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Why Smoke CBD? Pros and Cons Explained

Why Smoke CBD? Pros and Cons Explained

Posted by Alpine Vapor Hemp on Jul 13, 2023

CBD Smoke—A Hazard or a Cure?

Smoking is an ancient practice in many cultures, and even today, it’s one of the most popular ways to consume CBD and other substances. Let’s smoke out the truth and find out:

  • Why smoking is among the most optimal CBD consumption methods
  • What the pros and cons of CBD smoke are
  • How to smoke CBD

Why Do People Smoke CBD?

Many users prefer smoking CBD over other delivery methods mainly because it’s natural, has a high bioavailability rate, and aids in quitting tobacco and weed consumption.

High Bioavailability

Inhalation is the most effective way to consume cannabidiol. The lungs are permeable and easily absorb the cannabinoid, which enters the bloodstream quickly. The body receives a high CBD dose within minutes, kicking in and wearing off relatively fast since the substance will leave the body sooner than through other means.

Check out the table below to learn how long CBD will take to work via different consumption methods:

EffectsSmoking and VapingOils and TincturesEdibles
Onset 1 to 10 minutes20 to 45 minutes30 to 90 minutes
DurationUp to 4 hours3 to 5 hours6 to 8 hours
Half-lifeA few hours to a few daysOne day to a few weeksA few days to a month

Quitting Tobacco and Weed Consumption

Smoking CBD can also help you cut back on your tobacco and weed intake. Nicotine is highly addictive and entails numerous health consequences. Even though it has many benefits, weed can also pose a problem if you use it frequently because it impacts your mood, memory, and motivation.

The psychological craving can sometimes be stronger than physical addiction. By smoking CBD, you can feed into the habit of lighting up and get some relief without getting high or getting a nicotine hit. In one 2018 study, CBD was shown to reduce the appeal of cigarette images in dependent smokers.

Natural Alternative to Vaping

Despite its benefits, the recent spike in EVALI (e-cigarette and vaping-associated lung injury) cases has deterred many users from vaping. Scientists pinpointed the problem to vitamin E acetate and other contaminants that end up in the vape juice due to careless extraction and poor device construction.

Even though less heat is better for the lungs, smoking is a safer alternative if you can’t get your hands on high-quality vaping equipment.

To get an overview of different consumption methods and how they compare, refer to the following table:

Characteristics SmokingVapingOther Methods
Bioavailability HighHighLow
Requires preparation Maybe, depends on the productMaybe, depends on the productUsually no
DiscretionLowLow, but less so than with smokingHigh
TasteStrain-specific, natural Cannabis aromasNatural or flavoredNatural or flavored

Does Smoking CBD Get You High?

Smoking CBD might cause slight intoxication. Pure CBD won’t, but when producing smokable CBD flower, it’s impossible to completely isolate CBD and eliminate other cannabinoids.

Cannabis produces over 500 phytochemicals, including:

  • Cannabinoids like CBD and THC
  • Terpenes
  • Flavonoids
  • Fatty acids

Isolate is what we call pure CBD, and it doesn’t get you high at all. Broad and full-spectrum products consist of various cannabinoids and other compounds like terpenes. The main difference between these two is that broad-spectrum CBD contains only selected cannabinoids—usually CBN, CBG, and CBC—but no THC.

CBN (mildly psychotropic) and THC (although present in full-spectrum products in minuscule amounts) might cause slight intoxication.

While THC might be an issue if you want to stay clear-headed or have a tox screening coming up, such small amounts shouldn’t cause adverse effects. It likely won’t affect your motivation, coordination, or memory.

Full-spectrum products like CBD flowers have a major advantage over isolates. The various compounds they contain interact to produce the so-called entourage effect. The synergy of different Cannabis compounds is much more powerful than any cannabinoid alone.

Cannabinoids are even more effective when combined with terpenes, which boost and prolong their effects, canceling some negative aspects. Terps are also responsible for the natural, earthy aroma of the plant.

What Does Smoking CBD Feel Like?

CBD can make you feel more relaxed, relieve pain and discomfort, and restore balance in the body. Due to its interaction with GABA receptors in the brain, it has calming effects and thus helps those dealing with stress and anxiety.

According to numerous user reports, CBD might aid in combating symptoms of the following conditions:

Recently, CBD has been found to antagonize THC, reducing its potency and counteracting its negative psychological effects, so it might be helpful when you’ve smoked too much weed.

Different strains will also produce different effects. Some will be more energizing, while others will be calming. This difference can usually be attributed to the specific combo of various cannabinoids and terpenes.

More research is needed to confirm these claims, but existing evidence indicates that CBD has promising therapeutic potential. We hope to see more CBD-related studies in the future as the legal situation changes and more people realize the plant’s potential.

Source: Los Muertos Crew

Is Smoking CBD Safe?

While it’s not for everyone, smoking CBD is generally safe. Most people don’t experience any adverse effects.

Still, smoking CBD or any other substance comes with certain risks, which will be more pronounced if you buy your stuff from sketchy sources. Combusting plant material involves the release of harmful toxins, which can have long-term health consequences.

If you get your CBD buds from reputable manufacturers who test their products, you will reduce the risk. Another way you can ensure safety is by being a responsible user. Consult your doctor if you have any conditions or take meds, and be mindful of changes in your body.

No matter the delivery method, CBD rarely causes negative reactions. If you want to try it without smoking, you can get it in other forms—oils, edibles, topicals, vape blends, beverages, and nasal sprays.

Negative Effects of Smoking CBD

Besides the lack of regulation, the most obvious side effect pertains to the long-term impact of smoking, mainly involving respiratory issues. CBD is known for having few negative health effects and is well-tolerated by most users. Still, in high doses, it might induce somnolence, stomach upsets, and irritability.

Smoking CBD flower can also cause you to fail a drug test due to the presence of THC. Even though a small amount won’t get you high, the tests can detect it. THC will be traceable in blood, saliva, and urine from a few days to a few weeks and up to 90 days in hair.

If you live in one of the states that haven’t decriminalized Cannabis yet, smoking CBD might get you in trouble with the law. It's best to be discrete and smoke only in a private or isolated setting.

Smoking CBD Flower With Tobacco

Some users like to add tobacco to their CBD joints. If you’re a long-time smoker trying to quit, that might help you cut down on your tobacco use.

In any other case, you should avoid tobacco altogether. It’s highly addictive and carries numerous risks for users and people around them. Some of those include respiratory problems, heart disease, dental issues, and reduced fertility.

Smokable CBD—Legality

CBD that comes from hemp is legal on the federal level, according to the 2018 Farm Bill. Still, some states have imposed laws banning all cannabinoids. To ensure compliance, check your local Cannabis laws before buying any type of product.

Source: Elsa Olofsson

How To Prepare and Smoke CBD

Smokable CBD can come pre-rolled in a cigarette or joint or in the form of buds.

The great thing about pre-rolls is that you don’t have to do any prep. You can light them up like you would a regular cigarette. Another benefit is that you already know the dosage, so you don’t have to calculate it yourself.

CBD flowers can be more or less dry, depending on what they’re for. Flowers intended for dry herb vaporizers will usually be on the drier side compared to buds for rolling.

Rolling a CBD Joint

CBD buds are typically rolled the same way as weed. It takes some practice to perfect it, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t get it on your first try. To prepare your buds for smoking, you should:

  1. Crush or grind them using your fingers, scissors, or a grinder
  2. Place the crushed buds in the rolling paper, with the “glue” facing away from you
  3. Add a crutch or filter on one end
  4. Roll the paper around the contents, tucking in one end first and then the other
  5. Wet the tacky edge of the paper and seal the joint
  6. Light it up and smoke through the other end

Source: Kampus Production

Smoking CBD in a Pipe or Bong

You can also smoke CBD in a pipe or a bong. Some users prefer water-based devices because they filter the smoke and cool it down, making it less heavy on the lungs.

Here’s how you prepare CBD for pipe and bong smoking:

  1. If you’re using a bong or water pipe, fill the water chamber
  2. Grind or crush the CBD buds
  3. Place the grounds into the bowl
  4. Pack them tightly, but not too tightly, to allow oxygen to circulate through it
  5. Light the contents of the bowl and inhale through the mouthpiece
  6. If your device has a carb, cover it with your thumb to control the airflow and prevent smoke from escaping

If it’s your first time using a pipe or bong, take it easy and don’t inhale too much. The amount of smoke can be overwhelming for those who aren’t used to it and will likely induce coughing.

Source: Alexander Grey

How Much CBD Should You Smoke?

Several factors influence CBD’s effects and dosage:

  • CBD concentration—The less CBD the flower contains, the more of it you’ll need to achieve the same effect
  • The freshness of the product—CBD products lose potency over time
  • Weight and metabolism—Some users require larger doses than others
  • Diet—Eating a meal high in fat before smoking could boost and prolong the effect

If you’re a first-timer and generally healthy, it’s best to start with a smaller dose, up to 10–20 mg a day. After a week, you can double the dose. If you need to, continue increasing it weekly until you achieve the desired effect (i.e., less anxiety, better sleep, or pain relief).

It’s best to split the daily dose and smoke at different times of the day. Smoke CBD for at least 8 to 12 weeks to fully experience its impact. To get the most out of the cannabinoid, you should combine smoking with other consumption methods.

Determining the Dose

Calculating the dosage for smokable CBD is more complicated and not as precise as with other forms of CBD.

You should first check the label to find out the CBD content in your buds. Hemp high in CBD will typically yield buds with about 10% to 20% CBD, which is about 100 to 200 mg of CBD per gram.

One joint can hold about half a gram to a gram of buds, which means it can contain anywhere from 50 to 200 mg of CBD. If you’re a new user and that’s too high a dose for you, consider taking only a few tokes first. You can always smoke more if needed.

Alpine Brings Out the Best in Each Cannabinoid

Cannabidiol is one of over 500 compounds in Cannabis. To experience everything this amazing plant can offer, explore other cannabinoids and terpenes, as they have unique benefits.

Cannabinoids and terpenes go together like peanut butter and jelly—they’re great independently but even better when combined, making a delicious treat from an otherwise dull piece of bread. Cannabinoids are more potent when taken together, and terpenes enhance their effects further.

Alpine Live Resin Infused Hemp will let you experience the full potential of the entourage effect, bringing about an exhilarating and delicious buzz every time.

You can choose between vapes and Infused Gummies. The vapes give you more cannabinoid options and ensure a quick onset, but the gummies are better for discrete, on-the-go use. They also come in various flavors, so you’ll enjoy them even if you dislike the natural Cannabis taste.

Get To Know the Alpine Production Process

Alpine Live Resin Infused Hemp products conform to the highest standards of quality. Here’s how we produce them:

  1. We source our buds from small-batch cultivators from California’s Central Coast and the Emerald Triangle, who grow for terpene expression instead of THC content
  2. Harvesting is done when terps peak, which is two weeks before THC is at its highest
  3. Using the efficient hydrocarbon process, we extract live resin, leaving behind no impurities
  4. We extract the terpenes with the cold separation method, which allows us to preserve all notes, no matter how delicate

To make our signature vapes, we infuse the terpene gold into HHC, delta 8, and THC-O hemp-derived distillates and package them into custom-designed carts. They’re easy to use, optimized for seamless toking, and constructed to protect the purity of the vape juice.

By using them with our Apex batteries, you can personalize the settings to suit your preferences. Lower temperatures will ensure a powerful flavor, while higher ones will up the cloud size.

If you’re unsure which cannabinoid to pick, we recommend starting with delta 8 or HHC vapes. They’re not as potent as delta 9 THC and provide a mellow and pleasant buzz that is great for inexperienced users.

All Alpine products go through rigorous third-party lab testing to ensure they don’t contain any impurities, toxins, and other harmful or unwanted substances.

Source: Shop Alpine

Order Alpine Today for $10 Less

Buy your first Alpine product and save $10. Here’s how it works:

  1. Sign up on our website
  2. Get the promo code
  3. Use it to buy Alpine Live Resin Infused Hemp

If one of your friends joins our community and purchases an Alpine product, you’ll get another $10 coupon.

Don’t worry about the legality—we’ll inform you whether your state allows Alpine’s products as soon as you enter the delivery address.

Featured image source: Kampus Production