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CBD is more popular than ever before. Now that hemp is technically legal throughout the whole of the USA (thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill), more members of the public are intrigued by this compound.

However, there is a lot of misinformation out there. You can find hundreds of thousands of CBD-related search results on Google, but little of this information comes from reliable, academically-backed sources.

This can be a little scary. When faced with such an enormous decision, it can be tempting to head straight to a reliable name like Amazon to do your shopping. As you'll see shortly though, most "CBD oil on Amazon" isn't even really CBD oil at all.

Can you buy CBD oil on Amazon? Keep reading to find out all the details... what to avoid, what to watch out for, and more.

CBD on Amazon: A Policy Against Cannabidiol Products?

For starters, it’s important to understand Amazon’s policies on ‘drugs and drug paraphernalia.’ Even though you can pretty much find everything on Amazon, the company does not allow the sale of drugs – for obvious reasons. Drug paraphernalia is, by association, also restricted for sale on the site, but certain things have been known to "slip through the cracks."

CBD actually falls under the category of ‘drug,’ and any kind of drugs are (rightfully so) no allowed for sale on Amazon. Although CBD is legal in the USA through the Farm Bill, it is still a regulated substance. Here's what the the site specifically states regarding CBD for sale on Amazon:

“Products containing cannabidiol (CBD), a Schedule I Controlled Substance, including but not limited to: Rich Hemp Oil containing CBD, Full-spectrum hemp oil containing CBD, Products that have been identified as containing CBD by LegitScript” cannot be sold on the site.

Excerpt from Amazon Seller Central

We paraphrased a bit for the sake of being concise, but if you go to the website you can read the entire disclaimer.

Regardless, if you go online and type in 'CBD oil for sale on Amazon,' you'll get plenty of search results. Why is this the case -- and are these products actually CBD oil?

Hemp Seed Oil vs CBD Oil: Amazon Doesn't Clarify

While CBD is banned on Amazon, hemp products in general are not. As a result, it is seemingly possible for sellers to list products as "hemp extract" or "hemp seed oil," without any repercussions.

It’s easy to get confused here, but there is a crucial difference between CBD oil and hemp seed oil. Cannabidiol (and other cannabinoids) are produced in the leaves and flowers of the hemp plant, and they pretty much remain there. Hemp seed oil is, quite obviously, made from the seeds -- which contains almost no CBD whatsoever.

In the past, some sellers have marketed and labeled their products as ‘CBD oil’, when in actual fact it is nothing but hemp seed oil. It goes without saying that "real" CBD extract is more expensive than hemp seed oil, and all you have to do to verify this is go down to your local health food store and check the price tag on a bottle of hemp seed oil.

Either way, it is common for Amazon marketplace dealers to write that the product contains “hemp extract”, which usually means the product contains cannabinoids (like CBD). Hopeful buyers spend a lot of money on an oil containing “hemp extract”, without having any idea of how much CBD is in the actual tincture.

Hemp seed oil can be used in cooking and is very healthy and nutritious in its own right, but you don’t want to pay the price of CBD oil on Amazon -- especially for something that can't be used for much more than drizzling on your salad.

Other Things to Consider if You Want to Buy CBD on Amazon

Now that you know most of the so-called CBD oils on Amazon are nothing but hemp seed oil, here are some other reasons not to buy your CBD from the site.

One of the first things you should look for when buying CBD oil is third-party lab reports. Since the market is unregulated, it is up to brands to be transparent and show that their products are really of a high quality. As a result, it is a necessity for brands to pay for lab testing.

The results of these tests should be published on the site, where potential buyers can view them. Lab tests will show the actual CBD content, proving that they're not just an inaccurately labeled hemp seed oil!

A quality online seller will also be able to tell you plenty more information about their CBD products. This includes things like where the hemp was grown, what the growing practices and extraction methods were, and more. Plus, there is always the option to reach out to a brand directly to find out any additional information you’re unaware of. This isn’t always possible on Amazon.

The bottom line is, most of the CBD oil for sale on Amazon probably isn't what you think it is. It’s a better idea to buy from a reputable brand where you know what you’re getting.

CBD Oil on Amazon: Our Final Thoughts

In summary, buying CBD oil for sale on Amazon is a risk because you can't always know how much CBD is in the actual product. You could end up spending your hard-earned money on nothing more than a hemp seed oil.

Not only is this frustrating, but it also damages the reputation of the CBD industry when people find out that the products “don’t work.” In reality, this is because they don’t contain any CBD!

But this isn’t the only problem. Without access to the proper information, it’s possible that "hemp oil" products on Amazon might contain leftover chemical solvents from the manufacturer's extraction process. Without access to proper lab reports, there's really no way of knowing.

All in all, we suggest avoiding CBD oil for sale on Amazon. Instead, stick to reputable brands and read plenty of online reviews before you buy. This is by far the most reliable way to get good information.