The safety claims surrounding CBD are overall true. The substance itself is safe, but only when purchased with care. This is a new and still mostly unregulated market. As a result, many opportunists are using it as a chance to earn a quick buck by peddling inferior products. There are also legal issues to consider when buying CBD in New York.
The basics on CBD
If you are reading this article, you are probably well-aware of the benefits provided by the substance. CBD can treat everything from seizures to chronic pain, and it's generally accepted to be a powerful tool against anxiety.
That said, research on CBD is relatively scarce. A lot of the research used to support the health claims of CBD are actually based on medical marijuana, which often has high concentrations of CBD. But medical marijuana also comes packed with hundreds of other active cannabinoids that could be responsible for the effects found in studies. To make matters worse, most CBD sold commercially in the United States is not made from cannabis; it comes from hemp.
As a result, despite the large mountain of anecdotal evidence in favor of CBD and CBD oil, scientists and legislators have little solid evidence to rely on in order to properly regulate the product. Which has led to many states taking a cautious approach to regulating CBD.
The situation in New York
Currently, it is legal to buy CBD in New York. Since marijuana use is still illegal in the state, the only type of CBD oil allowed in markets is sourced from hemp plants, and it contains less than 0.3% THC concentration. That's a low enough concentration that taking CBD won't trigger a drug test, or get you high. CBD oil sourced from cannabis — aka cannabis oil — is still illegal.
In 2019, the NYC Health Department made some waves in the CBD industry by suddenly forbidding stores from adding CBD to foods or drinks. The sale of CBD infused items is also forbidden, which means you can't buy CBD coffee, jam, water, beer, cookies, brownies, or any other similar product. There were also many new regulations imposed on growers and retailers who want to sell in NYC.
Precautions to consider
The lack of regulation means there are lots of dangers associated with buying CBD, especially online. Luckily, you can reduce those risks with minimal effort and a bit of good sense. Here's what you should do.
1 - Avoid deals that are too good to be true
Making CBD oil properly is expensive. Sellers who offer cheap products are likely cutting corners.
2 - Check the shop's reputation
It's common practice for online stores to include testimonials on their homepage. Ignore those, and look for testimonials and reviews in outside sources. Anything on a store's home page can be manipulated.
3 - Look for documentation
Reputable sellers will make their legal documents easy to find on their site. They'll likely have a license to sell CBD, and maybe even a license as a hemp grower. Also, look for certificates that show that the seller's CBD was tested by an outside lab, and then check the lab in question to see if the seller's claims check out. If you want an example of a shop that gets all of this right, check out Cibdol.com.
