Why You Can’t Trust the Black Market
By lindsey
Cannabinoid products sold on the black market are not sold legally, by reputable, licensed distributors. Ultimately, you can’t trust black market cannabis products because they are not lab tested for safety, purity and potency. You don’t know who makes them, where they come from and whether or not they pose serious harms to your health.
Below we explain why buying from a legal, licensed distributor is always best.
Despite the best efforts of companies like Mellow Fellow to maintain integrity, the black market continues to flourish. Social media channels like Instagram and Facebook make it easy for drug dealers to market illicit products right out in the open, but these are the same people selling fentanyl, meth and other hard drugs that ruin lives.
Fixing these issues won’t ever be easy. As more and more black market dealers pop up, it makes regulating the market even harder. Health inspectors, the FDA and other industry regulators work to control the black market. But, it is a lot harder to crack down on than you might think. Thousands and thousands of these underground dealers exist and those numbers grow every day.
What are Black Market Cannabinoids?
Black market means illegal buying and selling.
Black market cannabinoids sell outside the rules set forth by health inspectors, the 2018 Farm Bill, what is generally recognized as safe and effective (grase) and good manufacturing practices (GMP). Black market cannabinoids are primarily sold through the following channels:
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Illegal social media channels and websites that are selling cannabinoids
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Unlicensed vape shops and CBD dispensaries selling illegal products
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Dealers on the street
All these methods get their cannabinoids from illegal manufacturers. They are dangerous people. Black market operatives pay no taxes either, which gives them a huge advantage over the companies playing by the rules.
Risk and Dangers Associated With Black Market Cannabinoids
You risk a lot when you buy from a black market supplier. Simply put, you place yourself in harm’s way.
Those dangerous risks include:
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Contaminated cannabinoid products (high in metals, pesticides, residual solvents, molds)
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Mislabeled and misleading products
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Seized packages by USPS
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Unlawful behavior often results in serious legal consequences
Final Thoughts
We live in a time when it is very important to know about the safety and efficacy of the products we use. There are good players and bad players in every industry, including cannabis. Transparent lab testing with proper certificates of analysis makes deciding who to buy from easier for the consumer.
Buying from a legal, licensed distributor is always best because they are required to have their products rigorously tested by third party labs.