CBD Oil on Amazon (& Other Ways to Spot a Fake)

If I need or want something these days, whether it’s something for the kitchen, the trailer, the backyard, or the dogs, I head to Amazon. I know I’m not the only one who does this – the convenience is just too, well, convenient!

The one thing I know to stay away from though is CBD oil on Amazon. Yes, bias has a lot to do with that (you definitely can’t find Source on Amazon), but it’s not the only thing stopping me. In fact, you can’t actually find any CBD oil on Amazon. Not real CBD anyways. Why not? I’ll tell you – along with what to watch out for if you try.

CBD Oil on Amazon

Search CBD oil on Amazon and you’ll find tons of results. Pages and pages in fact. Tinctures, powders, gummies, bath bombs… it’s all there for you to add to your cart.

And some of it is so cheap you’ll wonder why you ever looked anywhere else – or how those other companies get away with charging so much more!

Well, that stuff isn’t actual CBD. There shouldn’t be any CBD oil on Amazon. Even though it’s legal in the U.S., under Amazon’s terms and conditions, specifically their policies on drugs and drug paraphernalia, CBD is firmly in the drug category. Understandably, Amazon does not allow any drugs on the site.

In fact, Amazon makes this very clear. Their policy on drugs and drug paraphernalia states:

Listings for products containing cannabidiol (CBD) are prohibited, including but not limited to:

  1. Full spectrum hemp oil
  2. Rich hemp oil
  3. Products that have been identified as containing CBD

So, what are all those products that come up when you search for CBD oil?

Is it Fake CBD Oil on Amazon?

Here are some of the most common terms we came across when searching CBD oil on Amazon:

  • Hemp oil
  • Hemp extract
  • Hemp seed oil

Now, those terms alone might not be enough to trick you, sure. But the tincture-like bottles, or the “500 000 MG Extract” or other such claims on the labels may just do the trick. Honestly, some look so legit that it’s easy to see why people may think this is the “good stuff.”

The trick here is the term “hemp.” CBD oil comes from the hemp plant, so most get caught by that alone. The thing is, hemp oil and CBD oil are not the same. There is a major difference: CBD oil comes from the leaves and flowers of the hemp plant, whereas hemp oil (or hemp seed oil) comes from the seeds, which contains almost no CBD whatsoever. 

So, buying hemp seed oil, hemp seed extract, etc., just means you’re getting hemp oil. And while that might be great for your health, if you’re buying CBD for a specific reason, that hemp oil isn’t going to do the trick.

RELATED: Here’s more on the difference between CBD oil and Hemp oil.

But… here’s where things get a bit trickier. Sometimes, that “hemp oil” or “hemp extract” may actually contain CBD. This is done by companies looking to bypass the rules and regulations. So, how can you tell is it’s hemp seed oil with zero CBD, a low quality product, or something that’s worth buying?

How to Spot a Fake

When in doubt – on Amazon or anywhere else – these will also help you determine is what you’re buying is high quality CBD or a knock off that won’t deliver the goods.

  1. Look at the size of the bottle. Usually you’ll find actual CBD oil in a 1 or 2 ounce tincture-style bottle, one with a dropper for easy dosing. Hemp oil, on the other hand, usually comes in much larger bottles. If you’ve found a 24 ounce bottle, that should be an instant red flag. Really, anything over 2 ounces merits a very close look.
  2. Don’t be fooled the price. If it seems too good to be true ($9.99 for a 2 ounce bottle), it definitely is. Let’s be honest, CBD oil isn’t cheap, so if you find a really great deal, make sure it’s actually good quality. Extracting CBD is an expensive process – that’s just the nature of the beast. Cheap CBD (or fake CBD) may contain contaminants like pesticides or heavy metals, or be made using a less than desirable extraction method.
  3. Check the Certificate of Analysis. If you’re unsure about your purchase, check the COA. This is a certificate from a third party lab that will outline everything in your bottle. Reputable CBD companies will provide their COAs on their websites, but you can also request one from the company if you can’t find it online. If you don’t get one – don’t buy! Here’s more on how to read one.

Final Thoughts

As of right now, as we mentioned, you’re not going to find CBD oil of any type of quality on Amazon. What you will find is hemp oil dressed up to look like CBD, but without the benefits.

Will this change in the future? It’s highly likely, especially as more and more governments are readdressing their laws and places are revamping their policies. We have our fingers crossed.