The Importance of Quality Control for Hemp Products
Bam·boo·zled bam-ˈbü-zəld
1. To deceive by underhanded methods: dupe, hoodwink, mislead
2. To confuse, frustrate, or throw off thoroughly or completely
Type “CBD” into the Amazon.com search bar and be ready to be completely bamboozled—in every sense of the word.
About two years ago, consumer interest in hemp and, more specifically, cannabidiol (CBD) products absolutely skyrocketed. But while the public seems happy to shell out literally millions of dollars to purchase CBD products from online retailers and local convenience stores, many practitioners are baffled by this phenomenon, given the lack of research, evidence, standardization, and quality control in the marketplace.
Initially, most of the companies distributing CBD oil were small, US-based suppliers. But recently, I looked up one website that offered “reviews” of CBD products, and there were over 430 different suppliers listed.
Of course, the website reviews weren’t based on any independent testing data; it was just an affiliate website for sales. But 430 is a lot of CBD oil suppliers. How is all of this product manufactured? Where is the raw material coming from? And what quality controls are in place to ensure the products are safe to consume?
Government and industry are beginning to address these questions, but there’s still plenty of confusion, deception, and just plain bamboozlement in the hemp and CBD product marketplaces. Here’s what you need to know about the issues with CBD products, and how you can help ensure your patients have access to the highest-quality, safest, and most effective hemp products available today.
THE MULTIFACETED PROBLEMS WITH CBD PRODUCTS
On November 26, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published its announcement “What You Need to Know (And What We’re Working to Find Out) About Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-derived Compounds, Including CBD.” This was accompanied by a news release headlined “FDA warns 15 companies for illegally selling various products containing cannabidiol as agency details safety concerns.”
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a leading trade association representing the dietary supplement and functional food industry, issued the following statement the next day: “FDA’s announcement acknowledges the presence of CBD-containing products that are in serious violation of general dietary supplement regulations—products that include appreciable levels of the psychoactive compound THC; ones whose CBD content does not come close to matching the labeled amounts; and still others that contain unsafe levels of pesticides, heavy metals or other contaminants. Third-party analyses by watchdog groups confirm these concerns. FDA has the authority to mandate recalls, to begin seizures of potentially harmful products, and to issue injunctions, but instead, the agency is choosing to issue tepid warning letters about CBD while the market of poorly made products continues to explode.”
The fact that CBD isolate is not currently considered legal by federal regulators for use in food/supplements, combined with a lack of enforcement at the federal level, has led to a patchwork of state laws and a proliferation of otherwise lawless products. The real problem for consumers is there is no uniformity in CBD product quality, concentration, pricing, or labeling. There are large variations in potency, and huge discrepancies in pricing—even among similar products. And because price is not always an indicator of a product’s strength or quality in the open marketplace, it is virtually impossible for the consumer to know how to evaluate a given product for its relative value.
CBD products don’t always play by the labeling rules, and labeling inaccuracies are a common issue. Often, the front label lists the amount of CBD in milligrams for the entire product, rather than the amount in each dose or serving as some states require this. Consequently, figuring out the milligrams per dose and how many servings the bottle contains can be difficult.
A study published in 2017 in JAMA Network revealed that only about 31 percent of CBD products were accurately labeled. After analyzing 84 CBD products sold online, researchers found that about 43 percent of the products had a higher CBD concentration than stated on the label, and about 26 percent had less than claimed.
And let’s not forget that hempseed oil, a wonderful food product supplying essential fatty acids, has been sold for years as “hemp oil”—which it is. But you can see the huge problem for unknowledgeable consumers who want to buy CBD or broad-spectrum hemp oil (extract) and end up buying hempseed oil instead.
These consumers have to know how to read the product label to understand whether they’re getting hemp oil from hempseeds or broad-spectrum hemp oil (extracted from various parts of the plant, including buds, leaves, and stems). It’s very confusing to the average consumer, and unscrupulous suppliers take advantage of that.
Sadly, the main message when it comes to purchasing hemp and CBD products today is “buyer beware.” But Emerson Ecologics is dedicated to helping practitioners reduce that risk for their patients.
HOW TO CHOOSE HEMP PRODUCTS
The market is filled with companies that have entered the dietary supplement industry for the first time. Therefore, they don’t really understand or appreciate the culture of self-regulation and commitment to consumer safety that has developed since the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) was passed over 25 years ago.
That’s where established, reputable supplement manufacturers and marketers have an advantage. They can introduce products like broad-spectrum or full-spectrum hemp extracts into their existing portfolios of ingredients, following the quality-control measures already established by their company. They also already know how to follow current Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines and FDA regulations and guidance for what labels should look like and what structure/function claims are allowed.
Responsible companies marketing hemp oil and hemp extracts in dietary supplements already comply with the law—which means they test their raw materials, they have data that their products are safe, they follow good manufacturing practices, they have registered facilities, and they have a serious adverse-event reporting system in place. They are trustworthy.
Emerson Ecologics has a legacy of commitment to the highest-quality dietary supplements, including through the Emerson Quality Program (EQP)®. Given both the quality and regulatory issues that currently exist with hemp extract-oil products, Emerson Ecologics made the initial decision to allow only supplements with broad-spectrum hemp extract oil into our portfolio from our trusted suppliers.
These suppliers have been vetted for responsible manufacturing processes and consistently exceptional products. These are companies that can be trusted to make consumer safety a top priority. But we didn’t stop there.
Emerson Ecologics also made the decision to demand a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for each hemp-oil shipment received, and to ensure our quality-control staff reviews and approves the COA prior to accepting the shipment. We keep those COAs on file. In addition, we independently test the hemp-oil product we receive for THC content on an annual basis for continued assurance. Furthermore, plans are in the works to increase testing on our EQP brand hemp products, to include cannabinoid profiles and contaminant testing on a rotating basis. We want to ensure we are doing what we can to provide enough information to practitioners and patients to feel comfortable with the product they are buying.
Since our introduction of oral hemp-extract supplements in June 2019, we have added high-quality topical CBD lines, and continue to source and vet new products from manufacturers that meet the Emerson Ecologics standards of quality.
To quote the chairman of our Medical Advisory Board, Dr. Bob Sheeler: “I like to focus on the quality and integrity of the company making the products before I recommend them to my patients. The best companies carefully source their ingredients and test the raw materials before incorporating them into a product. I recommend brands that I know and trust. When they have third-party verification testing by independent labs, I feel reassured that I have done everything I can to get safe and effective products for my patients.” We couldn’t agree more—which is why you can trust the hemp products available through Emerson Ecologics. We’ve done the homework, so you don’t have to.