Should I Purchase CBD From a Gas Station?

Not all CBD products are created using the same ingredients or methods. Since hemp was legalized for cultivation in the United States in the 2018 Farm Bill, there has been an expansion of CBD products made from hemp plants. However, depending on where the hemp plant was grown, what methods are used for growing it, and how the CBD compounds are extracted from the plant, it can leave a wide breadth of differences between CBD products. There is no simple answer to “Should you buy CBD from a gas station?”, but there are a few steps you can take to determine an answer for yourself.

Ask Questions about CBD

When looking at CBD products sold at gas stations and other common stores in the United States, you will want to ask questions about how the product was made. Although the gas station attendant might not have the answers you are looking for, the label for the CBD product should outline this information. It will include keywords like "full-spectrum hemp extract" or "CBD isolate". Although CBD extract should be a given ingredient in any CBD product, how it was extracted will vary. You’ll want to look into the other keywords used, including "solvent-based extraction" and "solventless extraction". The label of any CBD product should also include the active amount of CBD per serving, ingredients, net weight, suggested use, a batch code, and the manufacturer’s name.

If you cannot find this information on the label, you should take your questions online for additional research. Or if you do not fully understand every word that’s listed on a product’s label, there is no shame in that. It just means that you should do a bit more research before purchasing any CBD product!

Research the CBD Source

CBD products and the methods used to make them are developing more every day. There is still a lot to learn on the topic of CBD and its effects on the human body. No matter where CBD is available for purchase, you should do an adequate amount of research before purchasing it. It is generally recommended to only purchase CBD products from a licensed dispensary or certified manufacturer. A lot of CBD products are made with hemp plant extracts, and where and how that hemp was grown matters. By nature, hemp is a “bio-accumulator” or in other words, it draws toxins out of the soil it is grown in. There are now craft producers of hemp, which focus on growing the plant in clean soil for medicinal purposes. These craft growers focus time and energy on making sure the hemp they grow is organic or grown without contaminants. Industrial hemp is typically grown with a low-resin count and it takes more of the product to extract significant amounts of CBD. Because more plant matter is required to make the final product, that also means that there is a greater risk of additional contaminants from the soil being included as well. For these reasons, it’s a good idea to go with a craft manufacturer of hemp CBD products when possible.

However, if those kinds of CBD manufacturers are not available in your area then you’ll need to do a bit more research into the source of the CBD extract. The best way to ensure that the hemp CBD product you are using is reputable and safe is to purchase a product that can share a certificate of analysis from a third-party testing lab. Also, look for products made in a Current Good Manufacturing Practice, or CGMP-compliant facility. These facilities follow FDA regulations in order to gain this certification and therefore have more oversight involved in what's included in their products.

Look at Anecdotal Testimonies

One of the best resources for learning more about CBD at this time is to talk with other people who have used CBD products. Be sure to look into the various online communities established for sharing experiences with CBD. Also, hunt down some user reviews that are not being used for the promotion of the product. If there are no user testimonies for a product, that might be a bad sign. Or it might mean that it’s a new product. If it’s new, then reach out to an online community and ask them about it. Someone around the world is bound to have more information. Also, remember to share your own experience with these communities as well! If you’ve tried a CBD product or two and had an opinion about it, then your experience could be helpful to someone else who is curious about it. Be sure to share why you chose the product, what affects you were seeking, and how much you took as well. All of this information is helpful for the growing CBD community.

It is always recommended that you do your research before trying out a new CBD product. There is much variation between the quality and potency of CBD in edibles, topicals, tinctures, and oils. The best place to start is by looking at the label of the product carefully. Make note of the ratio of CBD per serving, ingredients, manufacturer, and batch number. Then take that information and research it all further. What is the product made with? Where was it made? How was it tested? In the end though, it’s up to you whether you purchase CBD from a gas station, store, dispensary, or online retailer.

Related Blog Posts

The Ten Best CBD Drinks and Cocktails to Know

List of CBD Heavy Hemp Strains and Compounds

Should I Buy Stuff Online or At a Head Shop?