Lazarus Naturals CBD Products: 2021 Review
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a naturally occurring chemical compound unique to cannabis plants. It’s part of a group of compounds called cannabinoids.
Research evaluating the therapeutic benefits of CBD is currently limited. But preliminary studies show promising effects for conditions such as insomnia, chronic pain, and anxiety. It’s non-impairing, which means it won’t make you feel “high” like THC will.
The market for CBD products has exploded in recent years, with new products ranging from massage oils to coffee to dog treats. These products aren’t regulated in the same way as drugs or dietary supplements, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t make any guarantees about their quality, safety, or effectiveness.
While the FDA can pursue companies that make false medical claims, it’s still incredibly important to do your own research when shopping for CBD products.
Lazarus Naturals is an employee-owned company that was founded in 2014 and is based in Portland. This article provides an overview of Lazarus Naturals, along with information about some of their top products.
CBD glossary
THC refers to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, another cannabinoid. It causes the “high” associated with smoking or ingesting marijuana.
Terpenes are aromatic compounds found in a number of plants, including the cannabis plant.
Flavonoids are plant compounds that have anti-inflammatory effects.
Full-spectrum refers to CBD products that contain all the naturally occurring compounds in cannabis, including terpenes, flavonoids, and a very small amount of THC. To be legal at the federal level, the product can’t contain more than 0.3 percent THC.
Broad-spectrum refers to CBD products that contain all the naturally occurring compounds in cannabis, except THC.
Isolate refers to pure CBD extracts that don’t contain compounds such as terpenes or flavonoids.
Lazarus Naturals has a generally positive reputation due to their generous assistance programs, 90-day return policy, and overall transparency about their products.
They’ve never received a warning letterTrusted Source from the FDA for using illegal marketing practices. In addition, they have a policy of not posting customer reviews — including positive reviews — that violate the FDA’s guidelines about CBD health claims.
This suggests that they’re committed to preventing misinformation about what their products can and can’t treat. However, it also indicates that they monitor the reviews that get posted on their website.
Customers can feel good about this brand’s commitment to social causes. In January 2020, they implemented a $20 minimum wage for all of their hourly employees, which is well above the minimum wage in Oregon and Washington, where they operate.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, they made and donated hand sanitizer to homeless shelters and food banks in their area and offered free CBD products to essential workers.
They also have a history of donating to worthy causes, including Women in Need New York City and the Epilepsy Foundation.
Lazarus Naturals offers its customers a high level of transparency regarding the sourcing, manufacturing, and testing of their products.
Sourcing
According to their website, the majority of their hemp comes from a company-owned farm in Oregon. This accounts for all of their full-spectrum products and most of their isolate products. The remaining 30 percent of their hemp is outsourced from farms certified through the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Hemp Program.
Manufacturing
Lazarus Naturals uses ethanol to extract the CBD from their hemp. Compared with carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction, ethanol extraction leaves more terpenes in the final product.
There’s also a risk of residual solvents, but Lazarus Naturals says they do an additional purification and distillation step to remove any leftover solvents. Their manufacturing facility follows the FDA’s current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs)Trusted Source, which is an important indicator of product quality.
Their products don’t contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Although they’re not currently certified organic, the company hopes to achieve organic certification by 2021. Finally, most — but not all — of their products are vegan-friendly. Look for the vegan label on the product page.
Third-party testing
All of Lazarus Naturals’ products undergo third-party testing by Columbia Laboratories, formerly known as PIXIS Labs. Columbia Laboratories is an ISO 17025-certified testing lab.
Customers can easily access certificates of analysis (COAs) on each product page by clicking on “test results” and finding the corresponding batch number. The batch number is listed on the product label.
The COAs are comprehensive, including:
- cannabinoid potency
- residual solvents
- pesticides
- terpenes
- heavy metals
- microorganisms
Despite this, the company came under fire in 2019 after NBC 4 New York independently bought and tested five Lazarus Naturals products and reported that one of them contained lead.
However, the sample in question was purchased from an unapproved vendor and didn’t have a batch number. In a statement, the company indicated that the product was likely counterfeit, and the amount of lead detected was well below the FDA’s maximum daily intake level for leadTrusted Source.
If you’re purchasing a Lazarus Naturals product, make sure it’s from a trusted vendor. If the product doesn’t have a batch number on the label, it might not be authentic.
Additionally, be aware that Amazon prohibits the sale of CBD products. Any products you find for sale on Amazon likely just contain hemp seed, not CBD.
