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CBD on Amazon: How to Find Real CBD on Amazon Right Now

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Can you buy CBD on Amazon? Technically, yes. But there’s always a lot of fake CBD on Amazon.

Scroll down to discover real CBD on Amazon right now.

Beware: These product listings could disappear today. Because officially, Amazon prohibits the sale of CBD on its platform.

But the platform hosts over two million independent sellers. And some of them are determined to sell CBD oil on Amazon.

For Amazon’s regulators, it’s a never-ending game of Whack-A-Mole.

We constantly request third-party lab results on hundreds of CBD oil products. We check their math, to make sure you’re getting the exact number of milligrams advertised. We have also sampled more CBD than most people will consume in a lifetime.

(For more information, check out our other CBD reviews, like our guide to organic CBD.)

When we find real CBD on Amazon, we think you deserve to know. Scroll down to discover the best CBD on Amazon.

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Why is buying CBD on Amazon so complicated?

Many CBD companies are conscientious and transparent. But anyone selling CBD on Amazon must navigate Amazon's Terms of Service — and Amazon doesn't technically allow CBD to be sold on its platform.

But due to high consumer demand, some Amazon sellers have found ways around these rules.

To avoid getting kicked off the platform, they use vague language. This can allow them to sell real CBD on the platform — for a while, at least.

But unfortunately, this creates an opportunity for bogus Amazon sellers to mimic the legitimate CBD sellers on Amazon.

The real CBD oil sellers on Amazon have no way to distinguish themselves, without running afoul of Amazon's rules. This puts them on the same footing as the scammers.

Amazon's terms of service have inadvertently created a bonanza for scam CBD sellers.

So is CBD on Amazon real?

Sometimes. But you can’t just type “CBD” into your Amazon search bar. If you do, you’ll get a ton of results — many of which contain zero CBD.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a cannabinoid found in the stalks and leaves of the hemp plant. Hemp seed oil, however, is an ingredient that has been widely sold in grocery stores for decades. It does not contain CBD.

That hasn’t stopped thousands of Amazon customers from writing reviews about the nonexistent “CBD” in hemp seed oil. Since they continue writing “CBD” in the product reviews, those products will appear in your CBD search results.

If you order them, and you write a review, and you write “CBD” in your review, you'll be helping this product appear in search results for CBD. Another Amazon customer will reasonably believe this product contains CBD. The cycle continues.

"That's what scares me about Amazon," says Marielle Weintraub, President of the U.S. Hemp Authority, a non-governmental organization with a certification program and seal of approval for CBD products that meet their standards. "[Amazon] is restricting it in such a way that’s causing people to put descriptive words in that shouldn't be there."

On Amazon, some sellers use the words “Zero THC CBD” in their product name. You could interpret this two ways: It’s a CBD product with zero THC; or, alternatively, it’s a product with zero THC and zero CBD.

It’s usually the latter. (It’s hemp seed oil again — which is a great addition to your pantry, but probably not what you were looking for.) But because “CBD” is used in the product name, it appears in your search results, masquerading as a CBD product.

It’s almost impossible to tell the real CBD products from the fakes. (Unless you request third-party lab results for every product. Which is very time-consuming, as we've discovered.)

The legitimate CBD companies struggle to distinguish themselves because they can’t use the term “CBD” in their product descriptions.

These companies often resort to speaking in code. “Full-spectrum hemp,” they call it. (Or “full spectrum hemp oil.” Or “whole plant hemp oil.”)

But here’s where things get even more confusing.

The meaning of "full spectrum hemp extract" has been debated within the industry. Today, it's generally agreed that "full spectrum" means the product contains all other cannabinoids present in hemp plants — including THC.

Today, some companies still market their products as "full spectrum," even if they don't contain THC.

But most companies accept the new definition and have rebranded their products accordingly. They've coined a new term: "broad spectrum."

What is Broad Spectrum CBD?

Broad spectrum CBD products contain almost the entire spectrum of cannabinoids, except one: THC.

Today, there's almost no full spectrum hemp extract left on Amazon. (Although we found one legitimate full spectrum oil, and included it above!)

But you can still buy a few broad spectrum CBD products from the retail giant.

What is the best CBD on Amazon?

You can find the best options above. We update this post whenever we find real, CBD-rich hemp extract on Amazon. 

And, despite the high prevalence of fake CBD, it's not impossible to find the real stuff.

(Some Amazon sellers must be highly skilled at jumping through the regulatory hoops.)

"There's a lot out there that is good," U.S. Hemp Authority President Marielle Weintraub told me, speaking about the CBD industry in general. "There's a lot out there that is clearly up to quality standards."

Weintraub believes some consumers have been misled by an oft-cited statistic, which claims that 30 to 40 percent of CBD products do not contain CBD content as advertised.

"They included CBD vapes [in that study]," she explains, which "which are notoriously hard to test... so a lot of the data out there is very skewed negatively."

What is the U.S. Hemp Authority, and how to they help ensure quality control?

This organization employs a third-party audit process to assess hemp and CBD companies.

"We took the federal guidelines," Weintraub explains, "then added state guidelines, where available, [and gathered] the strictest state guidelines available."

For example, California has the strictest regulations for nutritional supplements, so the U.S. Hemp Authority adopted those.

So every manufacturer that applies for the U.S. Hemp Authority's seal must meet California's nutritional supplement rules (called Prop 65).

The applicants must also test for cannabinoids, heavy metals, residual solvents, pesticides, and mycotoxins.

Indiana, meanwhile, requires that the third-party cannabinoid potency test be performed by an ISO-accredited lab, so the U.S. Hemp Authority added that to their requirements, too.

For examples of products with the U.S. Hemp Authority seal, check out our guides to the best CBD capsules and CBD oil.

What should I look for on CBD lab reports?

First, you want to make sure the product contains the advertised levels of CBD. It's usually listed as milligrams per gram, so make sure you have a calculator handy. (Unless you're a wiz at multiplication.)

Or you can just use our CBD guides, since we've already done the math for you.

It's also important to check the lab results for heavy metals, solvents, and pesticide residues. Hemp is what's known as a "bio-accumulator" plant, which means it can absorb heavy metals and chemicals (like pesticide residues) from the soil.

You'll also want to determine whether the product contains full spectrum CBD oil, or broad spectrum CBD, or CBD isolate.

Full Spectrum CBD vs. Broad Spectrum CBD vs. CBD Isolate

Full spectrum CBD is the only kind that includes THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis. But hemp doesn't contain enough THC to get you high. In fact, to be legally classified as a hemp product, it must contain less than .3 percent THC.

(If a hemp farmer's crop tests higher than .3 percent THC, this crop is classified as "hot hemp," and it cannot legally be sold as hemp.)

Broad spectrum CBD contains other cannabinoids, like CBG, CBN, and CBC. It can be found to contain any of these other cannabinoids, except THC.

Compared to full spectrum CBD oil, some broad spectrum CBD products manage to last longer on Amazon.

Is full spectrum CBD better for you?

Most experts recommend using full spectrum CBD oil.

However, if you need to pass a drug test anytime soon, you may prefer CBD isolate. Isolate is kind of like it sounds: it's "isolated" from all other cannabinoids -- including THC. But beware: Experts warn that some CBD isolate may retain traces of THC.

So if your employer still tests for THC, you'll definitely want to see lab results for any CBD you use -- to make sure there's no lingering THC -- or avoid CBD altogether.

Why should I look for full spectrum CBD oil?

Scientists refer to a phenomenon called “the entourage effect.” This principle suggests that cannabinoids like CBD work best in combination with other cannabinoids (like THC, CBN, and CBG). So for maximum efficacy (assuming you don't live with the threat of random drug testing), you'll probably want to look for full-spectrum hemp oil.

Full spectrum hemp extract contains other compounds, aside from cannabinoids, called terpenes. Terpenes are the molecules that impart flavor and aroma. They’re found in pine trees and citrus fruits, too.

Some research suggests that terpenes play a role in how cannabis affects us. Some experts believe they might be key to the entourage effect.

Why doesn't Amazon allow CBD on its platform?

Many people believe that CBD is legal. You can find it sold in stores like Bed Bath & Beyond; even Walgreens and CVS plan to carry CBD products. Most CBD companies boldly announce that CBD is “legal in all 50 states.”

That’s not exactly true. But despite the legal gray area, the CBD industry has exploded in recent years, as manufacturers have started adding the cannabinoid to everything from mascara to lattes.

And last December, the 2018 Farm Bill did legalize industrial hemp. But it also placed CBD under the purview of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Here's the problem: Last year, the FDA approved cannabis-derived CBD in a medication. (The drug, called Epidiolex, treats rare severe seizure disorders.) This marked the first time cannabis-derived cannabinoid had received FDA approval. It also technically made CBD a drug, in the eyes of federal regulators. Now, federal agencies are unlikely to approve any "drug" as a food ingredient, nutritional supplement, or cosmetic ingredient.

In other words, the FDA could crack down on the CBD products flying off shelves all across the country. In fact, they've already started.

Since the 2018 Farm Bill gave the FDA this power, the agency has already sent cease-and-desist letters to several businesses selling CBD-infused beverages and foods.

When the FDA convened its first panel on CBD, U.S. Hemp Authority President Marielle Weintraub was one of the industry leaders in attendance. The industry welcomed the potential for greater FDA oversight, she says.

"At the meeting, there was a big push to have the FDA roll out regulations and guidelines," she says. "The industry was not trying to get away from the FDA giving us these guidelines to follow."

Clearer FDA guidance, she says, could help the industry overcome current problems like banking access, credit card processing, and issues with other ancillary services.

Clearer FDA guidelines would probably also eliminate a lot of the confusion around CBD on Amazon.

But rolling out FDA guidelines can take years. That's why the U.S. Hemp Authority is trying to help CBD companies meet the highest possible standards, Weintraub says. That way, when the regulations arrive, the best CBD companies may already be in compliance.

At the FDA meeting, officials expressed concern about the cannabinoid’s safety. CBD stocks immediately dropped several points.

The FDA's next move is unknown. But you can still buy some types of CBD on Amazon — for now.

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