An investigation into CBD-infused beverages revealed that more than half of products tested have less of the cannabinoid than advertised. And some don’t have any CBD at all.
“Significant Discrepancies”
Leafreport, an Israeli-based CBD watchdog organization, conducted the study along with Canalysis Laboratories, an independent testing lab in Las Vegas.
Together, they collected 22 CBD-infused beverages from 20 well-known brands. Then, they tested them for potency. Lab technicians then compared their results to the product labels. They found several “significant discrepancies,” according to Leafreport’s summary of the study. Some of the most alarming results include:
—54% or 12/22 had less CBD than indicated on product labels
—Two products had no CBD at all
—81%, or 18 of the products tested, had 10% more or less CBD than advertised
—Only four beverages got an “A” rating
Rating the CBD Beverages
After researchers tested the CBD-infused beverages, each was given an accuracy rating — A (excellent), B (decent), C (poor), F (fail). Of the 22 drinks tested, only four got As, three got Bs, two got Cs. Thirteen failed.
To receive an A rating, products must have -/+10% of CBD that is indicated on product labeling, which research finds is a reasonable amount of variance for cannabis products. Products with a “B” rating fall within 20%; a “C” is 30%; and 31% or more earn “F” ratings.
Cleen Craft Hemp Cola received an “A” rating. The product label indicated 16 mg of CBG — test results showed it contained 16.76 mg, or less than a 5% variance.
Sprig CBD-infused soda, which claimed to have 20 mg of CBD, actually contained more than 44 mg, or 220% more CBD than advertised. That earned it an F rating.
More Oversight Needed
A separate study published in JAMA in 2017 also found major discrepancies in CBD-infused products. In that study, scientists tested and compared 84 products. They found that less than 31% of products were accurately labeled.
Additionally, the study also found that a CBD content of -/+10% of what is labeled is suitable, and consistent with other herbal products.
The findings, according to the JAMA study, “highlight the need for manufacturing and testing standards, and oversight of medicinal cannabis products.”
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