Why Is CBD So Expensive? | Let Us Explain
Ever wondered why that tiny bottle of CBD oil seems to cost as much as a family vacation? Or perhaps you've felt like you need a detective's magnifying glass just to understand the price tag?
Well, fret not because in this blog, we're going on a thrilling journey through the tangled web of CBD costs. Get ready to uncover the secrets, myths, and surprising truths behind the enigma of CBD pricing! So, kick back, relax, and let us demystify the world of expensive CBD.
What Is CBD?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the most popular cannabinoids found in hemp. The hemp plant contains more than 100 different cannabinoids, with CBD being the most popular.
CBD is mainly derived from the Industrial Hemp Plant because the plant naturally contains a higher CBD concentration than other hemp strains.
CBD is used widely and is gaining popularity for various therapeutic benefits, including discomfort relief, sleep support, calming the mind and body, and much more.
Why Is CBD Oil So Expensive?
Several factors add to the expense of CBD products. The journey from farm to bottle plays a big part in that. Let's briefly touch on some of these areas that increase the cost of CBD.
FARMING HEMP (CBD) – There are many regulations around the cultivation of hemp. For hemp to be federally legal to grow, the hemp crop must maintain less than point 3 percent THC (<0.3% THC).
Maintaining that percentage requires a lot of manual labor, from constant plant inspection and laboratory testing. This also increases the risk of crop loss.
If the hemp plants contain more than 0.3% THC, the farmer must destroy the hemp crop. This loss of the crop may increase the crop price that is allowed to go to market.
Another factor is the special equipment Hemp farming requires. Two-headed combines are often used for thrashing the crop. One of the final major hurdles for farmers is the drying process, which requires large warehouses.
MANUFACTURING – Believe it or not, manufacturing is one of the reasons why CBD is so expensive. From dried crop to finished product takes a lot of time and labor. Because of the newness of CBD, manufacturing techniques are still being perfected to utilize the entire crop.
The most popular CBD extraction method is Co2 extraction, which freezes the plant material, making it easier to break down and extract cannabinoids.
However, with so many different laws concerning THC and so many different cannabinoids, it is not as simple as extracting the oil from the plant.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels also must be watched, and THC is often removed completely while not damaging the other cannabinoids to get a Broad Spectrum CBD oil.
Many different cannabinoids are isolated into their pure forms, cannabinoids like CBC, CBG, CBN, and CBD, to name a few of the more popular ones. This all takes time, new equipment, and research, which can add to why CBD is so expensive.
ADVERTISING – Unlike most other products, it's rare it is to find CBD ads on TV, Google, or your favorite social media platforms.
If you were to google almost anything else, you would find a few ad listings for that product or service. However, if you Google "CBD Oil," you generally won't see ads. Advertising CBD usually requires more expensive methods, which can add to the cost of CBD.
PROCESSING AND BANKING – Credit Card (CC) processing companies have different levels of risks assessed to businesses. Depending on the level of risk, the CC processor will raise or lower their charging rates. CBD is considered a 'high risk,' which inquires about the highest rates from the CC processors.
Few banks and processors will work with CBD companies. Allowing banks and CC processors to drive up the rates they charge. As Federal and state CBD laws are changed and altered, more and more companies are jumping on board to process CBD, which will help drive rates down.
QUALITY – A great quality CBD product does increase the expense. Sourcing ingredients from reputable farmers is expensive. Good farmers have testing regularly, clean soils, and use organic growing methods.
It is easy to find inexpensive ingredients that are sourced from overseas, but they are not as thoroughly tested, often contain heavy metals, and come from poor soil with contaminants.
High-quality ingredients equal a high-quality product. In this case, sometimes the more expensive CBD might just be the better CBD.
Reputable companies offer third-party testing that showcases contaminants found in the CBD that they sell. These tests can cost hundreds of dollars, but each is very important for the quality and safety of the consumer.
Businesses like Zatural provide third-party testing on all finished goods. A high price does not always mean a high-quality product and a low price does not always mean a poor-quality product.
Click here to see other things you should look for when buying CBD.
MARKUP - Why is CBD so expensive? Is it because just because greedy business owners want to make you empty your bank account? That may just be the case.
Each CBD company will offer CBD at different prices to help meet their set margins. Businesses like Zatural offer very competitive prices based on the per milligram (mg) of CBD.
Zatural does this with low overhead by manufacturing products in-house and keeping margins lower compared to other companies. With that being said, Zatural's quality and products are 2nd to none with the best prices.
Would you like to learn more about why you might be overpaying for CBD? Click the link to learn more.
Are Certain Types Of CBD More Expensive?
The short answer to this would be yes. Quality CBD that is organically grown with third-party testing would be more expensive than poor-quality CBD.
Also, depending on what cannabinoids are in the product will affect the price. A product with a high concentration of CBD will be more expensive than one with a lower concentration.
CBD products with high levels of other cannabinoids will affect the price as well. Higher levels of other cannabinoids increase the price because they generally are harder to obtain.
As mentioned above, the industrial hemp plant has a high concentration of CBD but a much lower concentration of the other cannabinoids.
It is difficult to isolate cannabinoids and requires expensive equipment. For example, Cannabichromene (CBC) is another great cannabinoid that is starting to catch a lot of attention.
CBC is difficult to get because the low quantities of it found in the hemp plant. This drives the price up drastically in straight comparison to CBD.
How Do I Know If I'm Getting a Good Deal On CBD?
Multiple factors depend on the answer to this question. Let's touch on some of them below:
QUALITY – No matter how cheap the product is, you are probably not getting a good deal if the quality is bad. As mentioned above, quality CBD content comes from reputable farmers, clean soil, and organic growing methods.
Third-party lab tests often help answer the question of quality. Business like Zatural includes all third-party lab tests on the product pages, making them easy to find and analyze. Check to see that the labs match the claims made on the bottle concerning the quality.
Another thing you need to check while reviewing the lab test is the CBD milligram content. Make sure that the milligram content claimed to be in the product is actually in it.
PRICING – Once you have verified that quality is good, the next step is to look at pricing. CBD products range drastically in price and cannot always be compared straight across.
Businesses like Zatural offer several strengths and sizes, which alter the final price. For example, Zatural offers tinctures that start at $27.50 and go up to $360.
It is important to know why there is such a large price difference and what that means. Most CBD companies will list a large mg number on the front of the bottle. This number is there to illustrate how much CBD is in the whole bottle.
However, a more important number to look at is how many mg there are per serving. Each individual will require a different amount of CBD. To learn more about dosing, click here.
Let's use Zatural's 300mg product for this example. Zatural sells a 300mg 1oz tincture for $27.50. If you divide $27.50 by 300mg, you will get the price per mg. This comes out to $0.09 per mg.
Zatural's strongest and biggest bottle is a 4oz 12,000mg bottle, and it is $360, which comes to $0.03 per mg. Find a bottle that provides the best price of CBD per milligram to get the best deal on CBD.
How To Spot Fake CBD (Snake Oil)
Fake CBD Oil is everywhere. As CBD continues to gain popularity, fake products continue to rise, leaving many to feel like they are getting a great deal, only to be devastated when the product doesn't work.
Spotting fake products is not always easy. Below are some ways to know if a product is fake.
- No 3rd party lab tests – Third-party lab results from legitimate labs help provide solid proof of the product's authenticity. The lab test you are looking for is a certificate of analysis or COA.
- Unrealistic mg amounts – Products listed as containing 500,000mg of CBD in a 1oz bottle are not even possible. Converting mg to oz is roughly 28,000mg, and that would be pure CBD oil.
- Reputable websites – Buy from reputable brands. Check Google reviews, BBB reviews, and more to ensure the business is real.
- Claims – The FDA does not legally permit claims for cancer or other medical conditions. Watch out for the cure-all claims.
Sum It Up!
So, why are CBD products so expensive? The cost of producing CBD is significantly high, encompassing expenses from the cultivation phase through the extraction process, all the way to the standard business markup.
Purchasing CBD comes at a notable expense, yet the investment is worthwhile. It's essential to exercise caution and avoid products that masquerade as CBD while bearing a price tag suggesting genuine CBD.
Make sure to follow our CBD buying guidelines, which will keep you safe from falling for the many scams out on the market today. The other option would be to purchase Zatural high-quality CBD oil products. We have the best-priced products on the market with quality you can trust.
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*FDA DISCLAIMER -These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.