The market is full of different kinds of CBD products, but there were times when gummies and oils were not a real thing. Cannabis has a long history of use in human society, and the most common way of consuming it is by smoking it up.
The ancients often used to roll hemp and marijuana and smoke them up with a chillum. Then things evolved a bit, and society shifted to tobacco leaves, rolling papers, and CBD cigarettes.
Then we moved to even more advanced technology and entered the era of vaping. You can now easily find CBD vapes in offline stores and online CBD brand sites. To answer the question, yes! CBD definitely works when you smoke it. It’s quite evident, isn’t it? Why would this plant become such an integral part of human society if it wasn’t working when smoked up?
No one was popping high-quality CBD products like gummies or dropping oils back then, and smoking was the most efficient and widely used way of consuming cannabis flowers. Today we will take an in-depth look at how effectively CBD works when smoked and why it is still common practice to light up a blunt.
What Happens When You Smoke CBD?
Smoking is generally a nasty habit, but it’s etched to such a deeper level in our society that it’s quite hard to get rid of it on a large scale. Smoking is often preferred by older generations for the quick onset time it provides over other forms of CBD consumption.
You either smoke CBD flower through a bong, pipe, chillum, rolling paper or through modern electronic devices called vapes. In both cases, CBD-carrying smokes or vapors are rapidly absorbed through the thin alveolar walls in your lungs. The alveoli have a large surface area and a rich blood supply, which results in the efficient and fast absorption of CBD into the bloodstream.
Once CBD gets mixed into your bloodstream, it quickly spreads and reaches various organs and tissues in your body. Then CBD interacts with the complex signaling network of the endocannabinoid system, which is spread throughout our body.
The endocannabinoid system is made up of different enzymes and receptors and is responsible for maintaining homeostasis. It works by regulating a major chunk of physiological processes like appetite, mood, sleep, anxiety, immunity, metabolism, pain perception, stress levels, and more.
CBD is capable of interacting with both cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 and non-cannabinoid receptors of the endocannabinoid system, which results in its calming, pain-relieving, sleep-inducing, and anxiolytic effects.
The major advantage of smoking CBD is the faster onset time because of its higher bioavailability. When you smoke a CBD vape or joint, the effects can be felt within a few seconds of consumption.
Whereas, CBD tinctures may take up to 15–20 minutes. Edibles are the slowest, and you’ll need to wait for over an hour after taking the gummies of capsules to feel the CBD’s full calming effect.
That’s why people who have a hectic schedule and need quick doses of CBD for immediate relief usually prefer CBD vapes or cigarettes over edibles and sublingual products.
How To Smoke CBD For Maximum Relief?
There are plenty of ways to smoke CBD, and depending on your experience and expectations, you may find the perfect one after reading further.
Just a note, though: smoking CBD won’t make you high or stoned because commercially sold CBD or hemp flowers don’t have more than 0.3% THC. This is simply not enough to make you high, but surely you’ll feel calm and composed after smoking a CBD or hemp flower.
Bongs
Bongs are popular and a fun way to smoke CBD. With a bong, you’ll need to place the crushed CBD flower into the bowl, light it, and then inhale the smoke as it gets filtered through the water chamber.
The water helps to cool and smooth out the smoke, which can make it more comfortable and reduce the irritation in the throat. Just make sure to clean your bong properly after every session; they tend to get quite dirty and clogged from burned material.
Pipes
Pipes offer a simple and portable way to smoke CBD. You just pack the CBD flower or extract into the bowl of the pipe, light it up, and inhale the CBD-infused smoke. Traditional pipes don’t have water filtration like bongs.
They’re still great when you want a quick and easy way to smoke your CBD flower. The portability factor makes them perfect to carry on short trips and outings.
Joints
The classy and OG stoner method is to smoke up by rolling a joint. All you have to do is crush the CBD flower on the rolling paper, attach it to the roach through which smoke will pass, and light it up.
Joints allow you the option of customization, as rolling paper nowadays comes in various unique flavors. You can also find THC-infused documents, which are mainly targeted at recreational users.
Vaporizers
Finally, you can opt for vaporizers. CBD vapes can easily be bought through online and offline stores. These devices heat the CBD oil or CBD flower(depending on your device type) to a certain temperature that transforms it into a vapor you inhale. Vaping is usually known to be a much healthier alternative to smoking because there’s no consumption of burnt plant material or paper toxin-carrying smoke.
The End Note
To sum it up, yes, smoking CBD is as effective as taking CBD gummies or oils. In fact, because of its higher bioavailability, CBD smoke gets absorbed in your body much faster. That’s why smoking CBD can make you calm, composed, and less anxious within a few seconds of consumption.
However, smoking can have a negative impact on your respiratory health. When you smoke a CBD flower through joints, pipes, or bongs, the burnt plant material and other toxins can harm your throat, lungs, and teeth and may even cause tartar buildup in long-term usage. Vaping is a slightly safer method, but it’s relatively new, and its full effects are still not known.
For quick relief, you may smoke CBD sometimes, but sticking to edibles and sublingual products is much better for your overall health. Just make sure to buy CBD gummies or oils only from reputable vendors like Colorado Botanicals, and always start with a low dose. Initially, CBD may cause a slight dry mouth and dizziness, so it’s essential to increase your water intake after adding CBD products to your diet.