Think You’re Buying CBD Oil on Amazon? Think Again

Are you buying CBD oil on Amazon? If the answer is “yes,” then you’re in for a surprise: You’re not. 

Why do we say that?

First, according to Amazon’s rules, CBD products can’t be sold on Amazon. You read that right:  Amazon doesn’t allow listings for products containing cannabidiol (CBD), including:

• Full-spectrum hemp oil
• Rich hemp oil
• Products that LegitScript has identified as containing CBD.

That’s not unusual: CBD companies can’t advertise or sell CBD products (with the exception, in some cases, of topical products) in many places, including Google, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest. Amazon’s not doing anything different. So why then, when you type in “CBD oil,” do you get hundreds of results? You’ll find products labeled hemp oil, cannabis oil, hemp extract, and even CBD oil. But the products sold on Amazon can’t be CBD oil at all, because Amazon forbids the sale of CBD products on its site. See the problem?

Sellers are touting these products as aids for sleep, pain relief, stress, anxiety, and more, which is stretching the truth at best, and downright dishonest at worst. Here’s the truth: Any CBD oil you buy on Amazon is hemp seed oil. 

Well, what’s wrong with that? The critical ingredient in CBD oil is made from hemp, so it makes sense that CBD oil and hemp oil are the same things, right?

Wrong.

You Can’t Buy Real CBD Oil on Amazon

CBD is made with all parts of the hemp plant, including the flowers. The flowers contain the highest amounts of CBD – and that’s what has the wellness properties most CBD users seek. Hemp seed oil is made just from hemp seeds. Hemp seeds are nutritious, and a great dietary supplement that’s full of omega-3s and essential nutrients, but the seeds contain almost no CBD. So, while hemp seed products might make you feel good, as many superfoods do, if you’re expecting any relief from pain, anxiety, depression, or insomnia, you’re not going to get it except by the placebo effect.

While we’re at it, it’s essential to know the difference between hemp and marijuana. Both marijuana and hemp belong to the same species, Cannabis sativa, but they are two different varieties of the plant.

Cannabis sativa has a lot of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is psychoactive. In other words, it’s what makes you “high.” But Cannabis Sativa has more than 500 compounds, among them more than 100 different cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD). To be sold legally, CBD can contain no more than 0.3% THC, an insignificant amount that won’t get you high.

Marijuana vs. CBD vs. Hemp Seed Oil

Let’s look at the fundamental differences between marijuana, CBD, and hemp seed oil:

• Parts of the plant used in manufacturing:
  • Marijuana oil – flowers and leaves of the marijuana plant;
  • CBD oil – flowers and leaves of the hemp plant;
  • Hemp seeds oil – seeds from the hemp plant
• The Amount of THC:
  • Marijuana oil has more than .3%, up to 35% THC; 
  • CBD has 0.3% or less;
  • Hemp seeds have none at all.
• The Amount of CBD:
  • Marijuana oil has an average of 10%-15% CBD;
  • CBD oil has 12% or higher;
  • Hemp seed oil has none.
• The ingredients:
  • Marijuana oil has mostly THC with some CBD and other phytocannabinoids and terpenoids.
  • CBD oil has mostly CBD and BCP (beta-caryophyllene, a terpene), with other smaller-quantity phytocannabinoids and terpenoids.
  • Hemp seed oil has omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, γ-linolenic acid, and nutritious antioxidants.

Where to Buy CBD

When you buy CBD oil, it’s best to buy from a reputable firm that produces high-quality CBD made in the US from organic hemp plants. Get recommendations from family or friends. Do an internet search and pay attention to customer reviews. 

Check the product label. The brand should make it easy to see the label online or should break out the relevant facts: the size of the bottle, the amount of CBD in the bottle, and the amount of CBD per dose. 

An independent third-party lab should test the products for purity and CBD content – and those test results should be easily accessible on the brand’s website. 

A money-back guarantee is a bonus. A brand that will let you return a product if you’re not satisfied will make you comfortable with trying CBD for the first time.

Excellent customer service is also a plus. Be very wary of brands that don’t return messages or respond to complaints. Lousy customer service can be a red flag.

Many Amazon sellers are counting on misinformation and uninformed customers who look for “CBD oil” online. Often, they sell at prices that seem to be too good to be true. That’s because they are. You may pay less, but you get less than what you want or need. In the end, that’s no bargain.

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With Sunrise CBD, you get 100% pure CBD from organic hemp grown legally in Colorado. Our final products are compounded in our lab in California and then sent to a third-party lab for verification. We promise you’ll get consistent quality and 100% pure CBD — and nothing else. See all our products at sunrisecbd.com/shop.