Why COAs Matter More Than Reviews

Star ratings are easy to fake. Lab results aren’t.

In the hemp world, reviews tell you how someone felt about a product. A Certificate of Analysis (COA) tells you what’s actually in it — and what isn’t.

If you have to choose between five glowing reviews and one verified lab report, trust the lab.

What a COA Really Is

A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is a third-party lab report that confirms a product’s contents. It doesn’t come from the brand — it comes from an independent laboratory that tests a specific batch.

A good COA answers simple but critical questions:

• What cannabinoids are in this? THCA, Delta-9 THC, CBD, minor cannabinoids, etc.
• At what levels? Potency per gram or per serving.
• Is it safe? Screens for pesticides, heavy metals, solvents, microbials, and more.
• Is it legal hemp? Delta-9 THC and “total THC” are below legal limits.

If the COA doesn’t clearly answer those questions, it’s not doing its job.

To demystify label language and lab formatting, read our step-by-step guide on how to read a hemp label like a pro.

Key Sections in a Hemp COA

Most quality hemp COAs include several core sections:

• Product & batch information – Product name, batch/lot number, sample ID, test date, brand.
• Cannabinoid potency panel – THCA, Delta-9 THC, CBD, CBG, and other cannabinoids with percentage and mg per gram.
• Terpene profile (optional) – Breakdown of key terpenes like limonene, myrcene, linalool, etc.
• Contaminant testing – Results for heavy metals, pesticides, residual solvents, mycotoxins, and microbials.
• Pass/Fail summary – Whether the sample meets the lab’s and state’s safety thresholds.

When in doubt, ask yourself: Could I hand this COA to someone else and have them clearly understand what’s in the product? If not, that’s a problem.

What Reviews Can’t Prove

Customer reviews can be helpful — but they have limits.

Reviews might tell you:

• If shipping was fast
• If it tasted good
• If it felt potent for that person

But they can’t tell you:

• Actual THC or THCA levels
• Whether heavy metals were present
• If the product passed microbial testing
• Whether residual solvents were detected
• If the batch is even the same as what you’re buying now

A review is a snapshot of someone’s experience. A COA is a snapshot of the product’s reality.

Why “Felt Strong” Isn’t Good Enough

One person’s “strong” is another person’s “barely felt it.” Tolerance, body weight, metabolism, and even what they ate that day all change how a product hits.

That’s why potency needs to be measured, not guessed. Only the COA tells you:

• Is this really 25 mg per gummy, or closer to 10?
• Is that “30% THCA” flower actually testing at 22%?
• Are the numbers on the label backed by a lab report — or just marketing?

Why THC Compliance Lives in the COA

Federal legality isn’t based on vibes or branding words like “hemp” or “farm bill compliant.” It’s based on measured Delta-9 THC content and, in many places, total potential THC (THCA + THC after decarb).

The only place you can verify that is the lab report.

Total THC vs. Delta-9 THC

A lot of confusion comes from how THC is measured on a COA. You’ll usually see at least two key numbers:

• Δ9-THC (Delta-9 THC) – The active THC that’s already decarbed.
• THCA – The acid form that converts to THC when heated.

Some states only care about Delta-9 THC in the finished product. Others regulate based on “total THC” (THCA converted + Δ9). That’s why you can’t rely on the front of the bag — you need to see how the lab calculated these values.

For a deeper breakdown of how these numbers are calculated and what they mean in practice, check out: THCA vs. THC Percentages: What Lab Results Actually Mean When You Smoke.

State-by-State Rules Live in the Fine Print

Even if a product is federally compliant, your state might have tighter rules on THCA, Delta-9 THC, or total THC.

If you're shopping from certain states, our guides on where hemp is legal explain how rules shift by location:

• Where Hemp Is Legal to Buy Online (2026 Edition)
• Where Hemp Is Legal to Buy Online: Georgia, Iowa & Nebraska Compliance Guide
• Texas THCA Flower: Legal Status Explained

At thisthat, every product you buy links directly to our verified reports through our Certificate of Analysis (COA) page.

Fake COAs and Red Flags

Not all lab reports are created equal — and some are flat-out fake.

Red flags to watch for:

• Missing lab name or logo – You should see the lab’s actual name, not just a generic “third-party” mention.
• Undated results – No test date = no way to know how old the data is.
• No batch or lot number – If you can’t match the COA to the batch on your product, it’s basically useless.
• Blurry screenshots or obvious photoshopping – Lab reports should be clear PDFs or images, not low-res edits.
• “Coming soon” placeholders – If the product has been sold for months and the COA is still “coming soon,” that’s a choice.

Bonus check: if the lab is named, visit the lab’s site and see if the COA can be verified or if the lab lists that brand as a client.

Testing Protects You (Not Just the Brand)

A COA isn’t marketing — it’s consumer protection.

It helps ensure you’re not dealing with:

• Pesticide contamination
• Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, or cadmium
• Mold, yeast, or bacteria
• Residual solvents from extraction

You’re not just buying “effects.” You’re inhaling or ingesting the product. That deserves proof.

Why Inhaled Products Need Extra Scrutiny

Flower, vapes, and dabs go straight into your lungs. That’s where heavy metals, residual solvents, and microbials become a much bigger deal.

Before you smoke or rip anything, your checklist should be:

• Potency panel – Does the THC/THCA content make sense for what’s advertised?
• Residual solvent panel (for extracts) – Especially important for live resin, distillate, and other solvent-based extracts.
• Heavy metals & microbials – Critical for anything you’re heating and inhaling.

Edibles, Gummies & Oils: It’s Not “Just a Candy”

With gummies, tinctures, and other ingestibles, microbials, mycotoxins, and accurate dosing matter a lot. A clean COA helps ensure:

• Each gummy is roughly the dose it claims to be (not 3x stronger or weaker).
• There’s no hidden contamination from poor storage or handling.
• The oil base and additives aren’t bringing extra problems with them.

Step-by-Step: How to Read a COA Before You Buy

If you’ve never really looked at a COA, here’s a simple workflow you can use in under a minute:

1. Match the product & batch
   • Find the product name and batch/lot number on the COA.
   • Make sure it matches the product and batch printed on your packaging.
2. Check the test date
   • Newer isn’t always better, but extremely old COAs can be a red flag.
3. Confirm the lab
   • Is the lab named? Does it look like a real testing facility, not a made-up logo?
4. Verify potency
   • Do THC/THCA/CBD numbers line up with the label claim within a reasonable range?
5. Look at contaminant panels
   • Check that heavy metals, pesticides, solvents (when relevant), and microbials are all marked as “pass” or “ND” (non-detect).
6. Make sure it’s the whole panel — not just the pretty part
   • Brands that only show the potency page but hide the safety pages aren’t being transparent.

For a more visual walkthrough, pair this article with How to Read a Hemp Label Like a Pro.

Where to Find COAs for thisthat Products

We don’t think you should have to dig to find proof.

• On product pages – Look for links to “COA,” “Lab Results,” or “Certificate of Analysis” on the product itself.
• On our COA hub – Every product we carry is backed by a lab report on our Certificate of Analysis page.

Whether you’re shopping THCA flower, vapes, live rosin, or gummies, the goal is the same: you should never have to guess what’s inside.

How Reviews Should Be Used

Reviews still matter — just in the right order.

Use reviews to judge:

• Customer service and responsiveness
• Shipping experience and packaging
• Flavor descriptions and hardware feel (for vapes)
• How people describe the “vibe” or effect

Use COAs to verify:

• Potency
• Compliance with hemp laws
• Safety and cleanliness

One without the other is incomplete. The ideal setup: clean COAs first, then reviews as the tie-breaker.

Final Truth

Trust is earned with data.

Anyone can say “premium,” “craft,” or “small batch.” Very few back it up with consistent, transparent lab testing you can check yourself.

If you’re ever unsure how to choose wisely, use our hemp buying checklist as a starting point. Then let the COAs do the talking.

In hemp, transparency isn’t optional — it’s everything.