Is It More Effective To Eat Or Smoke CBD?

When you begin to create your perfect CBD routine, trying a multitude of products to see what works best can be a blast. Some customers find they’re perfect routine faster than others, but that does not mean that there is a perfect approach for anyone or everyone. When it comes to a cannabinoid as versatile as CBD, the possibilities and capabilities are virtually limitless – leaving customers with more than enough to choose from.

Moreover, and expanding an ever growing industry only continues to add options for customers. While this is an amazing achievement of the industry overall, it does lead customers to experience some confusion on what products they should or should not be trying. As always, before getting into this topic, we want to remind customers that we are not a replacement for medical advice. Always speak to your primary care physician or medical expert before trying out new alternative products.

A Versatile Plant

As we all know, the hemp plant has proven to be more versatile than anyone had ever expected. From beauty products to snacks and vapes… the list is ever-growing. When it comes to CBD, the versatility is even more so expanded because of its non-intoxicating nature. Presumably, you’ve seen a variety of products that include CBD. While some have proven to be full marketing scams (CBD candles… We are looking at you) many others are simply new and innovative ways to introduce this powerful cannabinoid to our body.

Let’s review some of the varieties of CBD products to see which would work better for you and your preferred routine. Keep in mind, there truly is no wrong answer here. However, the right answer is the one that leads you to reach your health goals comfortably and in a timely manner. Having said that, let’s begin!

CBD Edibles

CBD edibles may arguably be the most popular form of CBD on the market today. With virtually limitless capabilities, CBD is easily added into formulations and recipes that customers around the world have shown extreme love for. Moreover, thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill we are able to produce and send products like this all over the country. Let’s review some pros and cons.

Pros: The best thing about CBD edibles is their versatility. Someone who enjoys a candy-like experience may prefer CBD gummies or other sweet treats. On the flipside, some customers may prefer a more healthy approach such as granola bars or tinctures. While these products may look very different on the shelves, they provide the same kind of CBD to customers. Edibles make it easy to match your personal preferences because we all have preferences on what kind of food we like. 

Finally, many cannabis edibles include other key ingredients while specifying the amount of CBD in each product. This leads to more accurate dosing and helping those reach health goals that may even lie outside of cannabinoids!

Cons: While edibles are an awesome approach to CBD, they are traditionally the least predictable. Depending on what you had for breakfast, how much exercise you’ve engaged in and the amount of water in your body, the absorption rate of CBD may be altered. Research has found that our body is able to process somewhere between 20 and 30% of the cannabinoids that we take into our bodies. This heavily depends on the formulation of the product as well! If the formula contains a fair amount of natural fats, the absorption rate will be higher. Furthermore, this is as difficult to predict as the amount of time it takes for our body to absorb. Some customers report feeling the effects of a CBD edible within two hours while some customers have reported waiting four hours or more for the effects to kick in. Naturally, this is extremely difficult to track and leads edibles to be, as we mentioned, the least predictable method of CBD intake.

Smoking CBD

This may be the most traditional form of cannabis intake ever. History books have shared that individuals throughout history have enjoyed the cannabis plant through smoke and inhalation. We’ve even created a blog exploring the history of cannabis which you can check out here! But, why does this seem to be the most simple method of intake? Let’s check out the pros and cons and break this down a little bit.

Pros: The speedy onset of effects is what separates this method from the others. Most customers report that they are able to feel the effects after smoking within 10 minutes. Usually, the experience doesn’t even need to take that long. Inhaling CBD gets it to the bloodstream as fast as possible And caters to those who actually enjoy smoking. Some customers even mix other herbal remedies into their CBD flower to make an even more personalized experience.

Cons: Much like edibles, there are some variables that can affect how CBD absorbs into your body when you smoke it. For example, there is some research that shows that the amount of time you hold your breath after inhaling a CBD vapor can affect the amount that is actually absorbed into the body. This range can be anywhere from 10% to 90% of the available cannabinoids and makes a major difference in your smoking experience. When it comes to dabs and other extracts, the range is closer to 30-90%. Moreover, dosing can be a little difficult with this in mind. While you may know the amount of CBD in the flower you purchased, that drastically changes in the method that you are smoking it.

Another variable to consider is the method in which you are smoking it. If you use lighters or papers there Will be other vapors entering your body as well. Lighters, for example, will put butane into your lungs which is not healthy in the slightest. This is why many cannabis enthusiasts swear by hamstring! It is much healthier and can actually accent the flavor of your CBD flower.

Topical CBD

Products like lotions, patches, bath bombs and creams are applied to the body and can gradually put CBD into the bloodstream over a period of time. Many customers prefer this method so that they can address specific spots on the body without having to inhale smoke or add calories to the daily intake. However, we have pros and cons to consider when choosing topical products.

Pros: Topical products can be just as effective as eating CBD products! Topicals are able to be applied to specific areas on the body to offer customers a direct approach to solving their issues. Many customers enjoy the idea that topical products can be highly moisturizing and nourishing to the skin. Two birds with one stone, if you will.

Cons: Traditionally speaking, topicals need to include a significantly higher amount of active ingredients to give customers the experience that they are expecting. With this in mind, it would mean that prices are easily increased because of the amount of ingredients used in their formulations. Another con of topical products is that they can be a bit unpredictable. While there are many success stories from our customers and customers around the world, there is no way to scientifically guarantee how long it takes for the product to take effect. A range of variables can affect this. Moreover, depending on the sensitivity of your skin, certain ingredients may prove to be irritating.

Is One More Effective Than Another?

This is a question that should be addressed on a case by case basis. However, smoking CBD does have the highest chance to utilize and distribute the most cannabinoids per use. Since the range absorption can range between 10 and 90%, it gives customers the highest possible chance of getting the most CBD into their routine. With this in mind, smoking may take the gold. However, this is not to negate or argue with customers who have had completely unique experiences. CBD is just as unique as our individual bodies! The reactions with one another are even more so unique.

Which Should I Choose?

Choosing which method to go with should start with your personal preferences. If you enjoy smoking regularly, go ahead and give smoking CBD flower a try. We have seen so many success stories with cannabis and dizziness when it comes to hemp flower and we assume that our customers will love it just as much. However, the other options are just as viable and worthy.

If you were in the mood for a tasty snack or find that CBD works better for you when it is eaten, then move forward with that! If you were looking for a more direct application, try a topical product and see if it gives you the results that you were looking for. Again, there really is no wrong answer here. It just takes trial and error to figure out what will work best with your body and health goals.

The Infinite CBD Recommendation

As always, our recommendation is to talk to your doctor. We love providing you with industry information and CBD education. We hope you take all of this information and discuss the options with your primary care physician. They may have professional insight that can help you make a decision on what will work best for you and your personal health goals!