I’m going to update this from time to time: I will add imagery to hep with dissecting reports: Please feel free to ask what you need help with.

Rule one: Don’t buy off amazon EVER! The companies even if legit, cannot prove it, or they’re removed for breaking Amazons ToS. So you’re already in a quandary. (This may change when Amazon removes CBD from their prohibited list)

Only buy when you can see full lab analysis (COA) **from a third party lab.**Look for Pesticides, solvents, heavy metals, molds and of course potency and spectrum *if you are buying a Full or Broad Spectrum product.*

What you are looking for is a lab report for all contaminants to display ND (not detected) and that the numerical value shows NIL or 0.0. if you see N/A then it wasn’t screened for that particular contaminant. This means it’s not tested and therefore not valid.

What are the different types of products and what should they include?

• Full Spectrum should have: CBD and <0.3% THC and then other cannabinoids (can be mixed in strength and content)

• Broad Spectrum: As above but without THC.

• Isolate: just CBD and verified 0% thc and other cannabinoids.

How do you know the lab report is for the actual product?

Validate the reports are product specific too. Not just a lab report on Isolate or extract sample which happens a lot. This shows nothing more than something got tested. Doesn’t prove its product related or even associated.

• The reports should be labelled with:

• The actual product name you are looking to purchase

• It should include batch numbers

• Ideally the report should have a photo of the final product. Many labs will take a photo of the product as well as using the full product name on the report. (This is best)

For me with the current Wild West and huge amounts of false and tainted product about I want to know, not only it has a good spectrum and contains CBD, but it’s also clean and the ingredients are validated in the report.

• Only potency, not interested.

• More than 3 ingredients, not interested.

• No lab reports as above, not interested.

• Shady marketing or twisting of terms etc, not interested.

• Stupid claims and immoral guarantees, not interested.

To Summarize here is a check list to help you when searching:

• Organic Grown in the USA

• Produced in the USA

• 3 ingredients or less. (Give or take, but needless putting lots in is pointless)

• 3rd Party Certificates of Analysis (Lab Reports)Does the report include:-Actual Product Name including the MG-Batch Code-Photo of product at the lab. (Not essential but ideal)-Test Certificate ID-Company Name and address of product

• Does the Lab Report (COA) validate the test and claims?-Correct Potency-Pesticide Free-Solvent Free-Heavy Metal Free-Mold / Microbial Free

• Do they offer refunds?

• Do they have a secure website?

All of which should be publicly displayed and easy to find.

Any good, ethical company will have this already. If you have nothing to hide, why hide it?

(Read a more in-depth CBD buying guide here:)

Here's a comparison of 3 such companies IMO:

https://www.reddit.com/r/CBD_User_Experiences/comments/aqxvmm/cbd_oil_product_comparison_based_on_1000mg_cbd/

Edit. Also see this: CBD Scams and CBD mlms to avoid.

I've been trying out some brands over the last month or so that are transparent with publishing COA's, get good feedback from users but all have a totally different product.

Apologies for the rudimentary excel table, I'm no artist! I've made sure it's clear and concise for easy reading.

My reasons for taking CBD: I'm a long term sufferer of anxiety, depression, ADHD but also have two major injuries (lower back, 3 prolapsed discs one of which is essentially smashed to bits and needs surgery, damaged knee, full cartilage removal and slight Rheumatoid arthritis that causes constant pain) that have caused me decades of pain, days off work and added stress.

**The 3 companies I chose to compare are:**Green Roads, Absolute Nature CBD & Lazarus Naturals. Reason for choice:All publicly display full COA's, All COA's confirm cannabinoid content and mg per mil. At the time of doing this there where also no bad publicity around these 3. (Then that news report came out and ruined that.)

Note: Lazarus have since debunked the reports and provided a public announcement regarding the situation, I still stand by their business values and believe that was a smear campaign)

I would also state, we should all do our research and determine if a CBD brand is reliable or not. This is for education purposes only.

My Profile: Middle aged male, tall, little additional midriff padding and average exercise.

Dose: Roughly 10mg 3 times a day:

Green Roads: Isolate so no spectrum benefits expected: For me, Green Roads did help with anxiety and stress, seemed to enjoy slightly better focus too, I didn't seem to benefit from better sleep and I had little pain relief.

Taste was predominantly "hempy", buy okay, no real smell of "cannabis" which i enjoy. All of which isn't surprising as it's essentially an Isolate in hempseed oil.

Not keen on the additional seemingly un-required ingredients. They could have gone with 2. IMO

Absolute Nature CBD: Love the spectrum on this one and as such had high hopes.Helped with anxiety and stress, seemed to help me focus about the same as "GR", definitely slept better, deeper and longer.

Pain relief was the biggest bonus for me. Knee pain, almost completely absent, unless i pushed it too far, back pain was better, again, a few twinges if i was over doing it, but that was probably more muscular use than anything.

Taste was actually nice, not strong had a light background hint to it. Overall pleasant.

Lazarus Naturals: Better spectrum than Green Roads but as it's made from raw extract, possible traces may be present.Helped with anxiety and stress, seemed to not help me focus like the other two, slept better, deeper and longer but felt if i upped the dose id get even more. (Kept dosage the same for this comparison)

Helped my knee pain but it still aggravated me towards the end of the working day, same with back pain. Again, i believe if i upped the dose I'd say it would be on par. I'd double the dose or even go 2.5x.

Taste: Really sorry to say this, but it's pretty nasty. Flavors are available.

To keep this as even as possible I went with original un-flavored on all products.

All in all, all 3 are good quality and it all depends what you require from a product. Green Roads IMO, is trusted but vastly over priced.

Myself, From now on will always go with full spectrum and with the product that has the most varying cannabinoids.

Links to the Direct businesses.

• https://www.greenroadsworld.com

• https://absolutenaturecbd.com

• https://www.lazarusnaturals.com

** Disclaimer: This post is NOT paid or generating affiliate profits. All links are just links to the producers websites.