CBD products come in all shapes and sizes and can be consumed in various ways. If you’re new to CBD and you’re wondering which consumption method would suit you best, this article will provide the information and insights you need to make an informed decision.
With the legalization of hemp production and sale, after the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, there’s been a rise in cannabis-derived products on the market. This also led to an increased interest in CBD throughout the US and other countries around the world. More and more people are considering introducing CBD products into their health and wellness routine for all sorts of different reasons. Some hope it can help them relieve symptoms associated with certain health conditions, while others simply want to try it out of curiosity.
But regardless of the reasons that have piqued their interest, most people are faced with a common dilemma when they want to give CBD products a try: what’s the best way to consume CBD? Despite the compound’s fast-growing popularity, the lack of CBD education and literacy remains a major issue in the industry, so there are many important facts that potential consumers don’t know yet.
So, if you’re thinking about trying CBD, but you don’t know which consumption method is the best one for you, this guide is here to help. We’ll go over the various way of consuming CBD, highlighting both the pros and the cons, so you can decide which option would work better for you.
Inhalation
Inhalation is one of the most popular methods to consume CBD, as well as one of the most effective and fastest ways to experience its effects, due to the fact that it allows the compound to go directly into your bloodstream.
There are two ways to inhale CBD:
- Smoking – you can smoke CBD in a joint, bong, or pipe, depending on your preferences. Rolling a CBD joint is simple and straightforward, but if you’re up for something a bit more elaborate, a water pipe is also an option worth considering. Smoking CBD ensures a high CBD intake and faster effects (usually, under 10 minutes). However, you have to be cautious about smoking CBD as it exposes you to toxins, irritants, and carcinogens. The smoke can be irritating to your throat and lungs and the long-term health effects are not to be ignored.
- Vaping – as an alternative to smoking, vaping implies using a vaporizer pen that transforms the CBD oil into vapor which you’ll inhale into your lungs. Therefore, you’ll enjoy similar effects to smoking CBD, but without the harsh irritating effects. Although this is a convenient and discreet way of consuming CBD, and it also minimizes the risk of causing damage to your throat and lungs, there are still a few downsides to it. Apart from having to use a vaping device and tools, CBD vaping liquids might contain certain compounds that can cause harm to lung tissue.
Topical application
If you don’t need or want to consume CBD in high concentrations, you might want to look beyond inhalation methods and try topical application instead. Topical CBD products are a dime a dozen these days, so you have a wide variety of options to choose from. From CBD balms and creams to lotions and ointments, the CBD market is brimming with topical products promising to deliver amazing results.
These products are designed to be applied directly to your skin, on the area that requires treatment, so they’re meant to be used when dealing with issues such as localized pain or certain skin conditions (acne, eczema, etc.).
The advantages of using topical CBD products are pretty obvious: they’re easy and hassle-free, and you don’t need to calculate dosage or employ any additional tools. Besides, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that topicals can provide relief for sore muscles or reduce symptoms of skin inflammation. As for disadvantages, you might have to use a more generous quantity in order to notice any real results, and the effects might not last as long as you’d expect.
Ingestion
How about introducing CBD to your diet? If you don’t enjoy smoking/vaping, and you don’t find topical application appealing either, you can consume CBD-infused food and beverages. In recent years, CBD edibles have seen a rapid surge in popularity, to the point they’ve become the preferred consumption method for a large number of users.
CBD edibles come in various forms, from cookies and lollipops to super tasty Delta 8 gummies, chocolates, coffee, tea, smoothies, and so on, the wide variety of choices being one of the most notable advantages. Another great thing about CBD edibles is the fact that you can easily introduce them into your daily routine, and they’re a very discreet consumption method. On the downside, you’ll have to wait a bit longer for the effects to set in, since the CBD you’ve ingested has to be metabolized before entering the bloodstream. This might also make it difficult for you to find the right dosage.
Sublingual administration
Last but not least, you can also take CBD through sublingual administration. This method involves using a CBD tincture, placing a few drops under your tongue, and waiting for the compound to dissolve for 60 seconds before swallowing it. The substance will enter your bloodstream through the tissues in your tongue, so the effects will set in rather quickly.
CBD tinctures are easy to use and allow for precise dosage. The effects are long-lasting and more intense than with other consumption methods. However, not everyone will enjoy the same results when using CBD sublingually, and some people might find the taste of CBD tincture unpleasant.
As you can see, there are various ways in which you can incorporate CBD into your life, and all the methods come with specific pros and cons. It’s up to you to decide which consumption method works best for you. But if you really want to make a smart decision and enjoy CBD benefits to the fullest, it’s always wise to consult with your doctor beforehand.
