CBD Weed Guide
Hemp manufacturers sometimes use the term “CBD weed” to refer to CBD flower products, but CBD flower is not the same thing as weed by any stretch of the imagination. In this guide, we’ll examine the various definitions of CBD weed and provide you with our take on cannabis products that contain both CBD and THC.
What is CBD weed?
When seen online, “CBD weed” usually refers to hemp flower containing high concentrations of CBD and low concentrations of THC. Since CBD-rich hemp flower is practically indistinguishable from THC-rich marijuana both in appearance and in aroma, it’s no surprise that hemp flower with high concentrations of CBD is sometimes referred to as CBD weed. “Weed” is something that makes you high, though, and one of the most important distinguishing features of CBD flower is that it’s non-intoxicating.
Weed can be better with CBD
Recreational and medical marijuana use in the United States is on the rise. The U.S. cannabis industry is set to become a $20 billion dollar industry in 2021, and there are nearly 7,500 marijuana dispensaries nationwide. With marijuana rapidly becoming such an important part of American culture, THC users across the country are always on the lookout for the best ways to make their experiences with cannabis as enjoyable as possible.
Even before THC became legal in many areas of the United States, Cannabis sativa breeders raced each other to see who could produce the highest-potency weed. In this mad-dash effort to provide the most potent high, many of the minor cannabinoids present in weed, including CBD, were bred out of the equation.
It seems that there’s reason to believe, however, that adding CBD to THC-rich weed might make this popular recreational drug and medical tool safer and more effective. CBD has been studied, for instance, for its potential to reduce the negative effects of THC, and research has also been conducted to determine if CBD has anti-addictive properties.
Hemp can be better with THC
There are plenty of hemp smokers who want to avoid THC at all costs, and that’s perfectly understandable. Not everyone wants to get high, after all, and it’s convenient that we now have the option of using Cannabis sativa without experiencing any intoxicating effects. At the same time, however, hemp lovers who live in states where recreational or medical marijuana are legal shouldn’t jump to conclusions and take THC permanently off the table.
It’s a simple fact, for instance, that THC can help with serious conditions like glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. This intoxicating cannabinoid also appears to boost your appetite, and it has impressive anti-nausea qualities. Plus, there’s a reason that weed continues to gain popularity across the country—THC provides relaxing, enjoyable effects that help you forget about your worries and focus on the positive aspects of life.
CBD weed and the entourage effect
CBD and THC each have their own unique benefits, and these benefits take on entirely new dimensions when you use these cannabinoids together. CBD has been studied for its potential to reduce the negative effects of THC, and THC may add a deeper layer of enjoyment to the ritual of smoking CBD-rich flower. That’s only the beginning of how these two cannabinoids might synergize with each other, however.
Within the human body, there is a group of neuroreceptors and neurotransmitters known as the endocannabinoid system. The main neurotransmitter within the endocannabinoid system is anandamide, which is called an “endocannabinoid” because both its structure and effects are similar to those of plant-derived “phytocannabinoids.” The two primary neuroreceptors in the endocannabinoid system are the CB1 and CB2 receptors, which are most concentrated in your central nervous system (CNS).
THC acts as a powerful agonist at the CB1 and CB2 receptors, which means that it stimulates these receptors even more strongly than anandamide. As a result, using THC kicks your endocannabinoid system into overdrive, causing intoxicating and euphoric effects.
CBD, on the other hand, does not have any particular affinity for the CB1 and CB2 receptors, which is why this cannabinoid does not get you high. Instead, CBD mainly interacts with your body’s 5-HT1A and TRPV1 receptors, which serve peripheral functions within the endocannabinoid system by balancing and harmonizing your CNS.
When you smoke CBD weed, which contains both THC and CBD, you stimulate your endocannabinoid system while also soothing and harmonizing this vital group of neuroreceptors and neurotransmitters. As a result, a type of cannabinoid synergy called the entourage effect is activated that occurs when multiple cannabinoids are used together.
How to smoke a joint with CBD and THC
Rolling joints that contain both CBD and THC is an easy way to ingest these cannabinoids at the same time. First, you’ll need to get your hands on both some THC-rich cannabis and some CBD-rich hemp. If you live in an area that has yet to pass recreational or medical marijuana laws, you’ll need to visit another state to enjoy the CBD weed experience.
Once you’ve acquired both THC-rich weed and CBD-rich hemp, grind up a nug or two from each stash. Then, combine equal parts of THC-rich weed and CBD-rich hemp in an organic hemp rolling paper, roll it up, and start smoking. Within moments, you’ll start experiencing the unique benefits that only CBD weed can provide.
Other ways to enjoy the CBD weed effect
Smoking CBD and THC together in a joint isn’t the only way to enjoy CBD weed. As an alternative, you can combine ground-up CBD and THC flower in a bong bowl and take rips of CBD weed goodness.
You can even smoke CBD weed in a pipe or roll up a CBD weed blunt with a hemp or tobacco blunt wrap. What’s more, certain vape carts combine both THC and CBD into a single vaping experience. Vaping is generally considered an effective and smoke-free way to inhale cannabinoids.
If smoking isn’t your thing, you can experiment with making CBD weed edibles. First, simmer a combination of ground-up CBD and THC nugs in your favorite cooking oil, then infuse this oil into a meal or a treat. You can even purchase gel capsules online and fill them with your CBD and THC-infused oil.
Cannabinoids are meant to be together
It’s likely that society will continue to be divided over the subject of THC for the foreseeable future. While this cannabinoid has undeniable benefits, it also has its share of downsides, and some people simply don’t want to alter their minds by getting high. Whatever your position on THC-rich weed may be, CBD-rich hemp will always be there to provide you with all the benefits of cannabis without the intoxication.
If you’re ready to adventure into the unknown, however, combining CBD with THC provides an experience like no other. Before the intervention of human cultivation, CBD and THC coexisted in Cannabis sativa for uncounted millennia, and bringing these cannabinoids back together provides you with the opportunity to put a modern slant on an ancient plant.
CBD weed FAQ
What else can we clear up on the subject of CBD weed?
1. What’s the difference between CBD and weed?
CBD is a non-intoxicating hemp compound that can be made into a variety of different finished products, and “weed” is a slang term used to refer to THC-rich forms of cannabis flower. Some people use the term “CBD weed,” though, to refer to CBD-rich hemp flower even though it doesn’t contain enough THC to be intoxicating.
2. What’s the difference between CBD and THC?
CBD and THC both come from the plant Cannabis sativa, but CBD is non-intoxicating while THC has distinctly intoxicating effects. Also, CBD is generally considered to be “industrial hemp” as per the 2018 Farm Bill, but THC is still regarded as a Schedule I drug at the federal level. Despite the fact that delta 8 and other forms of THC are now sold online, CBD and THC will likely be viewed very differently for the foreseeable future due to their dramatically dissimilar effects.
3. What is “legal CBD weed?”
Some people use the term “legal CBD weed” to refer to forms of CBD-rich hemp flower that contain less than 0.3% THC. Unlike conventional types of weed, “legal CBD weed” does not contain enough THC to get you high, and it is commonly shipped to all 50 states.
4. Is CBD a Schedule 1 drug in 2022?
No, CBD is not a Schedule I drug due to the 2018 Farm Bill. The federal government has made no indication that it plans to change the scheduling of CBD anytime soon.
Eventually, though, we can expect the FDA to release more definitive guidelines regarding how CBD products should be regulated. This regulatory clarification has been delayed due to the impact of COVID-19.