How to Spot Fake CBD Oil?

CBD oil has hit the big time in the UK and is now a mainstream product that is safe to use for people to find seeking relief from many different challenges -, and it’s even safe for children to consume.

Unfortunately, whenever a product finds popularity in the marketplace, unscrupulous dealers try to take advantage by producing cheap, pale imitations that don’t work and can even be dangerous. Fake CBD oil and misleading CBD products have been making the rounds in the UK, and are growing and multiplying, with many not having any trace of CBD oil whatsoever.

How can you spot fake CBD oil and check for quality and make sure the CBD products you are buying are the real deal? Here are three ways you can ensure that you are purchasing a quality CBD product in the UK.

1. Understand the difference between hemp seed extract and CBD
2. Only buy from members of the CTA (Cannabis Trade Association)
3. Use a trusted source for your CBD oil UK purchases

We will use the rest of this article to discuss each of these points in more detail:

1. Understand the Difference Between Hemp Seed Extract Oil and CBD

Seeing since both products come from the marijuana plant family known as Cannabis Sativa, some confusion has grown up around the differences between the two products.

Hemp seed oil is a product readily found in the marketplace. It’s used as an ingredient in beauty and skincare products and is also used in the kitchen as a cooking oil.

Hemp seed oil is an excellent skincare product used in moisturisers and cleansers because it does not clog pores and helps keep the skin feeling soft and supple. It’s often used as an ingredient but can work just as well as a face oil on its own.

CBD oil is showing a lot of promise in wellness benefits over and above what hemp seed oil can provide. For instance, CBD has been shown to have specific properties which optimise general wellness, whereas in contrast, hemp seed extract oil is most often used as a daily supplement because of its high nutrient density.

The extraction process is different between CBD and hemp seed oil, which significantly alters the cost of each product. Hemp seed oil is extracted from the seeds of the plant and contains no trace of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

CBD oil is extracted from the flowers of hemp plants because of their higher levels of terpenes, cannabinoids, and CBD. The THC level in CBD oil may also be up to 0.2% of the volume.

Unscrupulous dealers take advantage of people’s misunderstanding of the differences between the two products. Labelling the bottle as a cannabis product and displaying images of marijuana leaves capitalises on the confusion and is deliberately misleading.

The MHRA have come to the opinion that products containing CBD used for medicinal purposes are a medicine, unlicensed CBD is a food supplement, cosmetic or vape are not classified as medicines.

If the product you are considering does not directly state CBD anywhere on the labelling, you should avoid it.

2. The Cannabis Trade Association (CTA) and the MHRA

The CTA is an organisation created to ensure its members follow and meet established government legislation surrounding CBD oil. They monitor everything from product quality, sales and marketing, to distribution.

The Cannabis Trade Association works with several UK agencies, including the MHRA and the Food Standards Agency (FSA), to ensure all its members are maintaining the high standards set out by these authorities. 

If your CBD oil supplier in the UK is not a member of the CTA, then you can be sure they don’t hold their product to the same high standards as a distributor that is a member.  Look elsewhere for a quality CBD oil supplier in the UK.

3. Use a Trusted Source for CBD Oil UK Purchases

You may not be surprised to hear that the CBD oil market is enormous on eBay. What you may not know is that the giant auction site does not allow the sale of CBD products. Nor does the retailer Amazon enable sellers to market and sell genuine CBD products on its website. However, they do allow the sale of hemp seed extract oil.

Amazon and eBay sellers are capitalising on people’s confusion (discussed above) and selling small vials of hemp seed extract for around the same price as a 500ml or 1L bottle. Of course, they will also happily (and falsely) state all the health benefits reserved for genuine CBD products in their product description. 

Don’t be fooled; you cannot buy a genuine CBD oil product on these sites. If you check their product description, you will notice that the term “CBD oil” is suspiciously absent and nowhere to be seen in their listing.

Also, do not give away your credit card details for a ‘free trial’ from an online distributor. Many of these subscription companies will force you to jump through hoops to cancel your subscription for what amounts to a low-quality product. In most cases, it will take an intervention from your bank to stop them from draining your credit card every month.

Use them if it’s too good to be true, it usually rules. Ultra-cheap CBD oil in the UK is not a reality. Sure, you can shop around for the best value, but if the price is bargain basement, then it’s a safe bet you will be wasting your money on fake CBD oil.

Manufacturing CBD oil and maintaining high-quality standards that are compliant with UK regulations is an expensive business. However, you can pay a fair price for a quality product that works. 

Where Can I Buy CBD Oil in the UK?

You can buy high-quality CBD oil in the UK by following the above tips, but you can also save some time by heading straight to a reputable source. PureCBDHealth.com is a company set up to provide Pure CBD health supplements in the UK, as well as around the globe.

They offer a completely transparent product and are a valid member of the CTA. Pure CBD Health strives for purity, so if you’re looking for a product which doesn’t include binders, fillers, excipients, dyes, or unpronounceable names on the ingredients list, then check out their site today for all your CBD needs.