Thursday October 29, 2020
By Erin Hiatt
Education
Even though CBD sales have taken off like a rocket in the past few years and are expected to grow in the coming years, the reality is that there are very few formal studies that support the strong anecdotal praise touting the healing benefits for anxiety, depression, and pain relief that are frequently heaped upon the non-intoxicating cannabinoid.
For everything we do know about CBD, there are a lot of things we don’t. For instance, how it may – or may not – help COVID-19, or how it interacts with the immune system, impact interactions with other medicines, or at what doses it could cause liver damage.
We do know that CBD has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of severe epilepsy, but that the tinctures, capsules, and pills, and more remain (mostly) federally illegal. We also know that the cannabis plant is a bioremediator, meaning that it sequesters toxins from the air and ground in which it is planted and stores them in its stalk.
Finding Quality CBD Vapes
There are a variety of ways to ingest CBD, and many consumers prefer to vape CBD because it’s fast-acting, convenient, and smokeless. However, unless you buy your CBD from a dispensary you trust in a legal state, there is literally no oversight on the safety and efficacy of most CBD vapes out there.
Thus, getting to know some of the industry’s players, and understanding where your CBD is sourced, grown, and manufactured are crucial steps to take when making a decision about what CBD company should get your money.
That’s why trusting the company you buy a CBD vape from is one of the first steps to ensure you are ingesting a high-quality, safe product. To help you narrow down your search, we’ve found a few companies we think are doing it right.
Industrial Hemp Farms
Based in Colorado, Industrial Hemp Farms is an industry-leading supplier of a wide range of CBD products. Their line of CBD vape cartridges are strain-specific and free of toxins like heavy metals and vitamin E acetate.
Purchasing quality products is important when it comes to CBD. With Industrial Hemp Farms, consumers can rest easy knowing they’re consuming 100% American farmed hemp products.
Bloom Farms CBD
California-based Bloom Farms CBD utilizes only organic cannabis, with an emphasis on sustainability and core values that include community engagement, health, and wellness. CBD vapes from Bloom Farms are Kosher-certified, non-GMO, gluten-free, and the packaging is recyclable.
Each CBD vape pen contains about 250 mg all natural, broad-spectrum CBD, as well as other cannabinoids like CBC, CBG, and CBN. Their products are lab-tested for pesticides, mycotoxins, stability, and residual solvents, and these results are easily found on their website.
Tribe Tokes
New York City-based Tribe Tokes is a women-led CBD company specializing in CBD vapes, tinctures, skin care, and topical pain relief. Vape pens from Tribe are made of pure CBD distillate and terpenes to encourage the entourage effect, a principal suggesting that the benefits of cannabis are most available when combined with other plant compounds, like terpenes or other cannabinoids.
Their CBD does not contain MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) or Vitamin E Acetate - the vape cart filler associated with last year’s outbreak of EVALI that sickened more than 2,600 and took the lives of at least 59 people. Their lab results are also readily available. For those interested in social justice, Tribe Tokes are donating one percent of 2020 sales to Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights camp for children.
Secret Nature CBD
Full disclosure: here at PotGuide, we recently tried Secret Nature CBD vapes and we were pretty blown away by the quality and flavor. Based in Northern California, Secret Nature grows indoor, organic, small-batch cannabis, and each vape cart is filled with full-spectrum CBD and other cannabinoids like CBC, CBG, and real cannabis terpenes.
Vapes from Secret Nature are third-party tested for heavy metals, pesticides, and residual solvents, include no cutting agents or artificial ingredients or flavors, are made of medical grade materials, and are GMO-free and vegan.
AVIDA CBD
This industry newcomer has only been on the market since 2018, but Avida CBD is already making quite the impression with their 100 mg CBD disposable vape pen, available in flavors like Berry Grape, Chilled Strawberry Kiwi, Blue Razz, and Manga Mango.
While 100 mg of CBD distillate could be considered a no-frills vape experience, they make up for it in customer service, testing transparency, and product variety. Other benefits are organically-grown Colorado hemp, GMP (good manufacturing practice) facilities, and a 30-day money back guarantee.
Cheef Botanicals
Commerce, California-based Cheef Botanicals was founded by a group of cannabis enthusiasts who worked in the organic food industry. Unsurprisingly, their products are organic, vegan, non-GMO, gluten and dairy-free, and contain no fillers, artificial flavors, or ingredients.
Using a CO2 extraction method, their vape cartridges are free of VG, PG, PEG, and MCT oil. Broad-spectrum CBD and terpenes combine to enhance the entourage effect and provide a smooth and natural taste. Third-party test results are easily found on their website.
The Takeaway
Before hitting the “purchase” button, make sure you have the answers to these questions:
Questions to ask when buying CBD:
- Do you know where your CBD was sourced?
- Do you know how it was extracted?
- Do you know the type of extraction?
- Do you know if it’s been tested by an independent third-party?
While it can be difficult to be 100% certain that everything about a CBD product is on the up and up, taking these steps will help separate out some of the more nefarious operations in the CBD market.
What are your favorite CBD vapes? Give us your input in the comments!
Photo Credit: Elsa Olofsson (license)
