?

Customers should always request third party lab results that test for potency, pesticides, residual solvents, and mycotoxins of CBD hemp oil. If a company is reluctant to share these results with you, it should automatically be a red flag and indicate that they have something to hide. We’ve done the work and checked if these brands offer those tests to their customers.

We’ve assigned a letter grade of C, B, A, or A+ based on what kind of lab results are offered to customers. All the brands on this list at least offer tests showing the levels of CBD and THC in them (with THC under the legal limits for hemp of 0.3%), but brands which go further are rated higher.

Customer Service

Shopping for CBD can be confusing, mainly because there’s a lot we still don’t know about hemp extracts. We focused on brands with helpful and speedy customer service, and let you know how you can get in touch.

Shipping

We let you know a bit more about what it will cost to get your CBD. Today, many brands offer free, or flat rate shipping.

Returns

We investigated each brand’s return policy. While some brands only accept unopened products, others offer more comprehensive returns for unsatisfied customers.

Price

CBD can be expensive, and there are some good reasons for the high prices. However, we know that getting a good value for your money is also important. We’ve rated each brand from 1 to 3 dollar signs ($), based on their price range.

A Closer Look

We included links to where you can learn more about some of our favorite products from these top CBD brands. Some brands also offer exclusive coupons for our readers, and we’ve included them here.

MORE ABOUT OUR CBD PRODUCT STANDARDS

Ministry of Hemp only works with brands that meet our extremely high standards.

These include clear, transparent labelling and honest marketing. It should always be easy to learn more about the products, including their complete ingredients. It should always be easy to know how much CBD you’re taking. All of our top CBD brands have clear, easy to navigate websites, and make it easy to learn more about their products.

We try to focus on brands with sustainable, responsible business practices. To ensure that providing great CBD supplements is a brand’s primary goal, we do not work with any companies that use direct sales or multi-level marketing techniques.

MORE INFORMATION ON FINDING GREAT CBD ONLINE

We hope our Top CBD brands page helps you make more informed decisions when you’re buying CBD.

In addition to this top CBD update, here are some other useful CBD buying resources we’ve created:

• Best CBD Oil Tinctures of 2018
• Top CBD Capsules and Softgels of 2018
• Best CBD Topicals of 2018
• Top 5 Ways to Identify High Quality CBD Oil

Over the last few years, CBD (cannabidiol) has become a darling of the natural health world. And with minimal side effects, no addictive potential, and a long list of health benefits, it’s not hard to see why this cannabis extract has become almost as famous as its cousin, THC.

But you might be surprised to learn that CBD and THC are not the only cannabinoids out there. As CBD’s popularity grows, interest in cannabinoids has ignited, setting the stage for researchers to explore the therapeutic potential of other cannabis compounds.

One cannabinoid that’s attracting a lot of interest is CBG (cannabigerol). It seems to have plenty of health benefits to offer, but how does it stack up against CBD? In this article, we’ll compare these two potent cannabinoids and cover everything you need to know.

A PRIMER ON CANNABINOIDS

Cannabinoids seem almost too good to be true. After all, cannabis, and specifically CBD, has been praised for its ability to relieve pain, reduce seizures, lower anxiety, improve sleep, and more. But there’s actually a simple explanation for why cannabis has so many potential health benefits: the endocannabinoid system.

The endocannabinoid system refers to receptors found throughout the body, and these receptors help regulate physiological processes such as pain, mood, sleep, digestion, and more. Cannabinoids like CBD, THC, and CBG bind to these receptors, interacting with these different areas of human health.

Hemp is the best source for CBD, as it contains much higher concentrations than psychoactive cannabis (“marijuana”) (though this can vary by strain). On the other hand, you’ll find only trace amounts (1 percent or less) of CBG in the cannabis plant, although hemp strains can be cultivated to be higher in CBG. Young cannabis plants tend to be higher in CBG than mature plants, because CBG breaks down into other cannabinoids — including CBD and THC — as the plant ages.

COMPARING THE BENEFITS OF CBG AND CBD

Both CBD and CBG are non-psychoactive, meaning they won’t get you high. They’re both all-natural, have minimal or no side effects, and offer a wide range of health benefits.

Like CBD, the benefits of CBG are vast due to its interaction with the endocannabinoid system. For example, a 2015 study found CBG potentially effective at treating bladder dysfunction, while a 1990 study found that CBG can lower glaucoma-related pressure. CBG also has neuroprotective properties, may protect against colon cancer, and shows promise as a treatment for irritable bowel disease (IBD). It’s also an appetite stimulant with anti-inflammatory benefits and antibacterial properties.

Some of these benefits overlap with those of CBD, which has also been used to reduce pressure from glaucoma and reduce tumor growth. Like CBG, CBD shows neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory benefits; it has even been used for spot treatment of acne. CBD is also proven to be an effective anxiety reliever, with multiple studies supporting its potential for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder. Perhaps most famously, CBD also can reduce epileptic seizures and alleviate pain associated with fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, and more.

Though the effects of CBD and CBG when combined haven’t been studied, we do know that combining different cannabinoids results in what’s called the entourage effect. This means that each cannabinoid’s effects are enhanced when they’re combined. This effect has been well-studied relating to the relationship between CBD and THC; for example, both CBD and THC are more effective at reducing pain when taken together.

It’s possible that the benefits shared by CBD and CBG — like those for glaucoma, cancer, and inflammation — may also be enhanced when these two cannabinoids are combined, but further research is needed on the subject.

WHAT TYPE OF CBD OIL CONTAINS CBG?

If you’re looking to get the most out of your cannabinoids, and/or take multiple cannabinoids at once to experience the entourage effect, look for full spectrum CBD oil products. This type of CBD oil contains all the cannabinoids and terpenes that were extracted from the cannabis plant, including THC, CBD, CBG, and many others.

The downside of full spectrum products is that the ratios and percentages of each cannabinoid can vary widely based on the strain of cannabis the oil was made from. This makes it harder to control what kind of response you’ll have; you may find yourself reacting differently based on the batch, type, or brand of CBD oil due to these variances. It’s also important to keep in mind that full spectrum CBD oils contain traces of THC, and while it’s not enough to get you high, it may be enough to show up on a drug test.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to experience pure CBD without additional cannabinoids and terpenes, or you need to avoid THC due to sensitivities or drug testing, you’ll want to look for either isolate CBD products or broad spectrum CBD. Broad spectrum is similar to full spectrum in that it contains other cannabinoids and terpenes, but it’s processed to remove all traces of THC. Isolate CBD oil, meanwhile, is processed to remove all cannabinoids and terpenes aside from CBD, leaving you with a pure CBD product.

CLOSING THOUGHTS ON CBD VS. CBG

As our knowledge of cannabinoids continues to grow, so will our understanding of their uses and benefits. Although CBD is certainly the front runner, CBG shows a lot of promising uses. At Every Day Optimal we believe that CBG will have a big future in years to come and are looking forward to learning more about this amazon cannabinoid.

Questions? Be sure to reach out!

We truly enjoyed trying RE Botanicals Hemp Tincture, a very high quality CBD oil.

The care that RE Botanicals puts into their products shines through from the start. Everything about their tincture exudes quality and elegance, from the twist off cap, the ease and responsiveness of the dropper to the clean looking package. We knew this hemp extract was going to be an experience!

Upon opening, we immediately noticed a fresh hemp scent that wasn’t overpowering, but strong enough that we just knew quality hemp was used. The extract itself was almost colorless with just an ever so slightly yellowish tint.

The taste didn’t disappoint either. The team ingested the CBD in three ways: sublingually, on the tongue, and in coffee. All three ways yielded the same results: a nice silky texture that didn’t leave an aftertaste like some extracts we’ve tried. Yet there was still a modest hemp taste that we all enjoyed. Even when we put RE Botanicals Hemp Tincture directly into coffee, the coffee taste wasn’t altered much, which can sometimes happen with CBD extracts. Our team also found this extract effective at reducing chronic pain and relaxing to consume, too.

RE Botanicals paid us a fee and offered us free products in return for our honest opinion. If you purchase a product from one of these links, we’ll receive a percentage of sales. Read more about sponsored content on Ministry of Hemp.

Read on to learn more about RE Botanicals and see our complete product breakdown.

RE BOTANICALS REGENERATES THE EARTH WITH HEMP

RE Botanicals is proud of their sustainable growing methods.

John Roulac founded RE Botanicals after 20 years in the hemp industry. In 1999, long before creating RE Botanicals, he founded the superfood brand Nutiva. Roulac and RE Botanicals focus on organic and regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is a holistic land management practice that closes the carbon cycle, builds soil health, crop resilience and nutrient density. One percent of all RE Botanicals sales are donated to support regenerative agriculture and help farmers create healthier soil.

According to RE Botanicals, the extract process starts with organically grown hemp. This helps maintain healthy soil biology. Hemp is climate-friendly because it sequesters carbon in the soil. They use a proprietary alcohol extraction method that employs a full spectrum extract, never an isolate. RE Botanicals then blends the full-spectrum organic hemp with organic MCT coconut oil from young coconuts.

At first, we were somewhat confused by the labeling, until we realized that RE Botanicals Hemp Extract is labeled by the dose, rather than per bottle. This contrasts with many other CBD brands on the market. At 25mg of CBD per dropper, that makes 750mg of CBD per bottle, a fairly standard amount.

Other than this, RE Botanicals tincture is clearly labeled with a bottle that’s easy to read and lists all the ingredients. We also appreciate that they make their lab tests easily available on their website.

RE BOTANICALS HEMP TINCTURE OFFICIAL REVIEW

• Highlights: RE Botanicals Hemp Tincture is an effective, high-quality CBD oil with a silky texture and a clean hemp taste.
• Strength: 25mg per dropper, 750mg per 30ml bottle, also available in 15mg and 50mg strengths
• Price: $49.99 – $139.99
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping available on orders over $50.
• Independent Test Results: Online.
• Flavor & Texture: This unflavored tincture tastes mildly earthy, with notes of green tea, with a pleasantly silky texture and almost no aftertaste.
• Ingredients: CBD oil / Full Spectrum Hemp extract in Organic MCT (Coconut-based) oil.
• Other: RE Botanicals offers a generous 30-day, money back guarantee for unsatisfied customers.

RE Botanicals uses U.S. hemp, grown under organic methods, in all their products. In addition to tinctures, RE Botanicals offers CBD capsules and CBD for pets.

We heard that Prohibition Creamery had a CBD ice cream flavor, so we knew Ministry of Hemp had to go check it out!

Owner & founder, Laura Aidan, told us about how she discovered CBD and why she decided to make a CBD ice cream! We also got to try the flavor, “Afternoon Delight.”

Spoiler alert: we loved it and it definitely had us feeling relaxed after! If you are in or visiting Austin, check out Prohibition Creamery!

Visit Prohibition Creamery

Prohibition Creamery
1407 E 7th St
Austin, TX 78702

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The inconsistency of cannabis testing labs is indicative of a much bigger problem, which is the lack of checks and balances in the cannabis industry.

One of the largest problems in the cannabis industry is the inconsistency of quality control.

Buying a cannabis product, from CBD oil to psychoactive cannabis, can be quite scary for a consumer. Due to the lack of standardized product testing, you don’t fully know if the producer’s claims are truthful, if the correct dosage is listed, or exactly what’s is in the product.

The government maintains strict controls over the quality of our food, and supplements and medicines we buy over-the-counter and get from pharmacists. Right now, the cannabis industry doesn’t have that. Instead consumers are forced to trust the word of companies which can obviously leads to issues.

This problem isn’t simply due to the companies that produce the products, but also to the cannabis testing labs themselves. There’s no doubt that testing is important, but without better standards can we rely on those test results?

THE FLAWS IN LAB TESTING CANNABIS PRODUCTS

As revealed by Forbes, not all cannabis testing labs are created equal.

There’s no minimum requirements for things such as equipment, certifications, and merit for lab testers. As a result, cannabis testing labs can vary dramatically from each other.

The biggest problem though, is the lack of a standardized method for testing the various cannabis products. This can mean that the testing procedures for quality and potency of a hemp plant varies dramatically from hemp oil, distillates, to edibles and beyond. The problems multiply since different labs all have different testing methods, claiming that their methods are more effective than others and can give superior results.

The problem is that this creates inconsistencies in the results, since not all labs are using the same method for testing. This obviously can’t continue to happen. Without standardized testing methods for each cannabis product, the results will continue to be inconsistent which defeats the purpose for testing the product in the first place.

DISHONESTY IN LAB TESTING HEMP?

When a company markets a certain product, they want certification for their product, so their consumers can trust the quality of their product. To get these certifications, the companies have to send a batch of product to a testing facility to test for things such as potency, effectiveness, etc.

Problem arise when those results vary from lab to lab, leading to confusion about the quality of the product. This may even be due to the “friendliness” of certain labs over others, freely manipulating the results to meet the expectations of the producers. Manufacturers aren’t the only ones who test their products. Growers test their cannabis for quality too. With their reputations on the line, they want the best test results possible, so it proves the quality of their cannabis or hemp and hopefully leads to more companies wanting them as a supplier.

But again, with the lack of oversight, growers can substitute the product sent to the labs with a more expensive and higher-quality product, thus producing false results for their crops. Of course, this imply doesn’t that all cannabis testing labs and growers do this, but with the lack of standardized guidelines and someone to enforce those guidelines, it’s something that can happen without any real repercussions.

A FLAWED BUSINESS MODEL?

On top of all of this, the business model for the labs themselves are flawed. The costs for lab equipment, buildings, electricity, accreditation, and salaries for lab testers are all very expensive. On the contrary, the going rate for a test on a single batch is typically under $200. Meaning in order for these testing facilities to make a profit and succeed as a business, they have to operate in a high-volume capacity.

While cannabis companies grow at a stunning pace, demand for the labs which test these products grows too. These cannabis testing labs are much different from their government-ran cousins, which have access to more capital, a better talent pool, more experience, and the power of the federal government behind them.

From the expensive startup costs, ferocious competition, increasing pressure from growers & manufacturers and no one to keep them in check, why wouldn’t a laboratory fix their reports for better results? Again, we’re not claiming any or even most labs do this, but there’s little oversight on their results.

SUPPLY CHAIN: THE BIGGER PROBLEM IN HEMP & CANNABIS

This issue goes beyond the testing companies, as the lack of regulation affects the entire supply-chain of the cannabis and hemp industries.

In other words, if no one is keeping the cannabis testing labs in check, then there is certainly no one keeping the growers, transporters, dispensaries, or producers in check. All of this leads to a lower quality product, and one that consumers can’t trust. If this continues to be the case, a distrust can develop between company and consumer. The cannabis industry has grown both in popularity and revenue in the past decade, and a loose-knit system that depends on hand-shake deals and trust is quite simply just not enough for long-term growth.

Fortunately, industry leaders are trying to improve the cannabis supply-chain.

IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF HEMP & CANNABIS

So how do we solve this problem and all the other problems present in the cannabis and industries? How do we make sure that the companies we purchase from are actually telling the truth, and that there aren’t any unwanted substances in the product?

We do this by getting support from the federal government. The federal government is the only entity that can effectively enforce regulations upon the cannabis industry that will keep the different sectors in check. Not only do they have the power of enforcement, but they are the only ones to have the resources capable of quality-checking every part of the cannabis supply-chain.

To add to that, the federal government also has the power to enhance other parts of the industry. In addition to quality control, they can regulate things such as financing, shipping, and further research into cannabis. In fact, federal regulatory support is the single greatest challenge to the entire industry. The support for cannabis is already here, with a large portion of congressman and senators publicly backing the plant. Now we need those people in power to start implementing systems that help build up the industry.

There are signs that this is happening, especially thanks to the recent legalization of industrial hemp in the 2018 Farm Bill. But there’s still a long way to go.

Recently, we got in touch with Mansi Shah of Hemp Fabric Lab, to learn more about hemp in India.

Hemp Fabric Lab makes innovative textiles that are either 100 percent hemp or blend hemp with fabrics like organic cotton, Tencel, silk, and wool.

As hemp activists, we’re always striving to make things better where we are. Often keeping our focal points on concerns of our country and what we can do within our local communities. Similar efforts are being made across the globe.

Considering hemp grows naturally in India, it comes as no surprise this resource has been used for generations. But what about the modern hemp industry?

HEMP IN INDIA: A GROWING INDUSTRY

“The modern hemp industry in India is at a highly nascent stage,” Shah explained, “even though, paradoxically, the use of hemp fibre and seed for a range of applications — rope, fuel, food — has been commonly acknowledged for several centuries in India’s rural communities.”

A growing number of agriculture training programs and practices are spreading across farming communities to spread knowledge of hemp. Similar to the guidelines set by the Farm Bill in the U.S., India’s goal is for all hemp grown contain less than 0.3 percent THC.

“Over the past half a decade, the interest in and demand for hemp-based products is on the rise, as may be seen with the increase in the number of women artisans and weavers in rural Himalayan villages,” Shah continued. “[those villages] have increased the quantity and quality of indigenous hemp handloom products, such as shawls, stoles, accessories.”

According to Hemp Today, investers recently poured around $150 million USD into the Indian Industrial Hemp Association. Not only is the IIHA hoping to expand on this booming global industry, but they’re also seeking to incorporate more native Indian hemp strains. Unfortunately, most wild hemp in India  contains above 0.3 percent THC. Therefore, the association is seeking to raise the federal limit to 1.5 percent THC.

LAWS AND REGULATIONS SURROUNDING HEMP IN INDIA

It’s interesting to note that the county’s laws surrounding hemp have been looser than that of America’s for the past few decades.

India’s Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) of 1985 allows state governments the freedom to establish their own policies in terms of commercial cultivation. That is, “as long as they provide verifiable scientific and operational evidence that hemp cultivated shall not be diverted for misuse.”

Still, there remains strict guidelines in accordance to the federal government. So much so, only two states in India — Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh — have developed an official set of policies governing the research and cultivation of hemp.

Of course, these efforts can be seen as similar to America’s recent hemp accomplishments. However, the biggest difference is India’s been able to grow hemp legally since 1985, as long as all laws are followed.

It’s due to this and efforts made by IIHA which have allowed for India to explore the different products hemp can create. According to HomeGrown, successful Indian hemp companies include foods and drinks and, of course, fabrics for clothing. In some ways, hemp in India seems more diverse than the ever-growing CBD market here in America.

Yet, the interesting aspect of all this is India’s demand for hemp didn’t grow until recent years.

INTEREST IN SUSTAINABLE FASHION

Hemp Fabric Lab came into the picture when they noticed the Indian textile industry lacked easy access to natural fabrics. With that came a demand for sustainable fashion.

However, unlike other fabric companies, Hemp Fabric Lab offers customers the option to purchase a few meters of fabric. They did not want to force individual creators and small companies into minimum order quantities.

“Early on, we also focused strongly on becoming a brand name, with strong market, goodwill, and credibility,” Shah proudly told us. “We continue to work towards that goal through the kind of collaborations we do with [other] brands, as well as our social media voice.”

These kind of sales not only allow for other companies to develop their own sense of fashion, but for the fashion industry as a whole to start incorporating hemp.

RE-IMAGINING INDIA’S AGRICULTURE

“Agriculture in India is at an inflection point,” Shah said. “With a litany of problems plaguing the agrarian rural backbone of the nation.”

These problems range anywhere from an overdependence on intensive commercial crops (such as cotton and sugarcane) to socio-economic factors causing people to leave the countryside and move into the cities. In turn, these leaves rural parts of India ultimately unproductive.

Yet, through all the complications, Shah and her team believe hemp can be a solution to India’s agriculture.

“With hemp’s short cultivation cycle less requirement of water and agriculture inputs, combined with the price premium which can be commanded in the marketplace for hemp raw material and hemp finished products, it’s become increasingly evident to farming communities, government, and industry that hemp is a requirement for the heart of India’s next green revolution.”

Hemp’s ever-growing popularity in India is noteworthy. As is happening across the world, there’s a demand for organic materials and foods. India is no exception and many have been seeking out hemp’s eco-friendly material.

“Over the course of the past few years, there has been an increase in the number of organizations which are beginning to work with and trade hemp-based products in industry segments. However, India’s contribution to the global hemp market is currently less than 0.5 percent. We don’t view the upsurge in companies as competition — rather, we choose to view it through the lens of establishing a burgeoning industry.”

HEMP FASHION PROMOTES ACCEPTANCE OF HEMP

One of the greatest ways to promote hemp is by allowing hemp to have an influence over the fashion industry. This is the final goal of Hemp Fabric Lab which we discussed.

“Our core offering is a wide range of hemp fabrics in woven, knits, and handloom varieties,” Shah told us. “Our parent company Bombay Hemp Company [or BOHECO] largely manages all aspects of industrial hemp from food to textiles to clothing to medicine.”

This cooperation Hemp Fabric Lab and BOHECO have found hopes to develop clothing which will make its way amongst the masses.

“Our B-Label clothing range comprises of semi-formal work wear and casual wear all made 100 percent from hemp, hemp and organic cotton, as well as hemp and lyocell blends that do well in a tropical country like India.”

Their main target is people between the ages of 21 and 50 with a focus on clean, easy-to-wear silhouettes that will allow people for easy, on-the-go clothing.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

As Shah mentioned, the hemp industry in India is still just coming into existence. With that, everyone involved has a lot of work to do. Not only in growing this industry, but also in teaching the rest of the world the many benefits of hemp.

“We’re hopeful, having had the support of the Indian government and thought leaders,” Shah said. “It has immensely helped BOHECO in its 6 year journey as an agro-socio enterprise looking to change the perception of industrial hemp.”

And what better place for this industry to occur than India? 60 percent of all districts in the country see natural, wild-grown cannabis. Furthermore, the link between India’s historic culture and hemp is strong. With the input of “modern technology to improve the quality of hemp and its base raw material, it wouldn’t be exaggerated to say that we shall soon see India reclaim its natural piece at a leadership level within the global hemp industry.”

Why is CBD so darn expensive? We wanted to take a closer look at the high cost of CBD.

CBD is expensive! There’s no getting around the fact that when you buy CBD your pocket book’s going to take a bit of a hit.

On average, we see the price of CBD per milligram around $.15. If a standard 30-milliliter tincture contains 500 milligrams of CBD, you can expect to pay around $75.00, not including tax and possibly shipping for online shoppers.

That might be acceptable for some, but cash-strapped consumers may not have the disposable income to keep up with a consistent dosing regimen needed to manage their ailments. When this happens, patients may end up looking to inferior CBD products that can be incorrectly labeled, impure, or even unsafe rather than lab tested, high-quality CBD.

If you’re curious as to why CBD is so costly, read on because we’re going to breakdown the costs associated with CBD products, and provide tips on stretching your CBD dollar as far as possible.

EXPENSES BEGIN BEFORE THE FIRST HEMP SEED IS PLANTED

As with any agricultural farming, the first set of costs are the land and farming and cultivation costs such as; seeds, labor, cultivation equipment, state, city, and county licenses, etc.

With regards to farming hemp (and marijuana) there are additional reporting and testing costs over other agriculture due to the nature of what’s being planted and each state has their own set of requirements and costs. These costs can be as low as $25 in Vermont and as high as $500-$1000 depending on whether the license is for a grower or hander, plus a $5.00 per acre fee. To get a better idea of costs, we recently published an article overviewing the hemp market for Nevada, Vermont, Oregon, and Wisconsin.

Some states also have specific licenses or certification programs for hemp seed distributors and producers. Click to read each state’s hemp statutes.

THE HIGH COST OF HARVESTING AND EXTRACTION

Once the hemp plants reach maturity it’s time to harvest them. According to coolbean.info, the cost to harvest an acre of hemp in Minnesota will run between $300 to $600 per acre. This is down substantially from 2017 when the cost averaged between $970 to $2,500 per acre.

Once the harvest is complete, the hemp plant stem needs to have the various components separated with a machine called a decorticator. This machine can run upwards of $2 million.

After decortication, the next step will be to extract the cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, etc. from the plant. The two most popular methods of extractions are through a Supercritical CO2 extraction or an ethanol extraction with CO2 extraction becoming the standard.

According to Cannabis Business Executive, a CO2 extraction machine can cost around $135,000 to $150,000 plus $20,000 to $35,000 for a rotary evaporator and centrifuge.

Of course these machine costs are in addition to the buildings, infrastructure, labor, and the raw materials for those not growing their own.

FROM EXTRACTION TO PACKAGING

Once the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other plant materials are extracted from the cannabis or hemp plant, there are still a number of steps needed before the CBD reaches store shelves.

What is initially extracted is a cannabis concentrate that has contains acids that need to be decarboxylated. The cost for a decarboxylation oven cost around $5,000 to $7,000 for ovens that have a capacity of 10 cubic feet and can go up to 38 cubic feet.

After the concentrate is decarboxylated, what’s left is full spectrum cannabinoid oil. Full of all the cannabis plants cannabinoids, including CBD, terpenes, and the plants chlorophyll, lipids and waxes. When it comes to the “entourage effect,” this is the best option.

However, not everyone wants the plant materials and/or the THC. Many patients prefer oil with higher concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD) and not concerned with plant properties or THC. To remove the plant properties, the CBD concentrate will first be winterized to isolate and remove the unwanted compounds, followed by distillation to further ‘clean’ the oil. If THC is being removed, the distilled concentrate will then go through a chromatography machine. Cost for the equipment to perform these functions can grow to the hundreds of thousands plus the labor to run them.

THIRD-PARTY LAB TESTING IS VITAL, BUT ADDS TO THE COST OF CBD

Once complete, the finished product now needs to be tested to prove product purity and concentration. There are a variety of tests available. Following are a list of services by a well known testing facility in Arizona.

Testing Services:

• 10 cannabinoids ($50/bottle)
• Mold and fungus screening ($25/bottle)
• 19 Residual Solvents ($35/bottle)
• 41 Terpenes ($40/bottle)
• Moisture Content ($15/bottle)
• 4 Microbial Analyses ($40/each count)
• Custom Services

After testing, the CBD concentrates are bottled, packaged and prepared for delivery to their distributors to sell.

LEGAL EXPENSES, BANKING, & OTHER FACTORS INCREASE COST OF CBD

Obviously the largest costs come from the manufacturing side, but we can’t forget about the product distributors who have their own set of operating costs. Operating costs themselves are just a part of doing business. But operating costs for cannabis companies can be twice, even three times as much. In addition, due to the ‘gray’ area of cannabis and hemp laws, CBD companies must take extra precautions to insure they are protected. This, of course, adds to the cost of CBD.

Let’s take a look at the bare minimum of operating costs a CBD company is going to incur.

Insurance

A general liability business insurance policy for cannabis companies can easily amount to $500 to $700 per month! This same insurance policy for a non-cannabis company would only be about $700 for a year!

Credit Card Processing

Credit card and banking options are very limited for cannabis companies. In order to accept credit cards for hemp purchases distributors need to sign up with merchants specializing in ‘high risk’ processing. Costs with these processors can be exorbitant. In some cases they can run hundreds of dollars per month.

If a high-risk domestic merchant cannot help, distributors are then forced to look off shore for credit card processing. These don’t come cheap. Off shore processors will normally require a business to incorporate in the country that processes the cards. Incorporating in the UK costs roughly $500 plus monthly fees that can also run in the hundreds per month. These are in addition to the higher-than-normal monthly processing fees for the service.

Banking

Bank accounts and business loans are not available to cannabis companies, which means they need to find unique, and sometimes costly, places to store their cash and have access to it for payroll and other business related expenses. Again, this often results in the opening of costly offshore accounts.

In-House Compliance Officers

Since the state level requirements for CBD derived from hemp and marijuana differ, CBD companies usually have someone in-house make sure the company is adhering to each state’s regulations. They also make sure all the products meet the specific states allowed THC percentage. In most cases, this is 0.3 percent THC or less. They also monitor the percentage of CBD contained in the products are inline with the product labels.

An article from ProjectCBD.org states that according to the FDA, 69 percent of CBD products are mislabeled. In-house compliance officers work to insure this doesn’t happen.

Attorney

A company selling CBD better have an attorney. If not, they’re taking big risks. Attorneys will help insure companies are acting in compliance and keeping up with the ever-changing state laws on cannabis.

Countless stories have come to surface about CBD companies getting hassled by police, and in come cases even getting arrested! A good attorney can help insure business owners’ rights are not being violated and assist in navigating the gray areas of cannabis law. Attorneys will also help set up a legal corporation and the operating agreement of said corporation.

CBD AS A STATUS SYMBOL

Perception impacts price. Premium pricing techniques are often used when trying to reflect the exclusivity of a product. CBD is mix of both.

Let’s face it; there is a certain level of mystique and sexiness associated with CBD. The thought of consuming a product that borders on breaking the law presents a sense of danger and excitement. These factors absolutely have an affect on the price of a product, especially for a new product that can also heal! Companies know this and definitely price accordingly.

The good news is in time, when the ‘newness’ wears off and more companies come to market, prices should go down.

SAVING MONEY ON THE COST OF CBD

Regardless of where CBD prices are currently at, there are things consumers can do to stretch their dollar and reduce the cost of CBD.

The first thing a user can do is to try and cut back on their CBD daily doses. When it comes to CBD more is not better, less is best. The easiest way to cut back is to consume slightly less with each dose. For example, if you normally take 15mg of CBD twice per day, try decreasing each dose to 11 or 12 milligrams each time. This simple move will save roughly 5 milligrams of CBD each day. Our bet is your body will not even miss those 5mg. In case it does, you can always increase the dosage back to 15 mg.

Switch to a lower grade CBD. Experienced CBD users know the term full spectrum all too well. Full spectrum CBD oil is the preferred choice for many, but doesn’t mean it’s the only choice. CBD isolate is definitely a lower grade product, but it does work quite well. In fact, many of the ‘full spectrum’ products actually contain only a small amount of true full spectrum oil and are mixed with an isolate.

Lastly, there are a number of CBD companies that offer discounts to active military and veterans, the disabled and those with low income. We plan to collect some of the best assistance programs into an upcoming article. In the meantime, we recommend searching Google for “CBD assistance program” or check with your preferred CBD brand.

WHY IS CBD EXPENSIVE? SOME FINAL THOUGHTS

Most of you reading this know that both CBD and industrial hemp were officially legalized this past December under the 2018 Farm Bill.

With this legalization, we’re expecting sweeping reform to take place throughout the hemp industry. It’s safe to say that many companies are eagerly waiting to get in the CBD business. The floodgates will open. From banking and insurance companies to new hemp manufacturers, distributors and retailers, costs across the board should decrease.

Immense pressure is being put on the powers that be to provide federal regulations on CBD products that create quality standards industry-wide. That could get things moving towards lowering costs, too.

TryTheCBD Vape Cartridges stand out from other cartridges on the market through their high-quality components and pure ingredients.

We loved trying TryTheCBD’s delicious and effective vape cartridges. Vaping CBD is one of the most popular ways to take this beneficial supplement. However, not all CBD vapes are created equal. Some CBD vapes include ingredients like propylene glycol, which can irritate people’s throats.

TryTheCBD Vape Cartridges combine CBD isolate grown under organic conditions, with plant-based terpenes to increase the flavor and effects. Their new formula contains no propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, or MCT oil. Instead, the CBD and terpenes are mixed into a special carrier liquid called TEC Temper, which is a blend of special additional terpenes designed to reduce inflammation.

The result is an extremely smooth vaping experience, without the typical harshness that can leave your throat irritated. These vape cartridges come in a variety of flavors, each designed to mimic a popular strain of psychoactive cannabis (“marijuana”) without any THC. The result is flavorful and relaxing, without the high. We tried TryTheCBD’s Gorilla Glue #4 and loved the subtle flavor and relaxing effects.

TryTheCBD paid us a fee and offered us free products in return for our honest opinion. If you purchase a product from one of these links, we’ll receive a percentage of sales. Read more about sponsored content on Ministry of Hemp.

Read on for our full review of TryTheCBD Vape Cartridges, to learn more about their great features.

TRYTHECBD OFFERS GREAT FLAVORS IN AFFORDABLE, PREMIUM DESIGN

In addition to the unique TEC Temper carrier fluid, TryTheCBD Vape Cartridges offer a number of other appealing features.

These cartridges have a standard threading that fits into almost any vape battery, but inside the cartridge is anything but standard. High-quality ceramic coils and leak proof engineering make these cartridges more durable and give CBD consumers a better vaping experience.

TryTheCBD is a Colorado company that uses all Colorado-grown hemp, produced under organic conditions with no GMO ingredients. All their products are also gluten free. We appreciate that TryTheCBD makes third-party lab results available right in the product listing.

In addition, at $59.99 for 500 mg of CBD, this is a good value for a high-capacity disposable cartridge full of high-quality cannabidol.

TRYTHECBD VAPE CARTRIDGES OFFICIAL REVIEW

• Highlights: TryTheCBD makes their Vape Cartridges with a specialized, terpene-bassed carrier oil designed to reduce inflammation and prevent irritation of the throat.  
• Strength: 500mg disposable cartridge, also available in 300mg cartridges
• Price: $34.99 – $59.99
• Customer Service & Shipping: Fast, friendly customer service. Free shipping is available on orders over $99.
• Independent Test Results: Online.
• Flavor & Feel: Subtle but delicious and terpene-rich flavor profile. Gorilla Glue #4 has an earthy, faintly sweet and piney flavor. Effects are very relaxing, easing muscle soreness, chronic pain and agitation in our reviewer.
• Ingredients: CBD isolate in TEC Temper carrier fluid, plus Botanical Terpenes.
• Other: Available in several great flavors. We loved their “OG Kush,” too. Pre-filled disposable vape pens are also available.

TryTheCBD uses hemp grown under organic conditions in Colorado in all their CBD products. They make a full range of CBD supplements, some of which contain full spectrum CBD, including CBD tinctures and CBD pet products. Learn more about the differences between full spectrum and CBD isolate.

Ministry of Hemp got CBD facials and talked with Culture Trip‘s U.S. Editor, Jillian Anthony, during SXSW 2019!

Restart CBD and Dawn Evans of Synergy Skincare & Spa paired up to give SXSW attendees a relaxing & restorative CBD facial. Both are women-owned businesses in Austin, Texas.

Visit Restart CBD

• 9705 Burnet Rd #314,
  Austin, TX 78758
• Homepage
• On Facebook
• On Instagram

Visit Synergy Skincare & Spa

• Homepage
• On Facebook
• On Instagram

As more people begin using CBD for sleep, we wanted to take a closer look at the science behind cannabidiol as a treatment for insomnia.

Sleep has baffled humans for millennia, and although scientists have tried to unravel its secrets, it is still a bit mysterious. For the 50-70 million Americans with insomnia, it is even more elusive. Standard treatments often lose effectiveness over time and carry risks of dangerous side effects. Finding relief can be a gruelling task.

However, research has shown that cannabidiol (CBD) may be a promising alternative or addition to conventional medications. To understand how people use CBD for better sleep, some basic knowledge of insomnia and the science of sleeping is necessary.

WHAT IS INSOMNIA?

Insomnia is by far the most common of all sleep disorders. People with insomnia struggle falling and staying asleep and suffer from poor sleep quality. As many as 20 percent of adult Americans meet the diagnostic criteria for either primary (independent of outside factors) or secondary (accompanying another illness) insomnia.

When someone with insomnia attempts to fall asleep, their brain enters a state that is known as hyperarousal. During hyperarousal, the body goes into fight or flight mode and is on guard for anything that may be a threat. This increased state of alertness makes it difficult to fall asleep, remain asleep and get restful sleep.

WHAT CAUSES INSOMNIA?

Approximately 70-90 percent of people with insomnia have a mental or physical illness that is the primary cause. Over-the-counter, prescription and illegal drugs can also cause insomnia. Occasionally, it affects people independent of any outside factors.

Physical conditions that can lead to insomnia include asthma, heart disease, chronic pain, seizures, renal dysfunction, and Alzheimer’s. Most psychiatric conditions can lead to sleep disturbances, especially depression and anxiety. Secondary insomnia often results in a vicious cycle were sleeplessness worsens the primary disease, which worsens insomnia.

HOW IS INSOMNIA TREATED?

Doctors manage insomnia using pharmacological and behavioral treatment methods. Non-medicinal treatment includes stimulus control, cognitive behavioral therapy or relaxation therapy. These include breathing techniques, progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness, and meditation.

Benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepine hypnotics (sedative medications used for the treatment of insomnia and during surgical procedures) and melatonin receptor agonists are standard pharmacological treatments. Over-the-counter sleeping pills and supplements, like synthetic melatonin, are another common medication taken to manage insomnia.

CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT RISKS

Hypnotic medications used to treat insomnia are known for their potential to cause grave side effects. These include addiction, severe allergic reaction, memory lapses, hallucination, suicidal thoughts or actions, and abnormal sleep behaviors like sleepwalking. They may also lose effectiveness as tolerance is built or cause complications from drug interactions when another condition requires medication.

Among patients treated with pharmaceutical and over-the-counter medications, 48 percent report being dissatisfied with the amount of time it takes to fall asleep (sleep onset latency or SOL) and wake up. A 2001 study of 30 insomnia patients found medication coupled with relaxation therapies caused SOL to plummet from 124 to 29 minutes. The participants using only pharmaceuticals did not experience a change in sleep onset latency, suggesting hypnotics alone are not always successful.

THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP

To understand how cannabidiol can boost sleep it is necessary to understand the biological process responsible for inducing sleep. In humans, circadian rhythm governs a 24-hour sleep schedule that is regulated by the hormone melatonin, a product of the pineal gland. This process begins with the retina; during the day a signal is sent from the eye through the brain, down the spinal cord and back up to the pineal gland, telling it to refrain from making melatonin.

At night, these signals do not activate, allowing the pineal gland to begin producing melatonin. The amino acid tryptophan is absorbed into the pineal gland via the bloodstream, then converted into 5-hydroxytryptophan by the enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase. It is then turned into serotonin by the enzyme aromatic amino acid decarboxylase before finally becoming melatonin.

CBD COULD INCREASE MELATONIN

Cannabidiol may help stimulate melatonin production by boosting levels of tryptophan in the bloodstream; this is accomplished by reducing tryptophan degeneration caused by mitogen, the protein that tells cells to divide. CBD improves serotonin production in the same way, as an increase in tryptophan availability aids in serotonin synthesis in the brain.

Inflammation adversely affects tryptophan cells and CBD reduces inflammation. When tryptophan is readily available in the bloodstream, the pineal gland can produce melatonin more effectively, leading to better sleep. Small doses of CBD may also help improve daytime wakefulness, helping to reset the 24-hour sleep cycle and restore balance over the long-term.

A 2018 study tracked 409 patients with insomnia during 1059 medical marijuana administrations using an educational app. Participants reported their self-perceived insomnia symptoms before and after using cannabis. On average, users reported a 4.5-point decrease after consumption, using a 0-10 visual analog scale. Researchers found that cannabis strains with higher cannabidiol levels more effectively relieved insomnia than ones with higher tetrahydrocannabinol levels.

TREATING CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE INSOMNIA WITH CBD

Cannabidiol alleviates many of the primary conditions associated with secondary insomnia through its antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. It has proven useful in mitigating symptoms of anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and autoimmune disease, among others. It also helps control the endocannabinoid system, which regulates mood, pain, appetite, cognitive function, and other biological processes.

A 2015 case study showed cannabidiol was effective in treating insomnia induced by anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. The subject, a 10-year-old girl, had been abused and was being prescribed pharmaceutical treatments. However, these were only partially effective over the short-term and caused extreme side effects.

Over 5 months, the girl took 25 mg CBD supplements at bedtime and 6-12 mg sublingual doses as needed during the day to control anxiety. After 5 months, the girl’s score on the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children had decreased from 59 to 38, indicating she no longer suffered from insomnia.

USING CBD FOR SLEEP

Research haven’t determined the best dose of CBD for sleep onset latency. However, a 2014 study found a 15 mg dose of CBD increased alertness, suggesting a higher dosage would work more efficiently for treating insomnia.

A 2018 study of medical marijuana users found cannabis strains with higher cannabidiol levels more effectively relieved insomnia than ones with higher tetrahydrocannabinol levels.

Unlike traditional sleeping pills, research demonstrates cannabidiol is relatively safe. CBD does not appear to be habit forming, even in very high doses. For example, a 2018 study found that an oral dose of 750 mg of CBD did not show potential for abuse among 43 people with a history of using two or more drugs for recreational purposes (polydrug use). Hypnotic medications alprazolam and dronabinol demonstrated a risk of dependency among the same participants.

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR FOR INSOMNIA

It is vital for anyone experiencing distress or impairment from insomnia to seek the advice of a healthcare professional. Poor sleep quality can negatively influence productivity, mental health, and cardiac function.

While some individuals find success using medicinal marijuana to treat insomnia, research suggests tetrahydrocannabinol may impair sleep quality long-term. Cannabidiol on its own is not shown to have the same risks. However, individuals taking pharmaceutical medications should consult with a physician prior to taking CBD.

IS CBD THE SLEEP AID OF THE FUTURE?

Studies from as far back as 1972 consistently demonstrate the potential of cannabis to improve sleep. New research focused specifically on cannabidiol is exhibiting the same positive results, with little potential for adverse long-term effects. Using CBD for sleep is shaping up to be a promising alternative to some risky and inefficient hypnotic medications.