Exploring A CBD Certificate of Analysis: Part 1 of a Series
Why is a COA Even Needed?
How a lack of Industry-Wide Testing Standards Affects Your Health and Safety
Every batch of Caliper CBD is thoroughly tested to ensure safety, quality, and consistency. and we make those results available to you in the form of a lab report known as a Certificate of Analysis (COA).
Why is this even necessary? Unfortunately, at this time there are no federal regulations over how CBD or other cannabis-based products are produced. That means there are no requirements that CBD products be tested to prove they’re effective and safe. Some CBD companies have been conscientious about self-testing and monitoring, but many haven’t.
And even when companies do provide test results, there’s no federal oversight on what they’re testing for. Nor any checks on the quality of that testing: no standards of analytical methods, levels of detection, and safety.
A 2017 analysis found that nearly 70 percent of all CBD products sold online contained more or less CBD than claimed—and some 21 percent contained detectable THC (tetrahydrocannabinol—the compound that’s responsible for the “high” in marijuana). Another found that just 2 out of 24 CBD products tested contained the amount of CBD they claimed on their labels! More recently, a class-action lawsuit was filed against a major CBD manufacturer, when unacceptable levels of lead, copper and nickel were found in its “all-natural,” “no heavy metals” CBD products.
Until “the Feds” do their job and start regulating, then, it’s up to consumers to do their own diligence to check on the companies they buy from. Only choosing companies that provide COAs, and reading them thoroughly, is a good start—but keep in mind that a COA is only as reliable as the company that offers it.
Which brings us to the biggest elephant in the room: Why is it the responsibility of consumers to monitor cannabis products? Without the FDA’s oversight and expertise, your health and safety is at risk. That is simply unacceptable.
Our Solution: The Caliper Standard
At Caliper, our philosophy is to act as if we are already in a marketplace with strict regulatory oversight. We choose to follow the country’s strongest standards for protecting consumers: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations for food safety and safe food production, monitoring and labeling. In addition, we choose to follow the strictest state guidelines for hemp sourcing, monitoring and certification. We test our products at all stages of production, using only accredited third-party laboratories, and we require all our ingredient suppliers to do the same. The results of those standards, and the testing that backs them up, are reported in our COA.
As much work as we’ve put into producing our COAs and in making their results available and understandable, we hope that someday they won’t be necessary. We hope that federal regulation will come soon to the CBD marketplace, and that every CBD product manufacturer will follow the same rules that protect consumers. When that day comes, you’ll be able to purchase CBD products with the same confidence you feel when you purchase a package of potato chips—or a bottle of ibuprofen—today.
We pledge to always maintain the highest standards in testing and monitoring, and to make that information available to you in a COA you can trust. We’re committed to helping you make an informed decision about the CBD products you buy, and to making sure Caliper CBD is always the best way to consume CBD.
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