The Great CBD Rip-Off: What’s in a Drop?

Cannabidiol – or CBD, as it is more widely known – has become one of the most popular wellness ingredients around in recent years. Its impressive list of potential benefits has seen this unassuming cannabis compound added to all kinds of products from drinks and CBD gummies to vapes, capsules and skin care. But this versatility has not diminished the appeal of the humble CBD oil tincture. CBD oil can now be bought through online stores, health shops, pharmacies, and even some supermarkets. They come in a variety of flavours, sizes, and strengths which can make finding the right product more confusing than you might think. So, if you’re in the market for a new CBD oil, whether you’re trying it out for the first time or simply need a refill, it’s important to remember one thing: Not all CBD Oils are created equal.

What is CBD Oil?

CBD is one of the most common cannabinoids – one of over 100 compounds found exclusively in cannabis. Unlike its stronger and more well-known relative, THC, CBD is non-intoxicating and can be found in high concentrations in hemp plants. This, along with its potential anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties (among others) has seen it catapult into public consciousness. 

In oil form, CBD can be used in a variety of ways. The most popular method of CBD oil consumption is sublingual (under the tongue). This involves applying your chosen number of drops to the area under your tongue and allowing it to absorb through the thin skin to reach your bloodstream. However, you can also add a few drops of oil to your favourite foods or drinks! CBD products can be made using isolate, broad-spectrum, or full-spectrum CBD extracts. This refers to the range of other cannabinoids, terpenes, and other plant compounds contained within the product. Furthermore, the actual amount of CBD contained within each product can vary significantly – and it’s not always easy to know exactly what you’re getting.

CBD Oil Strength: The Confusion

In recent years, CBD manufacturers and brands have been subject to stricter guidelines when it comes to advertising their products. This includes ensuring all CBD products on the UK market have received Novel Foods certification and preventing brands and retailers from making any medical claims about their products. 

However, some customers are still being unwittingly ripped off on the strength of their products, and this can often be attributed to how some brands choose to label their products – particularly when it comes to different product sizes.

Let’s compare, for example, a 10ml bottle of 500mg CBD oil with a 30ml bottle of 500mg CBD oil. Now, it would be fair to assume that these products contain the same amount of CBD per drop, right? 

After all, a 70cl bottle of 40% vodka contains the same amount of alcohol strength as a 1l bottle of 40% vodka. Under this assumption, you might opt for the larger bottle as this would often mean you’re getting better value for money. 

But 500mg of CBD in a 30ml bottle is not the same as 500mg of CBD in a 10ml bottle. 

That’s because the reference to “mg of CBD” refers to the total amount of CBD in the bottle, not the strength of the oil itself, as is the case with the vodka example. That means that the CBD oil in the 10ml bottle is actually significantly stronger than the CBD oil in the 30ml bottle! 

Furthermore, with less CBD in the larger bottle, a higher proportion of the product is simply a filler product. This may be olive oil, hemp oil, coconut oil – or any other kind of carrier oil. 

So, how do you work out exactly how much CBD you’re paying for?

How to work out the true strength of CBD oil

Unfortunately, we can’t always rely on brands to be transparent when it comes to selling their products. Thankfully, there is a simple solution to working out the true strength of your CBD oil: working out the amount of CBD per drop. 

Now, this might sound complicated (and it can be), but thankfully, some brands will put this information on their packaging. And for those that don’t, we have created a handy CBD Dose Calculator to help you not only work out the potency of your CBD oil but also the best dose for you.

Our CBD Oil Potency Calculator calculates the total amount (mg) of CBD per ml of oil. For example, using the 30ml vs 10ml of 500mg CBD Oil:

• The 30ml bottle would contain 17mg/ml
• The 10ml bottle would contain 50ml/ml

From here, you can count how many drops your CBD Oil dropper contains per ml (a standard dropper produces 20 drops per ml) and use this to work out how many drops you need for your desired dose. Moreover, we’ll give you three recommended doses: a low dosage strength, a medium dosage strength, and a high dosage strength.

Avoid Being Ripped Off

Finding the right CBD products for you can be a trial-and-error process, but wading through a sea of misleading packaging can make the process even more difficult. 

Thankfully, at CBD Guru, we aim to be totally transparent when it comes to our high-quality CBD Oils. To ensure our customers are as informed as possible about what they are buying, our products feature both total CBD (mg) content in the bottle and the strength (%) of the oil itself. Don’t be caught out by unhelpful and misleading labels. Try out our Dosage Calculator for yourself to be sure you’re getting the most out of your CBD Oil.