One thing’s for sure - there are a plethora of different types of CBD products available today.

But for some consumers, the number of different ways to use CBD oil can be overwhelming. Especially considering each CBD consumption method has its own unique effects, duration, and best practices for use. 

To make it easy for you to harness hemp’s all-natural plant power, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to CBD consumption methods. Keep reading to learn about all the ways to take CBD oil and to help you decide which is best for you and your unique wellness routines. 

Types of CBD Products to Know

Before we get into how to take CBD and what to expect from each consumption method, let’s quickly review the most popular types of CBD products. All in all, most CBD products fall into the following categories below.

Edibles

CBD or hemp-infused edibles include gummies, candies, and food goods like honey that are meant to be ingested or swallowed. This means the majority of edibles come with an ‘oral’ consumption method. Unless you’re able to hold and suck the bite under your tongue, which would be considered sublingually (more on that to come!). 

From brand to brand, each CBD edible will differ depending on the ingredients used, the potency of CBD extract used (rosin, oil, etc.), and type, i.e. full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or isolate. 

Flower 

Hemp flower is preferred by those who love a good old-fashioned puff, puff, pass session to experience relief. Just like THC and cannabis flower, the hemp plant’s buds can be harvested, dried, and cured, ready to be broken up and smoked. Today, you can find hemp flower rich in CBD, and even hemp pre-rolls to save you from keeping papers or glassware on hand to light up. 

Again, because cultivation practices will vary from farm to farm, hemp flower quality and potency will vary from operation to operation. 

Tinctures 

One of the most popular types of CBD products is oils and tinctures. These goods contain the oils extracted from hemp plants that are infused into a carrier liquid like MCT (coconut) oil, or alcohol. As a liquid, tinctures, and oils have the widest range of versatility when it comes to consuming them. Many consumers choose to swallow the drops by themselves or add them to food and drinks to ingest them orally. Others prefer the sublingual method of holding the drops under their tongue. 

Like edibles, tinctures and oils will also differ depending on a few factors, like the quality of hemp flower, type of extraction method used, potency, and content, with regards to full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or isolate blends. 

As you can see even individual types of CBD products like tinctures, have varying ways of consumption. So, it’s just as important to understand the after-effects of each consumption method as it is to understand the product. Rest assured, we’ll cover how to consume CBD goods in-depth, next. 

CBD Consumption Methods 101 

Just like the various types of CBD products, there are a number of ways you can consume them, too. For the most part, oral, sublingual, and smoking hemp are the primary ways to ingest, consume, or use hemp flower or extracts. Here’s a breakdown of each so you can decide what suits you best. 

Oral 

The oral CBD consumption method encapsulates any CBD product you’d swallow. By doing so, hemp compounds, including cannabinoids and terpenes, are metabolized through your digestive system. Because this process takes some time, the biggest takeaway from consuming CBD orally is that it will take 45 minutes to one hour for the effects to kick in. However, they’re the longest-lasting, with a duration of effects that typically last anywhere from three to six hours. 

Another fact to keep in mind is that the digestive system is full of enzymes that have the ability to break down delicate CBD molecules. This means, you may benefit from consuming more MGs orally, as you’ll lose a small amount in the digestive process. For consumers put off by the natural, raw taste of oils, and those who prefer long-lasting effects that provide relief for longer periods of time without re-dosing, CBD edibles are preferred. 

Sublingual 

The CBD oil sublingual consumption method is another that’s highly common. Sublingually consuming means holding the oil or CBD-infused liquid under your tongue for a period of 30 seconds to one minute. By doing so, the oil and its beneficial compounds are absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the sublingual artery found beneath the tongue. 

This not only heightens the bio-availability of CBD with less degraded compounds but also speeds up the onset effect time too. When taken sublingually, the effects will be felt within 15–30 minutes and will last up to 3 hours. Some sublingual CBD oil benefits include - 

• Smoke-free and with fewer calories than edibles for those who are dieting or weight-conscious. 

• Quicker effects in comparison to edibles. 

• Versatile for use sublingually or orally. 

Inhaling or Vaporizing

Last but not least, is the tried and true method of inhaling or vaporizing hemp flower. When lighting hemp flower through traditional methods like joints, bowls, or bongs, or vaporizing with high-tech dry herb vaporizers, you’ll be activating the plant’s beneficial compounds via heat. By inhaling the vapor from the combustion, you’ll experience the same type of effects as you would with edibles, oils, or tinctures. 

Inhaling and vaporizing are best for when you need a quick hit of relief, as the effects will kick in almost immediately. Of course, it’s important to keep in mind they wear off the quickest too, with a duration of only 1-2 hours for the most part. 

CBD Tips for Natural Wellness 

At Canna Haus Farms, we’re all about enriching and enhancing your all-natural wellness routines. This includes providing education on all the CBD tips you need to consume more consciously and effectively. With the information, you’ve learned today about how to consume CBD, and the different types of CBD on the market today, you can best decide which way works best for you.  

Stay tuned for more hemp and CBD research, knowledge, insight, and updates as you continue to nourish and flourish with organic hemp healing powers. Follow Canna Haus on Facebook and Instagram to keep in touch, and shop our full CBD collection for nature-sourced relief now.