Research indicates that CBD may help our bodies achieve optimal internal balance and with regulating our cortisol levels, immune responses, and relaxation. With so many benefits, it’s no wonder those three little letters have become so popular in the last couple of years.
For a few reasons, CBD enthusiasts often prefer vaping over other methods of CBD consumption. Through vaporization, CBD enters the lungs and diffuses directly into the bloodstream, rather than passing through the gut and liver. This means the body processes the CBD more efficiently, so the beneficial effects can be achieved with a much smaller amount of CBD. The effects of vaping are felt instantaneously, compared with about a half hour after ingesting CBD oils and edibles.
Whatever the method of intake, choosing a high-quality CBD product is important (who wants to waste money on placebo effects from a low-quality oil?), but it’s especially important when choosing vape oils and cartridges because there are safety considerations that come into play. Despite the fact that CBD products should enhance wellness, some vapes include ingredients and materials that can actually cause harm. Brooklyn-based Lock & Key Remedies takes extra steps to ensure their vape cartridges and batteries are safe and effective.
Here are three important factors to consider before buying a CBD vape:
1. Third-Party Lab Testing
Because CBD products are not yet regulated and companies are not required to test for active ingredients or contaminants, ensuring both the safety and quality of the products falls to the brands themselves. Those looking to capitalize on the CBD trend use false or misleading labels or dosing instructions, and often sell products that contain toxins which can enter the lungs and cause harm.
Hemp plants are actually very effective at cleaning the soil by absorbing the toxins, which is great for cleaning our environment but consuming extracts from that hemp could be harmful. A 2016 study by one of the leading independent labs in the country has shown that in the California medical marijuana market, 84% of all oils they tested had unacceptable levels of pesticides. That’s one of the reasons why reputable companies voluntarily test every batch and make sure to communicate that clearly.
Look for brands that validate the quality and safety of their products through independent lab tests. It’s important to note whether the brand tests to ensure that none of their products contain any heavy metals, pesticides, residual solvents, or microbacteria. Beyond ensuring the product safety, Lock & Key Remedies works with independent labs to test for cannabinoids and terpenes, the active ingredients that help people feel good.
2. Clean Ingredients
Especially for those new to CBD, it can be difficult to tell the difference between active ingredients and filler ingredients. Vitamin E has to be “good,” right? Nope. It might be fine in a skincare product, but when it comes to vape cartridges, vitamin E is a filler ingredient that can cause harmful side effects.
There’s another ingredient that everyone who saw K2 or Spice in the news knows to avoid: synthetic cannabinoids. The power of CBD comes from a plant—there’s no good lab replacement for that.
It’s also especially important to keep an eye out for artificial flavors, even if you don’t avoid them already in food products. Artificial flavors may be harmful when vaporized and may lead to the development of various lung diseases.
Lock & Key Remedies displays the ingredients on every product page, along with the 3rd party lab test results showing the exact content of each cannabinoid, terpene, and ingredient.
3. Manufacturing Practices
Many of the factories that manufacture vape products have low quality standards, especially when it comes to the grade of materials they use. Many brands opt for cheaper hardware made using materials that may become carcinogenic at high temperatures. Look for products made using high-quality materials.
Variable voltage batteries, which are becoming more common in the marketplace, can lower the risk of producing carcinogens when vaping at lower temperature settings. Look for vape batteries like this one by Lock & Key Remedies that allows you to choose between three voltage settings.
Most people who choose to vape CBD do so for the health benefits. Therefore, it’s important to invest in quality products that don’t come with potentially dangerous side effects. Vaping CBD can be safe and effective, as long as the consumer keeps these three key points in mind when buying CBD products.
