Why COAs are Important and How to Read Them

CBD is a very popular industry right now. Unfortunately, it is also a very unregulated industry. That means that the CBD you are purchasing may not really contain what is advertised.

According to this study by Leafly, only 51% of the products tested contained within 20% of the CBD advertised and 11% didn’t have any CBD at all!

So how do you know if a CBD company is legit and not just a scam?

Look for their COAs, or Certificates of Analysis. These are lab tests performed by a third party lab. These reports will tell you if a product contains what is on the label. Without lab testing done by an ISO 17025 accredited lab, it is impossible to know if you CBD is what it says it is.

Lab tests should include potency, for at least CBD and THC, as well as tests for heavy metals, pesticides and residual solvents. The potency test will tell you how much CBD is in the product that was tested. Since hemp can absorb heavy metals, pesticides, etc from the soil, it is important to have those tests done as well.

How do I read a COA?

This is the potency test for our 500mg Mint CBD Drops. The test shows that there is 524 mg of CBD in the sample tested, so slightly more than advertised. It also shows small amounts of both CBG and CBN.

In the bottom table, the result is shown in mg/ml as well as total for the entire bottle. It also says <LOQ for some items. This means that if any amount exists in the sample, it is lower than the test can measure. This is the case for THC in this sample.

The existence of other cannabinoids in this sample (like CBG and CBN) shows that this is not a CBD isolate and the absense of THC rules out full spectrum. That means this is a broad spectrum CBD. In a broad spectrum CBD, you get the benefits of multiple cannabinoids but are less likely to test postive for THC in a drug test.

The rest of the tests all look similar. The action level is what the sample should be under. The actual result is the middle column. In this case, all heavy metals and mycotoxins are under the LOQ. So lead, for example, occurs at a level less than 100 parts per billion in this sample, if it occurs at all.

The pesticides and residual solvents tests should look the same. There are probably quite a few things tested. Lyrical Life Essentials COAs are tested for over 65 different pesticides and 21 residual solvents. Ideally, the CBD you purchase should be less than LOQ on all heavy metals, mycotoxins, pesticides, and residual solvents.

A reputable CBD brand will have their COAs somewhere on their website. If you cannot find them or they do not match the amounts advertised in the product, it would be wise to look for a different product to purchase.

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