Products

Tinctures

CBD hemp oil tinctures contain full spectrum, broad spectrum or CBD isolate in a plant-based carrier oil. 

Tincture blends are also available with combination of THC and CBD, giving a nod to the science that shows THC can play an important role in symptom relief as well.

Tinctures are available in different strengths and typically come in glass dropper bottles, making it easy to adjust your dose. They can be used by placing drops under your tongue. Some of the plant compounds will be absorbed directly into your bloodstream as a sublingual if the product is designed that way, but most of the product is absorbed through swallowing. Tinctures also work well mixed into already prepared foods like sauces and soups, or warm beverages like coffee or tea.

When it comes to tinctures, think of the carrier oil as the vehicle that the cannabinoids travel in to enter your system. The more efficient the carrier, the more easily the CBD and THC will be absorbed. 

Coconut or palm medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil are both highly effective carriers for tinctures, because they contain smaller fatty acid molecules which are easily absorbed. Olive oil is another popular carrier oil option. It is a great alternative for people who are allergic to coconut. Olive oil naturally contains antioxidants and oleic acid which has anti-inflammatory properties.

It’s important to note that tinctures are not designed for vaping! We’ll talk more about CBD and THC for vaping below.

Tablets & Capsules

Tablets and capsules containing THC or CBD provide a discrete, highly portable option. These products include soft gel capsules containing THC and CBD hemp in carrier oil, similar to tinctures. The carrier oil becomes especially important in these products, impacting how much of the CBD will be absorbed after the soft gel enters the digestive system. Products containing MCT oil or olive oil are especially effective.

Tablets are another popular option for using marijuana or CBD. In fact, you can even crush up marijuana or CBD hemp tablets and mix them into applesauce, if swallowing a pill is difficult for you.

There are also sublingual tablets that dissolve under your tongue. Sublingual tablets work faster than swallowed pills since they are designed to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream.

Edibles

Gummies, mints, chocolate and infused beverages—what’s not to love? Edibles are fun, colorful and tasty. 

Unfortunately, edibles face challenges moving through our digestive systems. The THC, CBD and other plant compounds in edibles take time to reach the endocannabinoid’s CB1 and CB2 receptors via the intestinal tract.(Check out this link for more information on the endocannabinoid system, CB1 and CB2 receptors).

When someone eats THC or CBD, less than 10% gets into their bloodstream. Cannabinoids are metabolized into active molecules: THC turns into 11-OH-THC, which appears more intoxicating than THC, while CBD is converted to 7-COOH-CBD, a molecule proposed to have an anti-epileptic effect. Eating a meal affects the absorption of CBD. A recent study from pharmacologists at the University of Minnesota examined how eating a meal affects the absorption of CBD.

Also, edibles take longer to kick in. Many new users quickly decide that a single dose didn’t work and eat more. This can lead to an unwanted “high” several hours later when multiple doses suddenly take effect. We suggest that you wait at least two hours after eating an edible dose before deciding whether you need more.

Also, double-check the product label for dosage. In the non-cannabis realm, we’re used to the idea that one candy bar equals one serving. However, when it comes to products containing THC or CBD, the serving size is often a lot smaller. You’ll find more information on edible dosing at the end of this post.

While edibles have certain drawbacks, they provide a familiar mode of ingestion, don’t require special equipment or skills, and are both portable and easy to use. This makes them a favorite for people who are looking for an easy, discreet and enjoyable ingestion option.

Topicals

Topicals encompass a rapidly growing category that includes creams, gels, salves, and beauty products. 

You’ve probably seen CBD topical products at your local grocery store, or even in your favorite salon.

CBD topicals may work well for you if you are concerned about medication interactions. It’s also a popular option for people with arthritis who are seeking relief, as well as athletes looking for post-workout recovery.

Topicals that combine CBD and THC are also a popular choice, as well as THC-only products. These are only available at dispensaries in states that have legalized cannabis.

Many of these products include a blend of essential oils and plant terpenes designed for localized pain relief, inflammation or improved pleasure with intimacy. THC topicals may include bath salts, massage oils, and lubes.The cannabinoids in topical products interact with CB2 receptors in your skin but are not absorbed deeply enough to impact CB1 receptors. This means that they are very unlikely to deliver intoxicating effects. (One exception to this is when topicals containing THC are considered “transdermal” or applied to mucous membranes—think mouth, nostrils, vulva or rectal tissues. More on transdermal below.)

Transdermal Patches and Pens

You might think that transdermal patches or gels are topical, since the medicine is absorbed into your skin. However, transdermal products provide a unique delivery method that provides controlled release of cannabinoids directly into the bloodstream over a set period of time.

Transdermal drug delivery has a great advantage over oral administration. It avoids digestion and absorption of the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, transdermal delivery largely reduces drug toxicity and bypasses the first effect of drug absorption. This improves the local drug concentration.

Transdermal delivery is of particular benefit for patients who struggle to swallow oral medications and those experiencing nausea or vomiting.

Inhaling Marijuana and CBD Hemp Flower

For many people, the first image that comes to mind when they hear “cannabis” is the plant flower (buds) that are smoked. In fact, the odds are that if you’re over the age of 30, your first experience with cannabis was smoking plant flower.

The cannabis plant has been smoked by humans since ancient times. Its status as an illegal substance in the United States is a tiny blip in time, when compared to its use throughout history. For many people, marijuana or CBD hemp flower remain their top choice for consumption.

Marijuana flower and CBD hemp flower is minimally processed and provides a range of plant benefits. Many different flower strains are available in the states with legal cannabis. Cannabis strains (chemovars) offer different ratios of THC, CBD and other minor cannabinoids. In addition, marijuana and hemp flower strains provide a range of terpene profiles that can add to the plant’s synergistic entourage effect.

Inhaling marijuana or CBD hemp flower, whether through smoking or vaping (which we’ll explain below) provides a quick onset of the plant benefits. Smoking is also an integral part of cannabis culture used as a ritual for community to come together socially. In fact, etiquette expert Emily Post’s granddaughter recently published Higher Etiquette, a guide on cannabis etiquette in social settings.

Smoking Marijuana and CBD Hemp

How do you smoke cannabis? Flower can be smoked with a bong or hookah, with the flower placed into a bowl and ignited by flame. The smoke then passes through water, which cools it before being inhaled. Flower may also be smoked with a pipe.

You can roll cannabis flower into joints or buy pre-rolled joints. Pre-rolls provide a cheaper, easier option for sampling different strains, though there may be a tradeoff in quality. 

Pay attention to any added ingredients as well. Some pre-rolls include added hash oil or kief (resin glands containing cannabinoids and terpenes) to increase potency.

You may already know some of the drawbacks of smoking flower—the smell can be obvious to everyone around, and smoke may irritate lungs and cause a fit of coughing.

When you put a flame on a joint or bowl, you heat the flower to a point where the plant cannabinoids and terpenes are vaporized so they can be inhaled. However, you’re also creating other combustion byproducts that carry their own side effects. Also, there’s no easy way to control the temperature for optimal release of plant-based compounds.

Vaping Marijuana and CBD Hemp

Vaping provides many of the benefits of smoking cannabis, without the concerns about combustion-related byproducts.

“But wait,” you might be wondering, “aren’t vapes dangerous?”

Vaping-associated illnesses were in the headlines throughout much of 2019. The source of illness was narrowed down to illegal/black-market vape cartridges which often contained vitamin E acetate or other contaminants. We previously shared our insights into the crisis on this blog post. 

At Leaf411, we believe that vaping can provide a highly effective, fast-acting option for some people in need of a breakthrough treatment option for pain or anxiety/panic attacks. However, we encourage you to seek advice from a qualified cannabis clinician for specific dosing recommendations. 

Desktop and portable dry herb vaporizers are designed specifically for flower. These vapes don’t ignite the plant material with flame. Instead, they instead cook it, releasing the cannabinoids, terpenes and other plant compounds in a vapor mist instead of smoke. This creates a smoother inhalation experience for many people. Many dry herb vaporizers also let the user control the temperature, which impacts which cannabinoids and terpenes are released.

Vape oil devices provide an even more customized experience, with a wide range of products available. Some vapes even connect to smartphone apps, much like a FitBit, allowing you to track your favorite products, temperature ranges and doses.

The oils used in vape cartridges may include THC, CBD and additional cannabinoids, as well as either natural or artificial terpenes. Even though these ingredients may sound the same as the ones in tinctures, these two products are completely different and cannot be used interchangeably!

Vape cartridges may also contain additional additives and thinning agents to improve performance in vape devices. It’s important to check vape cartridge ingredients to ensure that the cartridge doesn’t contain vitamin E acetate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), propylene glycol (PG), MCT oil, coconut oil or any other emulsifiers or synthetic agents. You can find additional tips for selecting a safe vape here.

What’s in your Product?

Regardless of the product you choose, you’ll want to take a close look at the product label. You may find that other herbs or ingredients have been added. 

For example, many sleep products contain melatonin as well as cannabinoids such as CBD, CBN or THC. This may not be a concern to you; however, you certainly wouldn’t want to take your normal nightly melatonin dose in addition to a cannabis product containing melatonin.

Understanding Product Doses

You may remember a few years ago when the U.S. government sought to simplify food labeling to make the connection between serving sizes and calories clearer. Confusion around serving size was causing many people to eat or drink a lot more calories than they realized!

We’re at a similar spot when it comes to cannabis products, especially edibles. Some manufacturers put the per-dose strength on the product label—for example the package might say “10 mg CBD/5 mg THC.” However, other manufacturers may put the total amount of THC and/or CBD for the entire package instead. 

Also, laws restricting the amount of THC per edible vary between states that have legalized cannabis. Limits may also be different depending on whether the product is designed for recreational or medical consumer sales. 

How do you get the dose you want?

• If you’re unsure about the product strength, ask your budtender for help. Does the package labeling shows the amount of THC and CBD per dose, or does it show the amount in the entire package?
• Check in with our Leaf411 hotline nurses at no cost. We’ll help answer your questions about product labels and doses. We can also suggest a good starting point based on your individual needs and goals.
• Start slow and go low when trying any new product. The Leaf411 nurses always suggest starting with an amount below the suggested serving size for safe consumption. You may not feel an immediate change or symptom relief. However, starting low and moving up slowly will ensure you do not over consume for your body’s tolerance or specific needs.
• Understand that some product types act more quickly than others. For example, vaping provides more immediate short-term impact, while edibles can take a few hours to take effect. We’ll explain this in detail as we review different types of products below.

It may take some trial and error for you to find your favorite method of consuming marijuana or CBD hemp.

What’s the Best Way to Use Cannabis for Relief?

What method of ingestion works best for you? If you ask budtenders, friends, or people on internet forums, they will likely recommend what has worked best for them—and that may not match your needs.

Also, high quality marijuana and CBD hemp products can be expensive. Many of us cannot afford to spend a lot of money testing different options that may or may not work.

Our Leaf411 cannabis-trained nurses have extensive knowledge on how to best use marijuana and CBD hemp for specific conditions. We provide balanced guidance and education that takes into account your individual needs, whether you have a limited budget, live someplace where you cannot access state legal cannabis, or are trying to find alternatives to conventional medications.

Call our free anonymous hotline today at 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411) for help with your marijuana and CBD hemp questions.