Cannabidiol more often referred to as CBD can have many possible benefits including relief from anxiety, depression, and pain as well as helping with more serious conditions such as cancer and epilepsy. CBD is growing every year with popularity as more and more people learn about the reported benefits and try it for themselves. From a $292 million industry in 2016 it is expected to balloon up to a $20 billion industry by 2021. This is incredible growth that some industry experts are calling it the next “gold rush.” Getting into the world of CBD is more attractive now than it ever was before.
Where Does CBD Come From?
CBD is a cannabinoid extracted from the Cannabis Sativa plant. You have probably heard of this plant before as it is the same plant that marijuana comes from. Marijuana is a variety of the cannabis plant that is high in tetrahydrocannabinol otherwise know as THC. THC is also a cannabinoid and responsible for the feelings of euphoria that is called the “high.” While THC and CBD share a similar molecular structure they vary very differently in how they affect the body. CBD has no psychoactive effects and therefore does not lead to a feeling of euphoria. While marijuana is high in THC and low in CBD, its lesser-known cousin called hemp is high in CBD but very low in THC. In addition, marijuana continues to be illegal in many states, whereas hemp was federally allowed with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. This has led to many more farmers taking to growing hemp to capitalize on the popularity of CBD.
When choosing a company to do the extraction on your hemp what five things should you be asking to find which is the best fit for you?
So you decided to grow hemp and jump in on the ever-expanding market of CBD products. Growing your own hemp can be a rewarding experience and can be the basis for your own brand of CBD infused products. Not all hemp extraction companies are created equal though, and a number of questions should be asked first to find the best company for your needs. The following five questions are not the end all be all but should definitely be asked in conjunction with anything else you can think of. Your hemp plants are your babies and the more questions the better. Without further ado, here are five questions to ask your extraction company.
How is the CBD Extract Extracted?
This may be the most important question to ask when seeking an extraction company. There are three main ways to extract CBD with its own advantages and disadvantages. They are solvent extraction, steam distillation, and CO2 supercritical extraction. While solvent extraction and steam distillation are less expensive than CO2 extraction it produces an inferior end product. It would be best to do more research about extraction methods and which one suits your needs the best. Then be sure to find out from the extraction lab which methods are available to you and choose which works best for you.
What End Products Can Be Expected?
Another critical question to ask is what kind of end products can be expected after the extraction. There are many possible outcomes, including crude CBD oil, full-spectrum CBD distillate, THC free CBD distillate, and CBD isolates. All have their own advantages and disadvantages. The ideal thing to do is to research which end product fits your needs and then ask what kind of products the extraction company offers. This way you can be sure to get an end product that is going to meet your end goal.
Do You Provide Lab Reports?
Any company that does not provide lab reports should send up a red flag. These reports will give you a breakdown of the cannabinoid content, other compounds present, and any harmful chemicals that may be in the hemp. A lab report can help you determine how potent and how safe the hemp crop is. It can also be an effective tool in creating and maintaining a customer base as lab reports give legitimacy to a CBD company.
What Are Your Certifications?
Finally, it is a good idea to find out what kinds of certifications the extraction facility may have. Good manufacturing practices or GMP is a good one to look out for. A GMP compliant facility means that they are certified and follow the guidelines set forth for them. Others to look out for are organic, non-gmo, ISO 9001, ISO 7, and hemp foundation endorsements. A facility that takes the time and effort to get some of these certifications is way more likely to be trusted than one that does not have any certifications at all.
Conclusions
These are just some of the questions that you should be asking when looking into an extraction facility for your hemp. Asking a lot of questions can be the difference between finding an extraction lab that fits your needs and finding a sub-par lab. The best thing to do is to write down what your end goal is and to write down every question that may pertain to that goal. Hopefully, this guide gives you some ideas to start with when searching for an extraction company.
