Vermont CBD Oil: How to Find the Highest Quality

person Oksana Ostrovsky
calendar_today Dec 03, 2018

Regarding the possession and use of medical cannabis and CBD oil, Vermont law is one of the most permissive in the U.S. This year, recreational marijuana laws were also passed, and adult Vermont residents over 21 years of age may now possess and use it. Thankfully, hemp-derived CBD oil is readily available and is 100% legal in all U.S. states. This is due to the passing of a new Drug Code for Marijuana Extraction this year. [1]

Yet it is necessary to shop with discernment, as the industry is still unregulated. This means that many proverbial snake oil sellers are unfortunately still at large.

Here's what to look out for to make sure you buy the highest-quality Vermont CBD as well as how to ensure its bioavailability.

Regarding the possession and use of medical cannabis and CBD oil, Vermont law is one of the most permissive in the U.S.

How Will I Know My Vermont CBD is Good Quality?

Well, first of all, the product labels and the manufacturer or seller's website are likely to give you a good indication of what's in the product. It will also give hints and indications of the manufacturer's integrity and reliability.

Ask yourself the following while scrutinizing the product labels and the manufacturer or seller's website:

1. Was the CBD extracted from organically cultivated hemp?

For consumers, one of the easiest ways to sift through the many different online CBD oil companies is to find the company’s organic certification. CBD gained from certified organic hemp means that in all likelihood, you will ingest a pure, toxin-free product.

2. Is it an isolate or whole spectrum CBD?

Pure CBD is not without its uses and benefits, but research seems to suggest that CBD works even better when grouped with the other phytonutrients in hemp. This synergy was coined the “Entourage Effect” and is still under investigation.

One meta-analysis compared CBD isolate with whole spectrum CBD for severe epilepsy. The researchers concluded that the latter was more effective, and it also demonstrated fewer side effects than pure CBD. [2]

Research suggests that CBD works better when grouped with the other phytonutrients in hemp.

3. Was the CBD CO2-extracted?

The CO2 method is but one way cannabinoids are extracted from hemp, and it’s not the cheapest. However, it produces the purest CBD extract (other methods often leave residues of nasty chemicals and other toxins as byproducts of the process), and it also doesn't use much heat.

A low heat process means that the integrity of the phytocannabinoids, terpenes, and other helpful compounds in the hemp stay virtually intact. Taking a compound-rich, pure product is more likely to give you good results than any other.

So, while you may need to fork out more for your CO2-extracted Vermont CBD oil or online CBD product, you will get much more bang for your buck this way.

4. Were the products tested in a lab?

The product ingredients and the name of the laboratory will be prominently displayed on the label. This way, you can be sure that a second party checked to see that the product is what it declares to be.

Is your Vermont CBD oil good quality?

5. Is the seller responsive and transparent?

Snake oil dealers can often be spotted by their reticence to answer your questions about products. In fact, in most cases, they don't even supply an email or any contact numbers.

Look for active contact details and scrutinize the way information is presented on the product labels and other marketing platforms—it will give you a pretty good feel for the company's reliability and integrity. For instance:

Do they make health claims about the CBD oil? (See next paragraph.)
Do they give you plenty of authoritative information and guidance regarding their products and CBD in general?
Are there faces to the company, and do you get the feeling you're dealing with real and honest people?

6. What do the marketing blurbs say?

A company's marketing regarding their products is a fairly good giveaway of its quality status.

For instance, if they make bold medical claims about CBD ("CBD treats insomnia and cancer," etc), you're dealing with someone who doesn't care much about federal and FDA regulations. The FDA guidelines are very strict in this regard, and few CBD/cannabis products have been formally approved for medicinal use so far.

A manufacturer or seller who doesn't care whether his company gets shut down or raided because of regulation transgressions is unlikely to produce quality CBD products.

Now that you have good tips on what to look for in a Vermont CBD oil or other vendors, it's time to use them.

RELATED: Are You Using Organic CBD Oil?

Tips on How to Make CBD Oil Work Well for You

Cannabinoids are unfortunately not very bioavailable, meaning that a lot of the extract you ingest will be excreted. This is especially true if you drink or eat it.

This is due to what is called the first-pass metabolism. When you swallow the CBD, it first goes to the stomach, then the small intestine, and then it gets processed in the liver before getting dumped into your circulatory system. Unfortunately, the liver prevents much of the CBD from entering the blood, ergo the waste.

Taking your CBD in an oil or tincture sublingually (under the tongue) will bypass this metabolic pathway. Hold it in your mouth for a while so it enters your glands. This way, you will absorb much larger quantities.

However, one of the liver's functions is to remove poisons and harmful substances from everything you ingest. So, when you take CBD oil sublingually (and the liver is bypassed), you need to be very sure that it was extracted from organic hemp with a toxin-free process.

Another way to help your body absorb the maximum amount of CBD is by taking it with oils. A U.K.-based study has found that fatty acids and medium- to long-chain triglycerides increase cannabidiol's bioavailability, mostly because CBD molecules are able to bind to oil molecules. When the fats are metabolized into energy, the CBD gets taken up, too. [3]

So, this is the lowdown on finding good CBD oil; regarding CBD, Vermont and federal law are in tandem.

But what if your health needs call for THC, the stuff in marijuana that makes you high?

Taking your CBD in an oil or tincture form sublingually will bypass the metabolic pathway.

CBD, Vermont Law, and Medicinal Marijuana

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychotropic phytocannabinoid in cannabis, is sometimes required in greater quantities than are allowed by federal law. Vermont has made provision for this in the form of its public medical marijuana program, and residents have already been signing up with the Vermont Marijuana Registry (VMR) since 2004.

Like in most states, you need to qualify for the program. And in order to qualify, you need to be diagnosed by a registered, qualified physician with one or more of the following debilitating diseases:

Cancer
HIV/AIDS
Glaucoma
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Patients in hospice care
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Diseases or conditions that produce the following symptoms:

Cachexia
Seizures
Severe or chronic pain
Severe nausea

Once registered, patients and their caregivers are issued ID cards. They are allowed to have a maximum of two ounces of marijuana on their person at any time, and they can grow their own plants—two mature plants and seven immature plants.

Recreational users can also grow their own marijuana, but they are allowed two mature and only four immature plants. [4] [5]

Hemp cultivation for agricultural purposes has been allowed since 2013. Prospective farmers need to register with the Secretary of Agriculture Food and Markets. Currently, the hemp industry is booming, and some speculate that it will soon join maple syrup, craft beer, and cheese as the Green Mountain State's main exports. [6]

At the time of writing, the government website still indicated that cultivating hemp on a large scale for medicinal purposes is not permitted, but this is likely to change soon. [7]

A good, full-spectrum Vermont CBD oil will contain very small amounts of THC, and most often, you won't need much of it anyway. A much more well-designed clinical study is needed, but CBD is slowly but surely establishing itself as a remedy of note across the globe.

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