Gas Station CBD — A Miracle Or A Hoax?

From over-the-counter ointments, sports supplements, beverages, and snacks to whatnot, consumers are flocking towards CBD! Aside from local stores or online vendors, you might have noticed those pretty pristine green buds on the top-shelf jar at your local gas station’s CBD as well.

At the same time, it might not seem strange or be harmless to grab a pack of CBD Gummies or CBD Oil from a gas station at an incredibly affordable price until you use it and realize that you have been scammed! It might sound insane, but this happens to countless people every day! Despite the sale of CBD skyrocketing over the last couple of years, it’s still not FDA-regulated, giving many sneaky businesses an edge in taking advantage of that. However, are all the CBD products sold at gas stations bad?

In short, while some gas station CBD products might work, they are super cheap low quality extracted ones. But hold on….don’t worry! This article will give a complete analysis of gas station CBD products and guide you on where to shop next time. 

CBD Overview

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid extracted from the Cannabis sativa plant, perceived for the countless medicinal benefits offered while not getting you buzzed. After the passage of the Farm Bill 2018, CBD extracts are legal across most states in the US.

How To Distinguish A Premium Quality CBD Product?

This question is indeed a very vital focus concern, especially if you’re a newbie in the supplement industry or even an old CBD enthusiast exploring new brands and shopping spots. Here is a checklist of key points to keep in mind when choosing a genuine and rich-quality CBD product:

Always read labels

Avoid any labeling inaccuracies. All reputable brands always contain the same amount of ingredients or CBD content claimed on the label. 

Amount of CBD

The ultimate experience is directly linked to the amount of CBD in the product. On oil or tincture labels, look out for mg/L; this determines the CBD concentration. If a brand claims 500 mg of CBD, then it better has 500 mg of CBD. 

Type Of CBD And Cannabinoid Profile

While most gas station CBD products are CBD Isolates (pure CBD extracts), you need to get your hands on Full-spectrum CBD products to enjoy the benefits. Full-spectrum CBD extracts contain a rich profile of phytocannabinoids, terpenes, etc. 

Third-party lab reports

All reputable brands have third-party lab results on their websites. Look out for contaminants, pesticides, and heavy metal analyses. 

Is The Gas Station CBD Safe?

The CBD craze is constantly shooting, especially after its legalization; however, it isn’t regulated by the FDA. While CBD is available in local stores or online vendors across the US, a new player has emerged—local gas station convenience stores. However, his profile raises many questions about safety and security!

The main issue is that you cannot know where CBD products are and what they contain. First, there’s a high chance that it is poor in quality as it has less amount of CBD than it should or claims it has. 

Secondly, gas station CBD products contain high levels of THC, which makes them unsafe as THC is responsible for getting you high.

[Note: All CBD products can have a maximum of 0.3% THC levels. Poor quality/non-hemp sourced CBD products contain higher levels of THC.]

Always check out the logo on the label and check for COA; this will give you an idea of what the product contains and whether the gas station product is faulty or not.

Moreover, they can be supplied from sneaky vendors who do not provide third-party test reports, posing a threat of bacterial contaminations, pesticides, and heavy metals in the CBD. Despite CBD not being FDA regulated, these lab results are the only safe way to be sure. Always check out the logo on the label and check for COA. This will give you an idea of whether the gas station product is faulty or not.

It is also advised to read consumer reviews and ratings of products to help you choose a product wisely.

What Typical CBD Products Are Sold At Gas Stations?

Yet another problem is the kind of products available at gas stations. While CBD oil is the most popular and effective option, gas stations often sell more convenient options like edibles (gummies, chocolate, etc.) and beverages. Very few have CBD oils or tinctures, and the ones who do are of very low standards. 

The pleasant taste of sugary treats gives shady companies an edge to mask off the less CBD levels.

What CBD brands should you avoid at gas stations?

Alright, let’s help you make things easier. You will find countless negative reviews of CBD products bought at gas stations. These reviews will often expose fake claims or standards of CBD products. 

In particular, there are many brands that you should always avoid, including: 

Hemp Bombs

You will find this brand both online and at gas stations. However, there have been many complaints regarding it; it even hit a lawsuit in 2019 for not delivering what the product claims.

Diamond CBD

Another notorious fellow was hit with a classic-action lawsuit in the same year for selling products having less CBD concentration and its vape products containing synthetic cannabinoids, fentanyl, and dextromethorphan. 

Apart from these two, you’ll find dozens of smaller and unpopular CBD brands at your local gas stations. 

As a general rule of thumb, ignore all unpopular brands and products that look fishy, i.e., having plain cheap-looking packaging and little information about CBD content on the label as it’s guaranteed to be of low quality.

Top Reasons To Avoid Buying CBD From Gas Stations

While it is pretty easy and convenient to buy CBD from gas stations, you will always lose your money in the end! Here are top reasons why it’s wise to shop CBD from gas stations:

  • Poor quality: Gas station products will probably contain contaminants and chemicals from the poor processing methods and these can be very harmful. 
  • Label Inaccuracies: Many brands are a scam, and companies do mislead information; they will have a trace or no levels of CBD as stated on the product label. 
  • Unknown/Cheap Processing Method: Substandard companies adopt cheap extraction methods that save them huge bucks, leading to errors and inconsistency. It’s ideal for a trusted brand that lets you access all the information through their lab results and ingredients. More often than not, shady CBD companies relying on gas stations to sell their products do not use lab tests to ensure their product safety.
  • Unspecific: You can’t be sure what you are getting into when buying a CBD product from gas stations. The CBD oil you grab at low bucks might be snake oil in disguise, or you might want a full spectrum CBD and end up getting a CBD isolate product. There is no clear way of knowing which is which.

Are There Any Good Gas Station CBD Brands As well?

Though it’s a pretty good idea to avoid buying CBD products at a gas station nevertheless, it’s not entirely true. Firstly, if you are buying from well-recognized gas stations like chevron then you’ll probably get your hands on some good stuff. 

Secondly, if you’re lucky then you might just come across genuine CBD branded products as well. 

Here are the best CBD brands sold at some gas stations in the US:

  • CBDPure: This is a well-established and leading Colorado=based brand of the CBD industry in the US. It offers premium quality US Hemp Authority testified CBD products and has a transparent manufacturing process.
  • NuLeaf Naturals: Another Colorado-based reputable brand known for offering some of the best full-spectrum CBD oil in the US. They have a unique green extraction method to extract their certified organic  US- grown hemp. 
  • CBDfx: This Californian brand is among the most prominent and popular CBD brands in the industry; it’s one of the most trusted brands, whether you buy it from online or local-head stores or even gas stations.

Your chances of finding such reputable brands are highest at gas stations in the unofficial capital of the U.S. hemp/CBD industry—Colorado. You might find them or other notable brands at gas stations in California, New York, Florida or other large states. 

Where should I buy quality CBD products?

Alright coming to the answer of the golden question…We advise you to buy it online from either the brand’s own site or trusted vendors. It’s the safest and most trusted way to buy CBD products

Good companies always have positive reviews posted online and give access to third-party lab reports of their products through their websites. If you do intend to buy from local stores or gas stations, we strongly advise you to research the brand beforehand. 

Read: Shopping CBD oil near me vs online.

The Final Verdict

Though cheap quality CBD is pretty common now, CBD is not a cheap product as it is perceived to hold serious potential health benefits. Considering this, it’s of the utmost importance that you opt for a well-trusted and reputable brand not to waste your money or health. Reliable companies always share all their lab reports and have a transparent extraction process. Though you can try your luck in finding good products from trusted companies too, we still believe if you stay away from gas stations for now.

Ad

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here