Are Gas Station CBD Products Any Good?

CBD is everywhere. You can’t even hide from it in a gas station.

But is gas station CBD legit? 

Keep reading to learn why gas station CBD is best avoided in most cases. 

Is CBD Sold At Gas Stations Any Good? 

No. Gas station CBD is not legit in most cases as there’s no accompanying certificate of analysis.

Even when you buy a seemingly affordable bottle of gas station CBD oil or a pack of CBD gummies, you’re paying way too much for poor-quality goods. 

That’s because the gas station CBD “products” can be fishy. 

The thing with shopping for CBD at a gas station is that you need to ask yourself if you are really getting quality, pure CBD, or just something (or anything) that is just labeled as CBD?

Gas Station CBD Products: Probably Not What You Think

I bet you’ve also been there in the same good ol’ scenario where I’ve found myself countless times.

It goes like this.

I head to pay at the gas station. But then, I start getting distracted by the ever-expanding range of CBD products. 

I mean, come on! 

We’re absolutely susceptible to quick (yet often quite unhealthy) buying decisions.

Also, more often than not, we’re simply in a hurry, especially at a gas station.

In the early days of my CBD journey, when I wanted a dose of CBD, even the murky gas station CBD range seemed like the promised land.

Like, for example, those gas station CBD gummies winking at you and making your mouth water.

Gummies, gummies, and more gummies, please (*my brain shouts out*). 

But is gas station CBD any good? Is it pure CBD, or WTF is it anyway?

The short answer: No. Gas station CBD is not worth buying if you can’t see a certificate of analysis via a QR code. 

Avoid Gas Station CBD: There is no COA

Without a Certificate of Analysis from a reputable, independent 3rd party lab, you cannot guarantee what’s in a gas station CBD product.

In most cases, the labels of gas station CBD products provide inaccurate, untrusty information about the CBD content.

Also, without a COA, you don’t know if the CBD product contains adulterants. 

So, instead of laying hands on high-quality CBD, you may expose your body to traces of pesticides, bacteria, mold, or other contaminants.

You also can’t know for sure where the hemp is sourced from. Only high-quality, clean, organic hemp backed by a full panel third-party test equals good CBD.

If you have no assurance about the levels of CBD (and other possible cannabinoids) and safety, don’t buy it.

Why is this so important?

Research indicates that mislabelling, medical fraud, and contamination are still some of the most significant issues plaguing the CBD market. Yup. Even in 2024. 

While this issue is widespread, gas station CBD products are more likely to fall into this bracket due to the lack of federally-regulated quality assurance.

In 2021 Leafreport conducted research analyzing 221 CBD products on the market, finding that out of 221 products from 111 companies, only 40% matched the labeled CBD strength.

Furthermore, many contained the wrong type of CBD!

It turned out that beverages had the worst result. The tested products included 40 edible, 40 topical, 35 CBD oil, 29 coffee & tea, 22 beverage, and 55 pet products.

Gas Station CBD – The Wrong Kind

Most of the CBD gummies at gas stations contain CBD isolate instead of using full-spectrum CBD oil.

Full-spectrum products offer superior benefits as compared with CBD isolate products.

Hail the whole plant-based superpowers. The natural combination of cannabinoids is believed to stimulate the synergistic work between the active compounds.

Gas Station CBD Is Often Poor Quality 

The poor CBD market regulation means any company can sell you just about anything labeled as CBD (yuck!). And gas stations seem like the perfect place for these types of sales.

But health matters much more than the quick profit of all those scammy CBD products out there.

The truth is, sometimes we can be lucky enough to come across a reputable CBD brand, even at gas stations.

Yet you’d better be aware that gas station CBD products are most often mislabeled and do not contain the advertised product content. So, you don’t know how much CBD there really is.

Below is a short summary of a groundbreaking experiment conducted in 2020 by the CBD Awareness project. 

Relax & Take Notes While I Take Tokes

• The team purchased and investigated 15 CBD products sold at gas stations at different locations.
  

• The third-party lab tests revealed that on average, gas station CBD products contained only 40% of the labeled CBD content . In addition, 60% of the gas station CBD tested products contained no cannabidiol at all.
  
  
• Besides gas station CBD offerings, the CBD Awareness Project also purchased different CBD products sold at CBD stores. The lab tests showed that 20% of the products lived up true to the content labeling, and 80% had less CBD than advertised.
  
  
• CBD products available at grocery stores were found to contain an average of 136% more CBD than advertised. They were also only accurate 20% of the time.
  
  
• Another incredible finding: the quality of CBD is not always determined by the price tag. The best CBD products (selling between $10 – $15) were estimated as having the most accurate label information. However, paying a higher price tag (>$20) was associated with as much or more CBD in 60% of samples.

Best Gas Station CBD Brands 

Here are the friendliest bits of advice on purchasing CBD products from gas stations.

• If you’re going to buy CBD at a gas station, look for specific brands that are known for being transparent or have a QR code affixed. 

• Look for brands that test their products and answer your questions if needed. They are usually more expensive, but you know it’s safe. A reputable brand is less likely to risk its hard-earned reputation by offering low-quality CBD products.

Below are some reliable CBD brands you may find at gas stations. Each one of these companies provides third-party lab test results for its products.

• CBDistillery: With a huge variety of products to choose from, ever since it was established in 2016, in Colorado, the brand has become one of the leading US companies in the CBD market, supporting natural farming practices.
  
  
• NULeaf Naturals: A pioneer in the CBD space ever since 2014, the brand is fully committed to offering organic ganja goodies. All CBD products are created through green extraction methods.
  
  
• CBDFx: The company is committed to quality, overseeing the entire process from seed to sale, sticking to CO2 solventless extraction, and all products, including the hemp itself, are USA-made. No wonder it’s one of the most popular CBD brands in sunny California.
  
  
• Extract Labs: If you want to enjoy some awesome Colorado-grown, full-spectrum CBD-rich Hemp, Extract Labs has a lot in store.

Gas Station CBD Brands To Avoid 

As a rule of thumb, if you can’t see the QR code to verify a third-party test result, you should move on. And yes. This does mean you’re likely going to be skipping past most gas stations. 

Seriously, don’t buy CBD oil, gummies, vape juice, or any other CBD products without a COA. Actually, that’s a significant rule for purchasing any THC products too.

Also, there are certain brands sold at gas stations that you’d better avoid at any cost.

The most established culprit here is the brand Hemp Bombs. 

In 2019, Hemp Bombs became one of the companies slapped with a class-action lawsuit.

The brand was accused of selling products advertised as “high potency” CBD.

In reality, thanks to third-party lab testing, the products proved to contain much less CBD than what is advertised on the label.

There are also plenty of anecdotal reports available. You can see how the cannabis users out there are warning each other about Hemp Bombs’ murky offerings. 

One of the users sums down that Hemp Bombs’ goods are “all placebo”.

Wrapping Up: Gas Station CBD Is Best Avoided 

Let’s seal the deal: gas station CBD is generally a No-No.

Besides dispensaries, your safest bet is to buy CBD online from reputable companies with COAs.

Shopping online allows you to choose between the widest variety of brands and products at the most affordable prices. Of course, who wouldn’t enjoy some extra perks and hot discounts, ey?!

Best of all, you can take your time, review the brand, evaluate the positive reviews, and pretty much, just QA things very easily. Unfortunately, that’s not really the case with shopping for CBD at gas stations.

Not the least, it minimizes the risk of exposing your body to unwanted or even dangerous compounds found in many gas station CBD offerings.