K-TIP: CBD hemp in the test – few active ingredients, some with pesticides

Flowers with cannabidiol (CBD) are legal hemp products that do not have an intoxicating effect. In the K-Tipp test, only four products contained a lot of CBD and no pesticides. Toxins that can damage organs were found in three flowers.

Source: K-Tipp 12/2024, 19.06.2024, author Andreas Schildknecht, head of the test editorial team

In addition to the intoxicating THC, hemp contains many other substances, including cannabidiol. Legal hemp products with the main active ingredient CBD can help with sleep disorders, pain and inflammation. According to a representative survey conducted by the Lucerne-based market research institute Link in 2023, people over the age of 60 are particularly interested in CBD hemp.

Hemp contains over 80 active ingredients

However, many of the hoped-for effects of CBD hemp have not been sufficiently researched. Reliable scientific studies are only available on seizures. In 2015, US and Polish researchers showed in a study of 170 epilepsy patients aged between 2 and 55 that CBD preparations reduced the frequency and severity of seizures. How well the hemp works depends on the content of CBD and other cannabinoids. Hemp contains a total of over 80 active ingredients.

K-Tipp measured the content of CBD and three other typical cannabinoids in ten products. All the flowers were grown in Switzerland – not in the open field, but in a closed greenhouse. Many of the tested products are available at Coop, Denner or kiosks.

Result: The product “Green Lee”, purchased at K-Kiosk, contained the most active ingredients. The laboratory measured a total of 21 percent cannabinoids in the flowers. The products from Herba di Berna, Black Widow and Artur were just below this (17% each).

Some products only contained just under 10 percent active ingredients. The test winner “Green Lee” also contained a lot of other cannabinoids in addition to CBD. This is an advantage: studies have shown that a high CBD content alone does not automatically have a positive effect. In a 2015 study on mice, for example, Israeli researchers found that natural hemp extract with several ingredients helped better against inflammation than pure CBD.

Vaporize hemp instead of smoking it

According to the law, CBD hemp may contain a maximum of 1 percent THC. This is to guarantee that the products do not have an intoxicating effect, unlike illegal drug hemp. All products tested by K-Tipp complied with this value. Switzerland is much more generous than other European countries when it comes to the THC content in CBD flowers. In Austria and most EU countries, for example, a limit of just 0.3 percent applies to the active ingredient THC. This means that Swiss CBD hemp may be illegal abroad.

The tested CBD flowers can be smoked, infused as tea or eaten in the form of cookies. The best way to dose consumption is with a so-called vaporizer. In this device, the crushed flowers are not burned as in a joint, but only heated indirectly. The cannabinoids vaporize at temperatures of 150 to 210 degrees Celsius. Advantage: No harmful substances such as carbon monoxide, tar or nicotine are produced.

A Canadian study in 2021 showed that vaporizing hemp reduces the risk of respiratory diseases and exposure to pollutants compared to traditional smoking. Mobile vaporizers with rechargeable batteries are available from specialist retailers and online stores.

Pesticide residues in three products

For CBD consumers, it is important that hemp does not contain any pesticide residues. This is because toxins not only enter the body when we eat cookies or drink tea, but also through inhaled smoke. According to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University of Bern, around 60 percent of the pesticides contained in hemp are absorbed when smoking or vaping. In the K-Tipp test, three CBD products scored unsatisfactory because they contained pesticide residues: Floralpes, Sonnenfeld and Swiss Botanic.

The laboratory found between 4 and 24 milligrams of pesticide residues per kilogram. These come mainly from the anti-mite agent bifenazate and the insecticide spirotetramat. In animal experiments, bifenazate damaged the organs of mammals and led to allergic reactions. And according to the European Chemicals Database, spirotetramat is suspected of damaging fertility and causing allergies. The manufacturer of the contaminated Floralpes flowers vows to do better and says it has withdrawn the product from sale.

The Sonnenfeld manufacturer states that its hemp is a mixture of flowers from three suppliers. They had given assurances that they would not use pesticides. The manufacturer of “Hemp Post Lemon Haze Trim” confirms the low CBD content in its product. It contains small leaves and flower remnants that are by-products of the harvest. It therefore tastes less intense.

How the K-Tipp tested

K-Tipp sent ten CBD products containing hemp flowers to the Swiss laboratory CBD-Test, which specializes in cannabis products. The content of cannabidiol (CBD) and three other cannabinoids was measured there. The laboratory analyzed the active ingredients contained and at the same time searched for pesticide residues. A total of around 350 substances can be detected with the measurement technology.

Caution in road traffic

CBD hemp products are legal in Switzerland and are not considered a drug. The substance CBD does not cause intoxication. CBD hemp contains very little of the psychoactive substance THC. Nevertheless, it is possible that the permitted limit for THC of 1.5 micrograms per liter of blood is exceeded during a police check. If this is the case, the driver is considered unfit to drive and can lose their license.

Source: K-Tipp