The Ultimate CBD Safety Checklist: Protect You & Your Child

LESSON 1: QUALITY MATTERS

CBD is not regulated by the FDA & bad products could hurt you.

CBD is in a grey market in the United States. It is not regulated as a dietary supplement yet because CBD has just been approved as a prescription medication in the form of Epidiolex, made by GW pharma for patients with epilepsy. But CBD from hemp can easily be purchased online, in pharmacies like CVS or Walgreens, or at your local cannabis dispensary. It's important to know that the products you may be taking to ease your symptoms of pain, nausea, or insomnia don't in fact cause other health issues due to poor quality or shoddy manufacturing.

Check each step before purchasing or using CBD products.

[ ] Where did you buy your CBD product?

You can purchase hemp-based CBD products online, from a store, from a friend, or at an event. Some hemp-based or cannabis-based CBD products are sold in cannabis dispensaries. Not all online sites or stores sell trustworthy products and it's up to you to learn more about the product.

[ ] Is the CBD product brand trustworthy?

Is the brand a local or national brand? How long has the brand been in business? Is it produced in someone's basement, a factory in China, or a GMP certified facility meeting pharmaceutical standards in the United States? Do they make outrageous claims on their website like their CBD cures cancer?

[ ] Was it lab tested for pesticides or heavy metals?

Hemp plants can draw heavy metals & other toxins from the polluted ground it's planted in. Reputable products are grown on clean hemp farms or indoors. Check that your CBD product is made with organically grown hemp, free of pesticides and heavy metals, and has lab testing results to confirm claims.

[ ] Where did you buy your CBD product?

Some products do not have have an expiration date listed on the bottle or packaging, but may list when they were manufactured. Stability testing suggests most CBD oil products are stable for one year, then may become less potent over time.

LESSON 2: QUANTITY MATTERS

Pick smart ways to consume CBD & limit your exposure to THC.

CBD and THC pass into the mother's bloodstream and through the placenta or breastmilk to the baby's bloodstream. This includes any toxins present in the CBD product, which is why Lesson 1: QUALITY MATTERS was so important. Minimizing the amount of cannabinoids your child is exposed too, as well as smoke, is key to reducing potential harm to your child.

Check each step before purchasing or using CBD products.

[ ] Is your product a topical (lotion or cream)?

CBD and THC cannot get into your bloodstream and passed to your child via topical application to the skin. Thus, topical products are the SAFEST way to use CBD or cannabis products. They are great for pain, inflammation, and spasms. Some even help with sleep when they contain other essential oils.

[ ] Is your product a smokable product?

CBD flower can be smoked in hemp joints, bongs, pipes or vaporizers. CBD concentrate comes in many forms, and can be smoked in vape pens or dab rigs. Smoking CBD is not safe while pregnant, because you are inhaling toxins like ammonia that are dangerous to your child. Non-smokable forms of CBD products like tinctures, drinks, edibles or pills are encouraged instead.

[ ] Does your product have THC in it?

CBD products sold at cannabis dispensaries may have more than 0.3% THC. Full-spectrum CBD products have 0.3% or less THC in them, broad-spectrum products have no THC but have terpenes, and CBD isolate products contain 0% THC. Minimize THC use as it may have a negative impact on your child.

[ ] Does it have terpenes or only CBD?

Some CBD products contain only the CBD chemical and nothing else found naturally in the plant, including terpenes and minor cannabinoids that increase the effectiveness and bioavailability of CBD. These products, like "CBD water" may be of lower quality, may have little medical benefit for you, and may possible be harmful due to trace solvents use to isolate the CBD.

LESSON 3: LEARN WHO TO ASK FOR HELP

CBD can be confusing & not enough people are trained on it.

It's possible that you might not be able to answer all the questions in Lesson 1: QUALITY MATTERS or Lesson 2: QUANTITY MATTERS. It's not easy to find lab-testing results, or understand the mg of CBD or THC in a bottle of CBD oil. Before you ask someone for help, make sure they are qualified.

If you can't figure out whether your CBD product is safe or find qualified help, shoot me an email at [email protected].

Check each step before purchasing or using CBD products.

[ ] Is the person you are asking for advice trustworthy?

Are you talking to a doctor, nurse, or certified health coach that is qualified to make recommendations on CBD for your health? Or are you talking to a friend working for an MLM trying to make a quick buck on a poor quality CBD product sale? Are you talking to a budtender or CBD store salesperson motivated by sales?

[ ] Is the person you are talking to knowledgeable about the endocannabinoid system and CBD?

Your budtender may know more about CBD than your doctor does. If your doctor offers an opinion on CBD or recommends a product, ask them why they recommend it or how it works, to make sure they are not just getting a kickback.

[ ] Is the person you are talking to knowledgable about CBD for pregnant or postpartum mothers?

Almost no doctors, nurses, budtenders, or CBD salespeople have any training on the safety and benefits of CBD for moms. Some may not know the difference between THC and CBD, or that cannabinoids from topicals are not absorbed into the bloodstream. Make sure you talk to a provider that doesn't provide you with misinformation.