Check your state law first

Hemp is Cannabis sativa L. with a delta-9 THC concentration of 0.3% or less on a dry weight basis. The 2018 Farm Bill set that number. Federal law sets that limit. State law sets the rest.

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States differ. Some ban delta-8 THC and delta-10 THC. Some cap total THC per package at 0.5 mg, 10 mg, or another figure. Some require a retail license. A seller in another state cannot ship a product your state prohibits. Read your state statute or agriculture department page before you enter card details.

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Find the batch-matched lab test

Ask for the certificate of analysis, or COA. The COA must carry a batch or lot number. That number must match the number printed on the package you receive. A COA with no batch number proves nothing about your product.

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What to read in a COA

  • Date of analysis. Six months or newer.
  • Potency panel: delta-9 THC, delta-8 THC, CBD, CBG, CBN, THCA. Report in mg per gram and mg per unit.
  • Contaminant panel: residual solvents, pesticides, heavy metals, microbials, mycotoxins.
  • Lab name and accreditation number. ISO/IEC 17025 covers testing lab competence.
  • Pass or fail result per analyte, plus a limit of detection.

Read the label math

Total THC equals delta-9 THC plus THCA multiplied by 0.877. A product can pass the 0.3% test on delta-9 THC and hold more total THC after THCA converts.

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Find four numbers on the label: serving size, mg per serving, mg per container, servings per container. A 500 mg gummy pack with 10 pieces holds 50 mg per piece. A single 500 mg piece is a different product. Dose low on the first use.

Payment, age, delivery

Card networks restrict hemp-derived cannabinoid merchants. Many sellers take ACH, debit, or cash on delivery. The age minimum is 21 in most states and 18 in a few. Expect an ID check at checkout and a signature at delivery.

FedEx and UPS restrict some hemp shipments. USPS rules differ. Ask the seller which carrier it uses and what happens if a package is seized.

Common pitfalls

  • "Lab tested" with no document attached.
  • A COA for a different batch, strain, or product size.
  • No manufacturer name, address, or expiration date on the label.
  • Health claims. The FDA has approved one CBD drug, Epidiolex, for seizures. It has not approved CBD or delta-8 THC in food or supplements.
  • Delta-8 THC made by acid conversion of CBD. The DEA states this route can fall under the Controlled Substances Act.
  • Prices below the cost of clean distillate.
  • Reviews hosted by the seller, with no purchase verification.

No federal agency publishes a list of approved online sellers. State agriculture departments publish license lists for in-state growers and processors. Use those lists as a starting point, then verify the batch documents.

Buying checklist

  1. Confirm your state permits the cannabinoid and the package size.
  2. Request the COA for the exact batch.
  3. Match the batch number on the COA to the package on arrival.
  4. Check mg per serving before the first dose.
  5. Keep the receipt and a copy of the COA.