In CITES certificate We Trust ! What is this Hoodia CITES certificate?

With the ever popular weight loss trend, diet pills and supplements are flying off the shelves.  But how do you know you’re getting what you pay for?  Who is regulating this?  Why is it so important to know?

I’ll tell you.  Hoodia Gordonii is only found in 5 places around the globe.  Most commonly found in South Africa but also located inZimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and select parts North America, specifically California and Arizona.  With such a high demand and such a scarce plant, Hoodia Gordonii has now been placed on an endangered species list.  More specifically, CITES, which stands for “Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species”.  CITES has imposed various restrictions and regulations when it comes to exporting this special species of plant.

The most important part of this trade agreement is ensuring the survival of the Hoodia plant.  Therefore, before any company can harvest or export Hoodia Gordonii from South Africa, they must obtain a permit from the South Africa government.  The certificate is valid for 6 months.  If the certificate has not been used within that time, a new permit must be applied for.  In addition to having the certificate, each shipment that leaves South Africa must be accompanied by a CITES certificate.

So, while this all makes sense and companies are following the rules, it is our job to understand that the date on a CITES certificate need NOT be current for the product to be authentic.  There is a 6 month leeway.

Another thing to consider is that the company name printed on the certificate may not always be the same as the company selling the product.  Since only a select few companies are given a permit, these companies can buy it bulk quantities and sell to whatever other companies they want.  Also, since Hoodia is considered a supplement and not a drug, they are not regulated and it cannot be guaranteed the amount of actual Hoodia you are getting.  This is where lab tests come in handy.  Say you’ve found a company you want to buy from.  They proclaim 500mg of Hoodia per capsule, and you, being the diligent consumer go to check out the CITES certificate.  Sure enough, 500mg with CITES certified.  All this means the company receives hoodia that was authorized to ship.  Once it’s in the hands of the company who sells it, it could change the amount of hoodia per capsule.  So, CITES certificate is not the end in itself as far as the amount of real authentic hoodia in a particular product is concerned.