Key Takeaways:
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A hemp plant is a Cannabis sativa plant that contains less than 0.3% THC based on its weight when dry.
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CBD flower is a type of hemp flower that specifically contains the cannabinoid molecule cannabidiol or CBD. CBD hemp flower can contain above 0.5% THC as well, so it may not be considered legal hemp.
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The entourage effect is a theory that suggests the full spectrum of molecules in a cannabis plant enhances the overall effects of the plant through synergism.
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The endocannabinoid system (ECS) utilizes molecules called cannabinoids to regulate and control critical body functions in both the central nervous system with the CB-1 receptor and the peripheral nervous system with the CB-2 receptor.
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Endocannabinoids are molecules made by your body that bind to cannabinoid receptors. Phytocannabinoids such as THC and CBD are plant-made cannabinoids that bind to the same receptors.
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Some of the purported therapeutic effects of smoking hemp flower include achieving fast-acting effects, CBD's high bioavailability, calming effects, improved insomnia, reduced chronic pain due to inflammation, reduced cravings with addiction, and improved clarity and focus.
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CBD hemp can be sold as flower, pre-rolled joints, edibles, and oils.
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U.S. Hemp Roundtable is a national hemp lobbying organization that advocates for safe CBD and hemp products.
Smoking hemp is a popular method of experiencing the proposed health benefits of cannabinoids without the intoxicating effects of illegal marijuana, its closely related cousin. Smoking hemp is thought to offer several therapeutic benefits for the body that can make this plant an excellent addition to your health regime.
Read on to learn more about smoking hemp CBD.
What Is Hemp?
Hemp Plants: Are They The Same Thing As A Cannabis Plant?
While hemp and marijuana are both grown on the Cannabis sativa plant, these substances have differences in chemical composition and characteristics. Hemp plants are grown for fiber, whereas cannabis plants are grown for the resin that produces intoxicating effects.
Hemp Flower Vs. CBD Flower
Hemp flower and CBD flower are both collected by the drying flower buds of the Cannabis sativa plant, so they are almost the same thing. Nevertheless, these two types of smokable flower contain slight differences in composition that users should be aware of when they are deciding which hemp-derived products to purchase.
CBD Is Intentionally Grown
CBD is a type of cannabinoid found in marijuana plants that are thought to have therapeutic effects on the human body. CBD flower is bred to intentionally have a higher CBD percentage in the hemp flowers.
THC Content and Potency
CBD flowers can contain above 0.5% THC composition of their dry weight and tend to be more potent, whereas hemp flower contains less than 0.3% THC. Based on these THC levels, hemp flowers are not considered to have psychoactive effects whereas CBD can.
Legality and Availability
Due to the psychoactive effects that can occur from CBD consumption and the fact that CBD flowers are derived from marijuana, this type of flower is not as widely available as hemp flower and is even illegal in some states.
Hemp plants have a wide range of industrial uses due to their fiber structure, such as creating textiles and plastics, so growing these plants fall under the agricultural laws established in the federal Farm Bill 2018 and the Controlled Substances Act which removed hemp from a federal list of controlled substances.
Hemp and CBD products with less than 0.3% THC content are deemed federally legal. According to federal law, anything with a THC content above 0.3% is federally illegal.
The Entourage Effect
It is well known that hemp plants have a range of CBD and cannabinoid content. The Entourage Effect is a theory that claims a broad spectrum of the cannabis plant and the combination of beneficial cannabinoids and valuable terpenes produces a synergistic effect that enhances the purported therapeutic effects of CBD hemp products.
How Does Smoking Hemp Flower Impact The Human Body?
Understanding the mechanisms of how smoking hemp flower impacts the human body to provide a therapeutic CBD experience requires learning about the endocannabinoid system. When you smoke CBD hemp flower, you inhale the cannabinoids into your lungs where they enter your body and bloodstream through small air sacs called alveoli. From there, they interact with receptors throughout your body that make up the endocannabinoid system.
The Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
Similar to the ways the central and peripheral nervous systems utilize neurotransmitter chemicals to regulate and control our body functions through a vast communication network, the endocannabinoid system utilizes molecules called cannabinoids to communicate many critical bodily functions, including memory, learning, sleeping, temperature control, emotional processing, eating, and inflammatory and immune responses.
Cannabinoid Receptors
Cannabinoid receptors are present in dense packs all over the body, including the nervous systems, immune cells, connective tissues, and peripheral organs. The two main types of cannabinoid receptors located in the human body include CB-1 and CB-2.
CB-1: Central Nervous System Cannabinoid Receptor
The cannabinoid receptors called CB-1 are largely located largely in the central nervous system and outnumber most of the other receptor types that can be found in the brain. CB-1 receptors work to control the levels and activity of other neurotransmitters in the brain and regulate activities such as hunger, temperature, or focus.
CB-2: Peripheral Nervous System Cannabinoid Receptor
CB-2 receptors are a type of cannabinoid receptors that are mostly located in the peripheral nervous system, particularly in immune cells. These receptors are known for their role in controlling immune function and modulating intestinal inflammation. Additionally, this receptor is a promising potential target for drug development because it doesn't produce the marijuana-associated high that can be present when the CB-1 receptor is stimulated.
Cannabinoids
Cannabinoids are the molecules that bind to endocannabinoid receptors to control and regulate bodily functions. The types of cannabinoids are categorized by where they were produced.
Endocannabinoids
The human body naturally produces molecules called endocannabinoids, or endogenous cannabinoids, to stimulate these endocannabinoid receptors. Endocannabinoids are structurally similar to cannabinoids that are not created by the human body and are instead found in the cannabis plant.
Phytocannabinoids
Phytocannabinoids are cannabinoid molecules derived from a plant, particularly the Cannabis sativa plant. The two major cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant are THC and CBD, but there are also over 100 minor cannabinoids present in the cannabis plant at lower levels, including CBC, CBN, CBG, and CBDA.
Therapeutic Benefits of Smoking Hemp CBD Flower
Due to CBD hemp products not containing enough THC, smoking hemp will not induce intoxication in the same way that smoking marijuana would. Instead, smokable hemp utilizes cannabis plants that provide healthful effects while you remain sober.
Here are some of the therapeutic benefits hemp CBD may have on your health:
Offers fast-acting effects
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When you smoke hemp buds and the cannabinoids enter your bloodstream through the lungs, you can achieve the fastest effects compared to ingesting CBD edibles or using sub-lingual CBD products. Usually, the wellness effects of smoking hemp buds can begin within 5-minutes.
CBD has high bioavailability
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There are high absorption rates of smoking hemp bud compared to ingesting or using sub-lingual hemp CBD. Bioavailability refers to how much active ingredient is leftover in the bloodstream after it is metabolized, and smoked and vaporized CBD has a bioavailability of 59-69%. This means the effects can be felt faster and stronger.
Provide calming effects and reduce anxiety
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Many people find that smoking hemp flower produces immediate relaxing effects and releases tension.
Improve the quality of sleep and symptoms of insomnia
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The stress-reducing and relaxing qualities of smokable hemp flower can help improve their quality of sleep and decrease their suffering from insomnia.
Reduce chronic pain due to inflammation
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CBD hemp flower is thought to provide inflammatory effects that can relieve symptoms for a variety of conditions and disorders.
Lessen cravings and aid in addiction disorders
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Compared to other products you can smoke, cannabis, tobacco, and nicotine included, smoking hemp flower can ease the physical and mental withdrawal symptoms of addictions.
Offer clarity and focus
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The calming effects of smoking hemp CBD flower can sharpen your perception and focus while you remain perfectly sober.
How To CBD Smoke Hemp Flower
Smoking hemp has been present in society for centuries, and contrary to popular myths, it is much more likely that the Founding Fathers were smoking hemp joints on their plantations and not smoking marijuana. There are options for beginners and experts to turn their hemp bud into something smokable.
Smokable Hemp Products
The part of the hemp plant that is best for smoking is the flower. The hemp flower is the resinous part of the plant that grows buds dense in terpene, flavonoid, and cannabinoid molecules that offer therapeutic effects when smoked. While hemp seeds are rich in omega acids, vitamins, and minerals that are extremely healthy to ingest, there are no terpenes or cannabinoids in seeds that make them worthy of smoking.
Pre-Rolled Hemp Joints
Pre-rolled hemp flower joints are an excellent option for those who want to buy legal hemp without worrying about rolling it themselves.
Non-Rolled Smokeable Hemp Bud
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When you purchase hemp bud you have the option of how you want to consume it. While you can roll your own hemp joints, vaporizing is another option that is actually healthier than smoking. Vaporizers offer tight temperature control and produce less odor than smoking. Additionally, vaping contains the natural flavor better by maximizing the subtle hints of terpenes.
Non-Smokable Hemp Products
CBD Oils
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CBD oil is a great option for people who want to try hemp CBD but don't want to smoke hemp. CBD oil can be utilized topically to enjoy the benefits of the hemp plant.
CBD Edibles
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Edibles are another alternative for those who don't want to smoke hemp and would rather ingest CBD instead.
Popular Hemp Flower Strains
Here are some of the most common hemp flower strains that are high in CBD content:
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Magic bullet
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Lifter
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The Wife
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Elektra
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Hawaiian Haze
Every strain is different, so it is beneficial to pay attention to the details and acknowledge what you like in a hemp strain.
Organizations Keeping Hemp Consumption Safe
Whenever you are consuming something into your body it is important to know where it comes from and what ingredients it's made from to know if it is safe to consume. Organizations such as the U.S. Hemp Roundtable are committed to the mission of ensuring safe hemp and CBD products. Jonathan Miller, general counsel for this national hemp lobbying group, acknowledges that hemp and CBD are a rapidly growing marketplace that must be regulated.
For those people who don't live where there is legalized marijuana but still want to enjoy the benefits of the cannabis plant, smoking hemp CBD is the ideal alternative. If you're unsure about what to purchase, consider looking into a 'stiiizy pod review' to guide you in choosing a product that best fits your needs. Whether you're seeking Delta 8, Delta 10, or CBD, check out our store for more information.
