Short version: the strain name and the big percentage on the front are the two least useful things on a CBD flower pack. What tells you whether you are getting what you paid for is the net weight, the full cannabinoid names, a batch number, and a lab report you can actually match to the jar in your hand.
Here is how to check a pack in about two minutes.
The six things worth checking
| On the label | What good looks like | Ask the shop if |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Flower, trim or pre-roll, named clearly, with the brand or supplier | You cannot tell the format from the listing |
| Net weight | The weight of the flower itself, not the jar | Only a jar size is given |
| Cannabinoid figures | Named compounds with units: CBD, CBDA, total CBD, delta-9 THC, total THC | A lone percentage with no compound named |
| Batch or lot number | A code you can quote back to the seller | There is no batch at all |
| Lab report | A report naming the sample, the date and what was tested | The report is generic, undated, or for a different batch |
| Storage and warnings | Printed on the pack, not just the website | Nothing on the pack itself |
Percentage and weight are two different things
Net weight is how much flower you get. A percentage describes what is in it. People mix the two up constantly when comparing prices.
As an example of the maths, not a figure for any particular product: 10% CBD by weight works out at 100 mg of CBD per gram, so a 2 g pack would hold roughly 200 mg. That is composition on paper. It is not a dose, and it is not what your body takes up.
The useful comparison between two packs is cost per gram first, then the cannabinoid figures on the same basis.
Read the full name, not just "THC" or "CBD"
Lab reports list CBD, CBDA and total CBD separately, and the same for delta-9 THC, THCA and total THC. They are different measurements, so the biggest number on a report is not necessarily the one you are comparing against another pack. The US measurement institute NIST has published on exactly this, because labs testing the same hemp can report very different-looking figures depending on which they quote.
Total THC usually includes THCA converted to its delta-9 equivalent, so it reads higher than delta-9 THC alone. If a pack states only "THC", it is fair to ask which measurement it refers to.
Match the report to your pack
A certificate of analysis, or COA, reports what a lab found in one sample. Four quick checks tell you whether it relates to the pack you are holding:
- Identity: does the product described match what you are buying?
- Batch: does the batch or lot match, or can the shop explain how their code links to the lab's sample code?
- Date: when was it tested, and does that fit the stock on sale?
- Results: are compounds, units and notes actually readable?
A lab's sample code often differs from the retail batch code. That is normal. What matters is that someone can explain the link. A report with no connection to the stock is decoration.
"Lab-tested" is not one thing
A cannabinoid test says nothing about pesticides, moulds or heavy metals, those are separate panels. So the question is not "is it tested?" but "what was tested?"
If a report says ND or "not detected", that means below what the method could measure, not a guaranteed zero; Eurachem's guidance for analytical labs makes the same point. Worth knowing before you read "0% THC" as an absolute.
What this means when you are buying in Malta
CBD flower sold here should be low-THC hemp, and the paperwork is what backs that up. If you are buying online from abroad, you are relying on documents you cannot check. Buying locally, you can ask the shop directly and quote the batch number, which is the main practical advantage of a local stockist.
You can see our CBD flower listings with their published product information, or message us with a product name and batch number and we will send what we hold for it. Same-day dispatch in Malta, next day to Gozo.
Frequently asked questions
Is higher CBD always better?
No. It is one figure among several, and only comparable when both packs quote the same measurement. Weight, freshness and how the flower was grown and dried affect your experience at least as much.
Does one lab report cover every pack of the same strain?
It should not be assumed to. Different harvests test differently, which is why the batch number matters.
Does "not detected" mean zero THC?
Not quite. It means the lab did not detect it above its measurement limit. The report's own notes define that limit.
What should I ask a seller if the label is vague?
Three questions: what is the net weight, which batch is this, and can I see the report for that batch. A seller who stocks the product properly can answer all three.