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CBD Bath Bombs Are…The Bomb – A Quick Dive Into The CBD Sensation

Bath bombs are a fantastic way to add some fizz to your tub treatment. But do you know what would make bath bombs even better? That’s right: CBD! Given the worldwide popularity of this non-intoxicating cannabinoid, it’s no surprise that many contemporary bath bombs include generous traces of CBD. Today, everyone could easily enjoy a sweet-smelling “CBD soak.”

Want to learn more about the CBD bath bomb bonanza? Keep reading to find out more info on the potential benefits of these bath bombs. In this post, we’ll also share a DIY CBD bath bomb recipe you could try at home.

Why Take Warm Baths With CBD Bath Bombs?

Warm baths are far from self-indulgent pampering sessions. Indeed, recent scientific research strongly suggests soaking in a hot tub might supercharge your health.

For instance, research out of Japan found that middle-aged patients who regularly took hot baths had a significantly lower risk of stroke and heart disease. Another fascinating study out of Germany suggested hot tubs had a better effect on mood than aerobic exercise.

So, it’s safe to say warm baths are pretty awesome on their own. However, adding a CBD bath bomb might add a further layer of relaxation.

Besides adding aromatics to your bath, CBD bath bombs might help deepen your sense of serenity. Interestingly, recent research suggests we have cannabinoid receptors on our skin. This means our pores might be able to absorb CBD from a bath bomb.We still don’t know all the intricacies of how CBD interacts with our skin, but there is some evidence that suggests it may have an anti-inflammatory effect. People with everyday aches and pains often notice a significant improvement after a CBD bath. Plus, some data suggests CBD might have a beneficial impact on common skin conditions like acne and psoriasis.

How Do I Use A CBD Bath Bomb?

Using a CBD bath bomb couldn’t be simpler. All you have to do is fill your bath with plenty of hot water and then place the bomb in the water. You should immediately start to hear a “sizzle” and see bubbles forming in the tub. Depending on what bath bomb you’re using, you might also smell pungent flavors like citrus or mint.

To experience the full benefits of your CBD bath bomb, we recommend staying in the tub for at least 25 minutes. After all, this is a relaxation session; take some time to savor the moment!

A Simple DIY CBD Bath Bomb Recipe

Although Dr. Ganja offers plenty of pre-made CBD bath bombs, we understand everyone has unique preferences. If you don’t see a CBD bath bomb that suits your needs, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this relaxing experience. Indeed, there are many easy ways you could create bath bombs with your preferred aromatics and CBD intensity.

Below, we’ll detail a basic CBD bath bomb recipe that you could use as a template.

CBD Bath Bomb Ingredients

• 8 ounces of baking soda
• 4 ounces of cornstarch
• 4 ounces of Epsom salt
• 4 ounces of citric acid
• 3 tablespoons of coconut oil
• ~2 ml of CBD oil or ~20 mg of CBD isolate powder
• 1 tablespoon of water
• At least five bath bomb molds

CBD Bath Bomb Recipe Directions

Once you’ve gathered all of the above ingredients, melt the coconut oil in the microwave until it reaches a liquid consistency. Add this coconut oil to a mason jar or a medium-sized measuring cup.

If you’re using CBD oil, then you should mix your preferred potency into the coconut oil. Although we suggest 2 ml, play around with different intensities until you find what suits your needs. You should also add the tablespoon of water to your oil.

Next, mix all of the dry ingredients (i.e., citric acid, baking soda, Epsom salt, and cornstarch) in a separate bowl. If you’re using CBD isolate powder rather than CBD oil, this is where you would place your CBD.

Now that you’ve got everything prepared, it’s time to slowly mix the wet ingredients into the powder. The crucial word here is “slowly.” If you pour in the coconut oil too fast, you’ll cause the citric acid and baking soda to bubble. Only place a few drops of oil into your bowl and whisk for at least 30 seconds before adding more.

When you’ve finished incorporating all of your oil into the dry ingredients, you should notice the powder has a “coarse sand” texture. Fill each side of one bath bomb mold to the brim with the powder. Firmly press the two molds together and let this mixture sit for at least one night.

On the following morning, carefully twist off your molds and remove your CBD bath bomb. To preserve their potency, store your CBD bath bombs in airtight containers or plastic bags in a reliably dry area.

FYI: Dr. Ganja offers both CBD isolate powder and CBD oils for sale. Be sure to click this link if you’re interested in CBD isolate or this link to browse our CBD oil catalog.

Simple Ways To Add Spice To Your CBD Bath Bomb Recipe

As mentioned above, our CBD bath bomb recipe only contains the bare minimum necessary to make a bath bomb. Although you’ll enjoy Epsom salt and CBD’s effects with this mix, it won’t provide the fragrant flavors many customers crave. Thankfully, there are plenty of easy ways to add some color and aroma to your beautiful bath bombs. 

For instance, consider adding a few teaspoons of your favorite essential oil to the wet ingredients. There are many fantastic oils available, but here are a few trendy suggestions to inspire your imagination:

• Lemongrass oil
• Eucalyptus oil
• Peppermint oil
• Rosemary oil
• Lavender oil
• Ginger oil

In addition to essential oils, many people like to add a splash of food coloring to their wet ingredients. Food coloring makes your bath bombs breathtaking to behold, and it could help you distinguish between different aromas.

How many drops of food coloring you add depends on how dark you want the color to appear. Usually, you’ll notice a subtle shade with 5 – 10 drops. If you use 15 – 20 drops, however, you’ll notice a deeper hue.

Note: if you’re using CBD oil, you might notice a few splotches of yellow on your final bath bomb. Although this doesn’t change the bomb’s effects, some people don’t like these slightly jarring patches. The best way to mask these “CBD stains” is to use 20 drops of dark food coloring like blue or green.

Could You Control A CBD Bath Bomb’s “Fizz Rate?”

If you find that your CBD bath bombs are dissolving too fast for your taste, here’s an easy way to adjust its “fizz rate:” add more cornstarch. Remember, the active ingredients are citric acid and baking soda. The only substance that’s buffering this chemical reaction is cornstarch. Hence, adding more cornstarch slows the rate of “fizziness.”

Experiment with adding cornstarch by 2 ounces and see if the bath bomb sizzles at a steadier rate. If you want a long-acting CBD bath bomb, bump up the cornstarch to a max of 8 ounces.

CBD Isolate vs. CBD Oil – What Works Better In A Bomb?

You could use either CBD oil or CBD isolate to create a successful CBD bath bomb. However, that doesn’t mean these two products are interchangeable.

The most significant difference between these products has to do with purity. CBD isolate powders are as close to 100 percent CBD you’ll ever find. CBD oils, on the other hand, have varying degrees of purity. Indeed, many full-spectrum CBD oils include secondary hemp cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids.

The benefit of using these full-spectrum oils is that you might experience the “entourage effect.” People who support the entourage effect theory posit that the compounds naturally present in hemp work synergistically to create a more profound therapeutic benefit.

Although the entourage effect is a big draw for some, others prefer the purity of CBD isolate powder. Plus, since CBD isolate is odorless and tasteless, you don’t have to worry about trace terpenes clashing with your essential oils.

CBG Bath Bombs – Is This For Real?

Even though CBD is having its moment in the sun, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other non-intoxicating cannabinoids worthy of attention. For instance, the cannabinoid cannabigerol (CBG) is already causing quite a commotion in cannabis enthusiast circles.

Interestingly, CBG in its acidic state is the precursor to CBD and THC. As the hemp plant matures, however, CBG-A tends to break down into CBD-A, which means there’s little CBG left when hemp is harvested.

However, due to the recent surge in demand, many cultivators are deliberately harvesting cannabis early to squeeze out maximum CBG content. You can even find a few CBG isolate powders and oils on Dr. Ganja’s website.At this point, we still don’t know a great deal about CBG’s healing potential, but it does seem to have anti-inflammatory benefits. If you’re interested in testing CBG’s effects, you could easily add one of our CBG products to your bath bomb in lieu of CBD.

Soothe Your Strains With Dr. Ganja’s CBD Bath Bombs

Even though making DIY CBD bath bombs isn’t challenging, it could feel like a chore if you want immediate relaxation. Luckily for all you lazy folks, Dr. Ganja now has a fantastic pre-made CBD bath bomb catalog. Whether you want a formula to help you sleep, boost your immunity, or rejuvenate your senses, you’ll find a brilliant CBD bath bomb blend on our website. For more details on our CBD bath bomb catalog, be sure to click this link.

This is a CBD dosing chart that you can use to determine the right amount of CBD to give your pet. It’s important to understand there is no one size fits all approach. Certain factors that go in to determining how much CBD to give your dog or cat include, the pets weight, age and state of health.

CBD Dosing Chart for Cats (per day recommendations)

CBD Dosing Chart for Dogs (per day recommendations)

CBD comes in many different forms. Those various forms are different for good reasons. Not all those reasons are interchangeable. Different kinds of CBD address different needs. Some CBD products are topical, some are edible, still others are smokable.

Topical CBD targets specific areas of physical pain. Edibles distribute throughout the body via the digestive system. CBD that someone can smoke or vape provides faster results than topicals or edibles. Edible CBD and smokable products both provide general relief for body and mind.

Straight CBD oil is generally an edible in liquid form. CBD vape juice is a liquid made for vaping. Users may confuse the terms CBD oil and CBD vaporizer juice. They are actually two very different things with very different uses.

Someone shopping for CBD may have questions like ‘Can you vape CBD oil’? Are there differences between CBD oil and CBD vape juice? There are clear answers to these and other questions. CBD buyers need to be aware of these differences to make informed decisions.

It makes sense to look at these two types of CBD and try to understand the reasons they are different.

What is CBD oil?

CBD oils or CBD tinctures usually get taken orally. Most often, users place CBD oil drops under the tongue. From there the CBD passes right into the blood stream. Elsewise users might find CBD oil placed in capsules or used to make edible treats, and then ingested.

Oils and tinctures are either made from CBD isolate or hemp oil containing CBD. CBD isolate is a powder that is sometimes added to a digestible oil. Some CBD producers use carrier oils such as coconut oil or olive oil. Food oils high in MCT, or medium chain triglyceride, fats boost digestion and the benefits of CBD.

Hemp oil with CBD is a liquid and can be full or broad spectrum. Full spectrum CBD oil contains other nutrients and cannabinoids. Full spectrum CBD products are legally required to stay within the federal limit of 0.03% THC or less. Broad spectrum CBD oil has some nutrients and cannabinoids but zero THC.

With CBD oil explained, the next question is ‘what is CBD vape juice’?

What is CBD vape juice or CBD e-liquid?

As noted, CBD vape juice is different from plain CBD oil or CBD tincture. The CBD oil in e-liquid uses a thinner oil that burns easily. The most common oils used in CBD vape juices are vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol. Both of these are generally considered safe to ingest. So, yes, someone could drink CBD vape juice with no ill effects.

Most food grade oils are too thick and syrupy to burn effectively. Further, they could damage the user’s vaping device by clogging up the heating coil. Thicker oil produces more acrid smoke. This harsh smoke could damage lungs. Makers use specially formulated CBD vape juice to produce breathable vapor clouds. Vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol are thinner oils and thus ideal for vaping.

The advantage to using CBD vape juice or CBD e-liquid is that inhaling CBD is more effective. The body receives 50 or 60 percent of the total CBD in the vapor, four times as much from ingestion.  Vaping the right oil allows for easy intake through the lungs.

What are the negative effects of vaping CBD oil?

Besides lung irritation, vaping unsuitable CBD oil can produce other negative effects. Respiratory problems such as asthma and allergies might result from prolonged use. Thicker, more viscus smoke could produce feelings of nausea and dizziness. Headaches sometimes result from inhaling harsh smoke. Reduced efficiency of medical benefits from CBD is another obvious minus.

Using anything other than specific CBD vape juice is likewise hard on vape pens. Standard CBD oil will not only clog coils but cause the battery to work harder to heat the thicker oil.

Considering the damage to health and equipment, vaping straight CBD oil isn’t worth it!

How to know if a CBD product is vapable or not?

Look for CBD products with lighter vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol. Anything else is too thick and probably meant for ingesting.

Manufacturers should specify CBD vape juice, or CBD e-liquid. The label should state whether the product is okay for vaping. The industry is not always standard when it comes to enforcing clear product labels.

It is a wise idea to read product labels and online descriptions carefully.

Can users mix CBD hemp oil with vape juice?

Vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol are not really oils. Those CBD carrier liquids are instead specialized sugars with oil-like consistencies. Mixing in a thicker liquid like CBD hemp oil will lead to an uneven mixture that still burns with more acrid smoke. Adding CBD vape juice to other vaping products like flavored e-liquids is fine, but never mix in CBD oil. Any amount of slow-burning oil, like CBD tincture or oil could damage lungs and equipment alike.

Conclusion

One might ask, ‘Why shouldn’t you vape CBD oil?’ The answer is that CBD oil isn’t made for vaping. Manufacturers make CBD e-liquid to vaporize and distribute CBD in a thin cloud. Thin vapor clouds are suitable for inhaling. Thick, burning CBD oil smoke is not. The negatives of burning CBD oil outweigh any potential positives. With CBD juices made to vaporize, there is no need to risk burning CBD oil or CBD tincture.

Those who wonder ‘Can I vape CBD oil?’ should do a little research before attempting to do so. Sure, someone could put CBD tincture in a vape pen, but the results would not be what they wanted. CBD vape juice might help people deal with many issues such as chronic pain and depression. Vaping CBD provides potent and fast relief. But CBD oil and CBD tincture are for oral consumption only.

There are many ways to dose with CBD. Choosing the right method for a particular problem is the way to enjoy cannabidiol. Topicals work on the specific source of pain. Edibles and other oral CBD solutions are great for general relief. Vaping CBD is a good medicine when used correctly. Ingesting CBD oil and vaping CBD e-liquid, or CBD vape juice, will work the best. A little knowledge is key to enjoying the beneficial effects of vaping CBD.

By now, it’s likely that you’ve either heard from friends, read mind-blowing testimonials, or seen celebrities post about CBD oil. But, there’s a new product hitting the hemp scene these days — CBG oil.

In this article, we’re going to explore the definition of CBG. We’ll tell you how it differs from CBD, talk about its uses, then end with some helpful buying tips and tricks.

What Is CBG Oil?

First off, let’s talk about the phytocannabinoid, CBG (cannabigerol), before we discuss CBG oil. Cannabigerol is one of the fundamental plant particles in hemp. It’s also found in some marijuana strains. But, in this article, we’re going to talk about CBG in the context of hemp. Researchers found that cannabigerol is non-psychoactive and deemed safe for consumption.

Furthermore, CBG sits at the hierarchy of the hemp plant’s chemical structure. In other words, CBG is responsible for the birth of all other phytocannabinoids (cannabinoids for short). Without CBG, there would be no CBD, no THC, and no CBC. Clearly, this is an important cannabinoid.  

Given its extreme value, manufactures are now making CBG oil for consumers who want to improve their health using botanical-based products. To make the oil, they start by growing or sourcing hemp strains that have high concentrations of cannabigerol. Then, they extract the plant’s phytochemicals. This can include CBG, other cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, omega fatty acids, and more.

This extract is added to a carrier oil, such as coconut, olive, or avocado oil. A carrier oil helps with the bioavailability and digestibility of CBG as well as the other beneficial plant properties.

The example we just gave describes a full-spectrum CBG oil. Your other choices when scouting the best CBG oils available include broad-spectrum and isolate.

But, what makes CBG oil different than CBD oil? Thought you would never ask!

What’s the Difference: CBG vs CBD

We talked a lot about CBG. So, let’s switch gears and discuss CBD for a bit. CBD (cannabidiol) is another primary cannabinoid in the hemp plant. Like CBG, cannabidiol is also non-psychoactive and federally legal in the U.S. to consume.

It’s gained a lot of attention over the last few years because many people are experiencing relief from some of their uncomfortable ailments.

Not only is CBD popular with consumers, but it also caught the interest of the World Health Organization (WHO). In fact, the WHO published a critical review report on CBD in July 2018. They concluded that CBD was safe, well-tolerated, had no potential for abuse, and exhibited very few side effects.

Research on CBG isn’t as in-depth as the research on CBD, so as of now, there’s no critical review report on cannabigerol. However, with the rise in CBG popularity, more research and studies are in the works.

Even with limited research, we’re still privy to the major difference between CBG vs CBD. Want to know what that is?

In short, the difference between these two cannabinoids is how they each interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system is a biological regulatory mechanism. It maintains the internal balance in our bodies, known as homeostasis.

The interaction CBD and CBG have with our ECS is why we can feel effects when consuming products that contain these cannabinoids. But, each of them has their own unique relationship with the ECS. We’re going to explain all the specifics now.

CBG Effects: How This Cannabinoid Impacts the Body

CBG impacts the body through its interaction with the ECS. This system consists of enzymes, cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2), and endocannabinoids. The two major endocannabinoids are anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG).

When you consume CBG oil or another form of CBG, it binds with and activates the cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. The majority of these receptors are found in cell membranes throughout the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the immune system. 

The binding to, and activation of these receptors, directly impact the health of your central nervous system and immune system. Needless to say, this is a pretty big deal. And it’s the reason CBG effects are so powerful.

In contrast, ingesting, smoking, or topically applying CBD has a different impact on the ECS. CBD doesn’t have the same binding affinity to C1 and CB2 the way CBG does. The effects of CBD are more indirect in nature. Actually, CBD has a greater effect on the endocannabinoid, anandamide (AEA), than it does with CB1 and CB2.

Anandamide, known as the ‘bliss molecule’, increases dopamine, our ‘feel-good’ transmitter. When supplementing with CBD, anandamide stays in the body longer, helping to improve our mood.

CBG Oil Benefits and Uses

Scientific studies speak a lot about the benefits of CBG oil. We actually wrote an article to highlight some of the most astounding studies on CBG oil benefits to date. 

With the recent crackdown from the FDA (Food & Drug Administration), we feel its best to point you towards these studies rather than summarize their findings in this blog. Until the FDA starts regulating CBD and CBG derived products as dietary supplements or drugs, we can’t make any medical claims. Even quoting scientific studies and journals has caused problems for some companies.

However, we can talk about CBG oil uses, an exciting topic no doubt! Given the infancy of CBG popularity, not a lot of brands carry CBG oil — yet. The brands that do carry it, generally offer CBG oil as full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or isolates. Then there are the innovative brands that developed hybrid CBG oil (50% CBG and 50% CBD).

Besides taking CBG oil sublingually, under your tongue, you can also use CBG oil to make a skincare product, homemade edible, or drizzle some on your salad or toast.

What to Consider When Buying CBG Oil?

A lot of thought usually goes into buying a wellness product. CBG oil is no different. It’s always a good idea to know exactly what you’re putting inside your body.

When you’re looking at different CBG oils it’s helpful to keep these pointers handy.

• Find out where the company sources its hemp. The best quality hemp generally grows in the United States and Northern Europe. 
• Read the list of ingredients carefully. The best CBD oil products keep it clean and simple. Look for products without preservatives, additives, coloring, or artificial flavorings.   
• Track down the Certificate of Analysis (COA). This is the name of a report issued by an independent third-party lab. It will show you how much CBG is inside the bottle. Take this number (in mg) and compare it to the number of mg of CBG shown on the product label. If the company pays for a full panel of testing, the COA will also show you if the CBG oil has heavy metals, pesticides, residual solvents, mycotoxins, and other contaminants. 
• See what other customers have to say. Reviews and testimonials can help in your decision-making process.

Final Thoughts

Legalizing industrial hemp at the federal level was a huge milestone for the United States. The reach of holistic and therapeutic wellness products has significantly increased since then. First with CBD and now with CBG. What an awesome time to be alive!

Comment below with your questions on CBG oil.

Cough syrup is something that most people are familiar with, but what is CBD syrup? CBD hemp syrup comes in a variety of flavors and users often mix it in food and drinks or take it straight. Like cough syrup, people take CBD syrup for health reasons. Hemp syrup may be an easy source of CBD for treating pain, inflammation, insomnia and stress.

CBD is not for everyone. It divides the medical community, and the FDA won’t yet sanction CBD. But there are those who swear by cannabidiol to treat many mild to serious conditions. Anyone can dose CBD in various ways. CBD users can smoke or vape, spread on it on the skin, eat or drink it. CBD syrup is a means of ingesting CBD. There are some considerations to weigh in deciding whether to buy CBD syrup.

1) What are the Reported Benefits of CBD Syrup?

To understand CBD syrup effects, it’s necessary to know how CBD affects the body and mind. CBD works with the body’s own endocannabinoid system to do things like lessen pain and swelling. CBD may also relax the mind and balance physical function. Some users take CBD to reduce nausea and increase appetite. There are conditions like insomnia, arthritis, depression, and sleep disorders treatable with CBD.

What CBD syrup won’t do is get someone high. Unless they mix it with something narcotic, CBD is non-psychoactive. There are also few reported side effects of hemp-based products like CBD syrup.

2) How is CBD Syrup Made?

CBD syrup is made from activated cannabis material, specifically oil from hemp. CBD from hemp must meet a federal legal limit of 0.3% THC or less.  Producers use a variety of methods to extract CBD oil, which is then added to a syrup base. The syrup base consists of sugar and water with some kind of flavoring usually added. Users could then infuse the completed CBD syrup into foods or beverages – or take as-is.

3) What are the Different Kinds of CBD Syrup?

CBD syrup comes bottled straight or with other medicines or herbs added. The other substances added to CBD hemp syrup depend on the effects promoted. For example, some syrups have added melatonin to promote sleep. Others may add herbs like valerian for relaxation.

There are also full spectrum and broad spectrum CBD syrups, depending on the kind of oil used to make. Full spectrum CBD oil has everything found in hemp plants – terpenes, essential oils, and other cannabinoids. Full spectrum oil also contains trace amounts of THC. But broad spectrum has no THC, otherwise they are similar. There is also CBD syrup made from isolate – that’s just CBD with all other compounds removed.

The best way to know exactly what is in CBD hemp syrup is to read product labels or online descriptions.

4) How Much CBD is in Each Dose of Syrup?

CBD syrup dosage effects will vary from brand to brand, sometimes within the same brand. One reason for this would be different strengths or concentrations of CBD per dose. To calculate the total strength of CBD hemp syrup, divide the number of servings to get the potency of each dose. For instance, a 2-ounce bottle of Cloud N9ne CBD syrup has four servings per bottle. With a total of 60 milligrams per bottle, that means that each dose of Cloud N9ne has 15mg. Yet, a 4-ounce bottle of Hemps Bombs relaxation syrup has 100mg of CBD. Hemp Bombs relaxation syrup has four servings per bottle for a strength of 25mg each.

5) How Much CBD Syrup Can a Person Take on a Daily Basis?

There are no FDA guidelines on how much CBD syrup, or CBD anything, someone can take. Determining CBD dosing first involves knowing the exact concentration of CBD. The user’s weight and metabolism are also factors. Finally, the reason for use may also dictate the dose.

As far as what level of CBD is safe, even doses as high as 1500mg per day should be tolerable. That goes for CBD syrup or any CBD product. It’s advisable to consult with your doctor before medicating any condition with CBD.

Some general guidelines for single doses are:

6) Is it Okay to Mix CBD syrup with alcohol?

There is no simple answer to this question. On the one hand, both CBD and alcohol can be sedating. One negative of mixing CBD with liquor is possible motor skill impairment. Adding CBD to alcoholic drinks could worsen fuzzy thinking. Thus, CBD may increase the deleterious effect of alcohol.

Yet, CBD combined with booze may reduce the risk of liver disease. Other potential pluses include lower blood alcohol levels and combating alcohol addiction.

Concern over the effects of CBD syrup with alcohol suggests it’s best to avoid the combination.

7) Where Can Someone Buy Their Own CBD syrup?

Buyers find CBD syrup offline at many health food stores and some pharmacies. Sometimes manufacturers sell direct to consumers.Online websites like Dr. Ganja carry a variety of cannabidiol products like CBD syrup.

Generally, CBD syrup bottle sizes range between 2 to 6 ounces with concentrations of up to 120mg. Prices will vary widely. Online you can get a 2-ounce 60mg CBD syrup for $12.50 with free shipping.  It would be wise to read a CBD syrup review or two to help you decide which brand to buy.

Conclusion

CBD syrup is one way to dose cannabidiol. CBD syrup is hemp oil blended with a syrup base and then flavored. It is popular because users take it directly or mixed into other beverages. CBD hemp syrup comes in different flavors, various sizes and different concentrations. Package labels and CBD syrup reviews help shoppers decide which product to try.

Despite doubts about the reported benefits of CBD, some users swear by CBD syrup effects. Many people like using CBD syrup for treating anxiety, pain, and other conditions. They feel they can dose without worrying about side effects. Those who have used CBD and like the results will find CBD syrup easy to use and flavorful.

Have you wondered why so many people talk about CBD? You’re not alone. The Dr.Ganja team talks about it all the time too! We love how versatile CBD is. You can find it in everything from gummies, tea, and vape pens, to infused lotions and bath bombs.

Its versatility is one of the reasons it appeals to so many people. Also, CBD is highly appreciated for its therapeutic properties. Yet, one area that’s a bit undiscovered is CBD flower and the various strains it produces.

In this comparative guide, we’ll introduce you to some of the best CBD hemp strains around. We’ll explain what CBD flower is, how people use it, and the different characteristics and effects strains have.

We hope to give you a better understanding of CBD flower types, so you’ll have the confidence to pick out your ideal strain(s).

Let’s get to it, shall we?

What is CBD Flower?

CBD buds are flowers of the female hemp plant. They’re grown to contain high levels of cannabidiol, and low levels of THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid primarily found in marijuana strains. Although hemp and marijuana may appear similar, they’re in fact very different flowers.

What is CBD Flower Used For?

CBD flower has gained tremendous interest from people around the world. It’s also starting to become a substitute for smoking weed and tobacco cigarettes. That’s because it contains less than 0.3% THC and is non-habit forming, unlike tobacco.

Some common ways to use CBD flower include, vaping, smoking, and making your own CBD oil. The CBD oil can then be added to bake edibles or used in a topical salve or lotion recipe.

CBD Strain Types and Their Characteristics

In the list below, you’ll find important details about the different types of CBD flower and their characteristics.

1. Hawaiian Haze CBD Flower

Appearance & Smell

The first impression of Hawaiian Haze CBD flower will have you in awe. This strain has green and orange hairs sprinkled with crystal-like trichomes, for quality to you can actually see. The smell offers a strong mix of florals and fruits along with hints of citrus.

Hawaiian Haze CBD Effects

It offers a relaxing and daydreamy effect. You’ll also find yourself feeling happy, mentally uplifted, and energetic.

Price Range

3.5 to 28 grams: $20 to $79

2. Divine Goddess CBD Flower

Appearance & Smell

As the name implies, this strain has a divine appearance. It truly is one of a kind. Divine Goddess is dark green and covered with light and dark forest like tones. The scent is of sandalwood and pine. Finally, it has a smokey herbal taste with hints of cedar and sweetgrass.

Divine Goddess CBD Effects

If taken before bed, this CBD flower gives a euphoric feeling helping to ease oneself into a peaceful night’s sleep. If smoked in the morning the initial headrush will be replaced with a burst of energy.

Price Range

3.5 to 28 grams: $25 – $85

3. Remedy CBD Flower

Appearance & Smell

With its small to medium size flowers, Remedy CBD flower is easily recognizable with its spring green color and hints of yellow pistils. Dense nuggets are surrounded by translucent trichomes and smell like woodsy outdoors.

Remedy CBD Effects

Well known for its therapeutic effects, this strain has been said to offer feelings of sleepiness, relaxation, and stress relief. It has anti-inflammatory properties as well.

Price Range

3.5 to 28 grams: $25 – $109

4. Sour Space Candy CBD

Appearance & Smell

With beautifully dense nuggets, Sour Space Candy CBD flower lives up to its name of being out of this world. Its orange hairs stand out and they smell like zesty lemons with a hint of earthy undertones.

Sour Space Candy CBD Effects

Sour Space Candy offers uplifting and energetic feelings of happiness. What follows is a warm sense of relaxation and calm. It’s a great strain for assisting in a variety of health conditions.

Price Range

3.5 to 28 grams: $20 – $79

5. Suver Haze CBD Flower

Appearance & Smell

This CBD flower’s lime green leaves and orange hairs are intertwined within the bud, making it pleasing to the eyes. The flower has a very strong intoxicating aroma, mixed with grass and fruit that will catch you by surprise.

Suver Haze CBD Effects

Because of its high CBD content, this strain is known for its relaxing effects. Pain and anxiety can simply drift away as if they were never there. This flower is also used for a sleep aid.

Price Range

3.5 to 28 grams: $20 – $79

6. Bubba Kush CBD Flower

Appearance & Smell

Earthy, with a hint of pine, the smell of Bubba Kush CBD flower is undeniable. When you hold some of the buds in your hands, you’ll be amazed by their bulkiness. Beautiful dark greens and hints of purple mesmerize you as you get a closer look at this masterpiece.

Bubba Kush CBD Effects

Delivering calming energy, this CBD strain immediately greets you with serenity. The mind and body become one, as you relax and allow the mind to become quiet.

Price Range

3.5 to 28 grams: $25 – $95

7. Special Sauce CBD Flower

Appearance & Smell

This is a very unique CBD strain, which is the reason why it received the name ‘Special Sauce’. Berry and vanilla undertones keep you coming back for more. It’s small to medium nugs boast the colors of green, orange, and brown, and the occasional purple.

Special Sauce CBD Effects

When you consume Special Sauce CBD flower, you may experience an overall lightness in your body. That’s because this strain can help relieve pain and promote restful, deep sleep. Intense feelings of happiness and joy tend to accompany your relaxed state of being.

Price Range

3.5 to 28 grams: $25 – $95

8. Elektra CBD Flower

Appearance & Smell

Elektra CBD flower smells like pine and fruit. It’s one of the most aromatic strains on the market with a gorgeous presentation to match. With a sticky to the touch feel, the bright green, and densely rich nuggets are visually appealing.

Elektra CBD Effects

This strain is potent, so it can help reduce everyday body aches and pains while promoting a calming effect on the mind and body. Elektra is the ‘go-to’ flower when you want to relax.

Price Range

3.5 to 28 grams: $20 – $79

In Summary

There are several types of CBD flower and they all vary in their smell, appearance, and therapeutic effects. You can smoke or vape CBD flower, or use it to make oil and topicals.

CBD flower is one more way to experience the beneficial properties of cannabidiol while adding delicious, fast-acting effects into the mix. It’s also available at Dr.Ganja. Check out the options we have, read the reviews from happy customers, and try some for yourself. Enter coupon code “yoga” during checkout to save some dough!

What’s not to love about dogs? They show us unconditional love, they give us companionship, and they’re our loyal best friends. In short, they’re part of the family.

So, it’s only natural to want the best for them, right? Of course!

To show our pet’s love, we make sure they get lots of playtime, cuddles, and healthy food. Another way to show we care is to give them natural, botanical supplements, such as CBD.

CBD oil for dogs is a popular choice compared to conventional meds. And many pet owners around the world are using it. The research on CBD is still growing, yet the current studies show great promise.

In this article, you’ll learn several helpful tips about buying a CBD product for your dog. It includes advice on what to look for in a product, its benefits, dosing recommendations, and much more.

Let’s get started!

10 things you should know before buying CBD oil for your pet

1. CBD is not psychoactive or addictive

The cannabis plant has more than a hundred cannabinoids, including THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (Cannabidiol). These are the most common and well-known cannabinoids. THC has psychoactive properties that make users high, while CBD doesn’t.

Many CBD oil products for pets only contain 0% to 0.3% THC. With such minute levels of THC, your pet is not at risk of getting high or becoming addicted to CBD.

2. It’s safe and has very few side effects

Scientific evidence from canine trials shows that CBD is safe. Research also found that CBD oil given to dogs resulted in few to no side effects. These studies, which we reference below, were short term in duration. One took place over four weeks and the other one over 12 weeks.

So, as of now, the long-term effects of giving your dog CBD oil is not completely known. If you have any concerns about giving your dog CBD, speak with your veterinarian first. Also, please speak with your veterinarian about CBD if your pet is taking any prescription medications.

3. Look at the level of THC

Under the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, industrial hemp can only contain 0.3% THC by dry weight. As such, make sure the CBD product’s label shows less than 0.3% THC.

Even better, look at the THC level on the ‘Cannabinoid Profile.’ This is a lab test that the most reputable CBD companies have performed. It will show the different levels of cannabinoids, such as THC and CBD, for the product being tested.

It’s important to look at this profile because high levels of THC can be toxic to your pet.

4. Request and read the COA lab reports

A COA, or Certificate of Analysis, is a report that shows the results of lab testing. Here are some examples of lab tests performed on CBD products:

• Cannabinoid profile and potency
• Heavy metal analysis
• Microbiological contaminants
• Pesticide analysis
• Terpenes profile

Paying for third-party labs testing is what separates good CBD companies from great ones. Because the CBD industry is not regulated, anyone can sell a product and claim that it’s CBD.

COAs give consumers reassurance over what they’re buying and is the only way to truly know what’s inside a CBD pet product.

5. Check the concentration of CBD

The potency of CBD oil the total amount of CBD per bottle, shown in milligrams. For a CBD pet tincture to benefit your dog’s health, the potency should be high enough to actually have value.

Therefore, look for products that contain between 250 mg to 1,000 mg of CBD per fluid ounce (or 30 mL).

6. Start low, go slow

The first time you give your dog CBD oil, administer a low dose. It takes time to find your dog’s ideal dose. To get there, it’s best to start low and then slowly work your way towards a higher dose.

For CBD dosing guidance, refer to our chart below.

7. Difference between full-spectrum CBD and CBD isolates

A full-spectrum CBD oil contains more than just CBD. It also contains plant compounds like cbd terpenes and other cannabinoids, such as CBC, CBN, and CBDA. These active compounds create the “entourage effect”, which increases the CBD’s efficacy.

Conversely, CBD isolates only contain CBD. Everything else gets removed from the oil. Another name for CBD isolate is “THC-free”.

8. Confirm the source of CBD

Before you buy CBD oil for your dog, verify its source. CBD either comes from hemp plants or marijuana plants. So, make sure the product is a hemp-derived CBD oil, tincture or treat. Otherwise, you may end up with a product high in THC.

9. Pay attention to “other” ingredients

Analyzing the list of ingredients in CBD oil is just as important as reading the list of ingredients in dog food. The goal of CBD is to enhance or improve your pet’s health, and certain ingredients, such as preservatives, additives, and fillers can get in the way of that goal.

10. Delivery methods offer different bioavailabilities

Oil, tinctures, pet treats, and salves are the most common delivery methods for CBD. Products with the best bioavailability and absorption rates include oils and tinctures. Following behind them are dog treats and finally salves, or creams.

Bioavailability relates to the body’s ability to digest and absorb the beneficial properties of CBD. Take this into account before deciding on the type of CBD product to get your pet.

Benefits of CBD oil for dogs

Many scientific journals and studies reveal that CBD oil has numerous health benefits.

Although the majority of the subjects in these studies were humans, several of these benefits may apply to your pets as well.

Because of CBD’s therapeutic potential, some dog parents turn to CBD oil and tinctures as a natural alternative to prescription medications.

Here is a list of potential benefits of CBD oil for dogs:

• Reduces separation anxiety
• Improves socialization
• Reduces epileptic seizures
• Reduces chronic inflammation and pain
• Regulates nausea and vomiting while stimulating appetite
• Promotes homeostasis, or internal balance
• Increase activity and comfort in dogs with osteoarthritis

The 2016 scientific report published by the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, captured consumer opinions about using hemp products for their pet’s health. 

Of the 631 respondents, more than half said they’re currently using a CBD hemp product for their dog. 

These same participants were later asked about their motivation for using a hemp-based product, like CBD oil for their pet. 60.4% use hemp because it’s a product that comes from natural sources.

Potential side effects

In its Critical Review Report on Cannabidiol (CBD), the World Health Organization (WHO) found that CBD is “well tolerated and has no signs of toxicity or serious side effects.” The WHO also reported that CBD has a good safety profile.

Yet, like any supplement, there’s a chance your dog might experience minor side effects. Some reported side effects from dog owners include; fatigue, dry mouth, and drowsiness.

Most of the time, side effects result from improper dosing. When you scale down the dose, side effects generally dissipate.

Studies and clinical trials on CBD safety in dogs

Stephanie McGrath, veterinarian and assistant professor at Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, performed a clinical trial on the short-term effects of CBD oil on dogs with epileptic seizures.

The study examined 16 dogs with intractable idiopathic epilepsy. Nine dogs were placed in the CBD group, while the other seven dogs were placed in the placebo group. Over the 12 week trial, 89% of the dogs in the CBD group experienced a reduction in seizure frequency.

At the conclusion of the study, McGrath said, “I feel really comfortable at this point, given all of our clinical trials and our initial research, that it’s a safe product.” Of course, the ‘it’ she’s referring to is CBD oil.

In a separate study, Joe Wakshlag, associate professor at Cornell University, evaluated the efficacy of CBD oil for dogs with osteoarthritis.

Dogs in the placebo-controlled, double-blind study received 2 mg/kg of CBD oil or a placebo every 12 hours. After four weeks, there were no observable side effects. Also, pain levels decreased and activity levels increased in the dogs who received CBD oil.

As research continues to emerge, more and more will be understood about the effects CBD oil has on your pets.

CBD dosing recommendations

Before giving CBD oil to your dog, let’s cover a few important points about dosing. As with any new food, supplement, or medicine you give your dog, it’s best to start low and slow.

The same goes for CBD oil. Start with a low dose once a day, and observe how your dog responds.

If all is well after a few days of taking the CBD oil, you can administer the same dose twice a day. Once in the morning and once at night.

For specific guidance, this chart provides dosing recommendations based on your dog’s weight. Use the low dose column when introducing CBD oil to your pet for the first time.

A low dose given twice daily is sufficient for your dog’s general well-being. However, if your pet has a chronic illness, gradually work the dosage up to the amount in the high dose column.

Final thoughts

Scientific research and clinical trials show that CBD oil for dogs is well-tolerated, safe, and has zero to few side effects. Therefore, it has the potential to be a beneficial supplement for your dog.

Before you buy a CBD product, review this list of recommendations one more time. And go ahead and reference the dosing chart when you’re ready to start your dog on CBD.

Disclaimer

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The CBD products mentioned in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

Sickness sucks, but so do some medicinal side effects! Common prescriptions commonly have negative reactions like nervousness, tremors, allergic reactions, loss of appetite, nausea, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. Fortunately, there is at least one solution for a number of physical conditions ranging from mild to serious that has a limited risk and a small number of potential side effects: CBD. To be fair, there are rare occasions when cannabidiol has made someone sleepy or have a touch of dry mouth, and extremely rarely someone gets itchy or has stomach upset. Compared to traditional medicines, cannabidiol is a safer and more natural alternative medication.

Now that cannabis in both hemp and marijuana forms is becoming more legalized, less vilified or stigmatized by society, products with CBD isolate and full-spectrum hemp have grown hugely popular. Hemp products have begun appearing in pharmacies, health food stores, and even grocery stores like Kroger.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol, is a cannabinoid that is non-psychoactive, unlike the related cannabis compound THC that produces the high associated with marijuana. CBD can be sourced from either marijuana or hemp. If it’s from a pot plant then it’s a CBD isolate. If it’s full-spectrum hemp CBD then it contains dozens of cannabinoids – but only .03% THC or less legally – with CBD comprising 90% of the cannabinoid content. Hemp-derived CBD also contains essential vitamins and minerals, fatty acids, protein, chlorophyll, fiber, flavonoids, and terpenes. Cannabidiol has become renowned as a cure or treatment for a number of physical ailments and health concerns, as well as a supplement for balanced body function.

There are so many different ways to experience the health benefits of cannabidiol that it can be a little mind-boggling to figure out which way to take CBD isolate, or full-spectrum hemp. What way is best for you? After all, you can smoke it, vape it, take it as a tincture or in capsules, eat it infused in food, rub it on as part of a skin cream or wear a dermal patch.

There are as many ways to dose yourself with cannabidiol as there are common ailments that its been know to help with, such as chronic pain, anxiety and depression. Cannabidiol may also treat cancer symptoms and alleviate side effects of chemotherapy like nausea and vomiting. Cannabidiol may significantly reduce inflammation, quiet insomnia, and is thought to have productive properties useful for treating neurological disorders like epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. With so many options, how do you decide which way is the best way to take CBD for what ails you?

How to CBD, Let Us Count the Ways

There are several considerations as you ponder which way to take CBD. What are you taking cannabidiol for? How fast do you need it to take effect? How often will you be using it? Is discretion a concern? Do you need a solution that is portable that you can take when you’re on-the-go?

People as patients have different needs and different responses to cannabidiol, so it’s important for you to carefully determine what works for you in whatever situation you find yourself in. It takes some finesse and patience, because what works for someone else may not be the best fit for you. With some head knowledge and probably a little trial-and-error, you can tailor your usage to get the right effect for your own personal needs.

Dosing can be very specific for different problems and for different people, everybody’s needs and physiology are a little different. Many medical doctors and nurses are accepting of CBD and hemp oil use, nowadays, and they may have some recommendations for you. It never hurts to get some sound medical advice, and health care professionals may have familiarity with your treatment history, other medications you may be taking and access to your medical records.

There are, however, some general dosing guidelines for the various ways that you can medicate with cannabidiol

CBD Oil

Oil, or tincture, is one of the most popular ways to take CBD. Oils can be easily mixed in food or beverages. Tinctures can be taken sublingually by placing a drop under the tongue which then absorbs the cannabidiol fairly directly into your bloodstream for very fast results, usually within 15 minutes. Mixed with food the effects will be delayed while the cannabinoid travels through your digestive tract – say 30 to 60 minutes or more depending on your metabolism and what else you may have eaten. Whether used sublingually or digested, hemp oil effects tend to last between 4 to 6 hours, also depending on your metabolism as well as the amount taken.

Different kinds of CBD Oil

You can actually buy full-spectrum oil, broad-spectrum oil, or isolate oil – and there are significant differences between the three types.

Full-spectrum cannabidiol contains all the phytochemicals naturally found in hemp plants such as CBD, plus lesser amounts of around 113 other cannabinoids. Some of the other cannabinoids found in full-spectrum CBD include CBN, CBG, and CBC, as well as terpenes and essential oils; but only a small amount of THC, 0.03% or less.

Broad-spectrum cannabidiol is the same as full-spectrum cannabidiol but with the negligible amount of THC completely removed. The presence of the THC in full-spectrum CBD oil can be problematic not so much because it might get you high – it won’t because there’s too little of it, however it could potentially register as THC-positive on a drug test.

And CBD isolate is just CBD with no other cannabinoids or terpenes, which is very effective for pain and inflammation, but you don’t get what’s called the ‘entourage effect’. The ‘entourage effect’ is when the other cannabis compounds act together to bolster or support the health stabilizing effects of cannabidiol.

How to use each kind of CBD oil

It is fairly easy to dose with full-spectrum and broad-spectrum cannabidiol. A oil dropper generally holds 1ml total liquid, or about 20 drops per dropper; to figure how many milligrams per drop, take the total milligrams in the bottle ÷ the number of milliliters in the bottle and that = the number of mgs of CBD in a dropper. Simply put, your dropper mgs ÷ 20 = mgs per drop.

Here is a good rule of thumb for dosing with full-spectrum or broad-spectrum CBD oil:

Insofar as CBD isolate is concerned, dosing can be a bit trickier because the strength of the cannabidiol itself is more concentrated, so one good piece of advice is to start small and gradually increase like so:

1. Begin with a low dose of 5 to 10mg to see how you respond to that; take 3 times daily for chronic pain, or as needed for periodic pain.
2. Stay at 5 to 10mg for a few days so you can adjust to that dosage and see how well it affects your symptoms.
3. If you’re not getting the relief you want, increase the dosage by another 5 to 10mg and stay at that level for 2 – 3 days before increasing further; again, take up to 3 times daily and take note of how that amount affects you and your particular ailment.
4. It’s a good idea to take notes about what dosage level you are at and how it seems to be affecting you.
5. If at any point you feel negative side effects like lethargy or nausea, reduce dosage 5 to 10mg back to the previous level.

It is a sensible precaution, before beginning the CBD isolate dosing trial described above, to consult with your medical care professional about what you are attempting and get their input.

CBD Vape

The upside to vaping your CBD is that inhaling cannabidiol means it passes immediately to the lungs and is then rapidly transported into your bloodstream. Vaping is pretty much the fastest way to get CBD circulating through your body, but it also remains in effect for the shortest period of time – 10 to 20 minutes.

Because the effects are felt within minutes, vaping is best suited for potentially treating anxiety and depression, reducing nausea and appetite stimulation, seizure control and headaches.

Vape dosing

Dosing with a CBD vaporizer pen or detachable cartridge is fairly simple. Most standard 1ml cartridges are good for 100-200 total puffs in total; a 1ml cartridge containing, say 200mg of cannabidiol, will give you approximately 1-2mg per puff.

As noted above, there are a couple of ways to vape cannabidiol. You can either medicate with a disposable vape pen or with a standard 510-threaded vaporizer battery base with detachable cartridges. Cannabidiol cartridges can be premade or refillable. On average, most vape users toke an average of 10-30mg per day. With chronic or severe conditions accompanied by considerable pain and inflammation, cannabidiol consumers can take up to 1500mg per day.

Here are some general guidelines for vaping cannabidiol:

One possible downside to vaping is that some people don’t tolerate inhaling vapor or smoke very well and could have asthmatic or emphysema-type reactions. For individuals with reactive lungs, ingesting cannabidiol is probably a better option, even if it the effects are somewhat slower to take hold.

CBD Capsules

Conveniently, cannabidiol capsules come in premeasured amounts, so this is one of the easiest ways to dose yourself.

It can take between half an hour to an hour once you swallow a capsule before it works its way through your stomach, but the effects last for hours versus only a portion of an hour, like vaping. Unlike vaping or taking drops of oil, capsule dosage is exact – there is no guesswork.

Dosing with CBD capsules

Microdosing, taking tiny, incremental amounts to adjust the effects that you experience, is much more difficult with capsules than with cannabidiol oil drops or vapor puffs. There’s nothing to say that you couldn’t follow up downing a capsule with a drop of oil if you wanted a slightly more powerful effect – but less strong than taking two capsules.

You could also use scissors to crop the end off the capsule and drink the liquid, or use it sublingually for a faster effect. By drinking the liquid from the capsule, you run the risk of getting less than the full amount or effect – unless that’s what you want for microdosing. Measuring the actual amount of cannabidiol you’re taking is less than precise if you attempt to drink the liquid this way.

5mg tends to be the smallest amount that you can get cannabidiol capsules in, with 1500mg being the absolute largest size. Most typically, capsules are found within in the 25-50mg size range. Having different sized capsules – say 5mg, 10mg and 25mg – on hand would be another way to tailor your dosing requirements very precisely, so you could take any combination of sizes to reach the effect level you desire. After all, lots of people have different sizes of aspirin, Tylenol or other NSAID pain relievers on hand for precisely that reason.

Like cannabidiol oil, cannabidiol capsules come in full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or CBD isolate because capsules are filled with oil, just enclosed in a dissolvable gelatin capsule. That being the case, it isn’t hard to use similar dosing guidelines:

Hopefully you get the idea: cannabidiol capsules are sold in various strengths and so you can take them regularly or as needed, tweaking the dosage as we noted above to meet your needs.

CBD Edibles

Edibles (sometimes referred to as medibles) are also made from cannabidiol oil, it’s just baked into or mixed into whatever food or beverage you are consuming. Consequently, there are a whole wide range of treats that are tasty, helpful and healthy to eat; Treats such as brownies, cookies, chocolates, gummies, coffees, teas and more.

Dosing with CBD edibles

Premade edible packages are usually labeled with the total milligrams of cannabidiol in the entire treat – so if you have a cookie with 100mg, then you could eat a quarter of that for roughly 25mg of cannabidiol dosing. You can make your own medibles by adding oil as you prepare, cook or bake – using the dropper to dose the amount you want to add to your coffee, tea, soup, or baking mix.

Unless you eat the whole thing, subdividing or microdosing with edible products is a bit imprecise. You can’t be exact with CBD-infused edibles, but close enough – especially for minor concerns like headaches, muscle aches or just to enjoy a late night treat with some cannabidiol in it before you head off to bed for a restful slumber. Smaller premade edibles, like gummies, usually come in 10-25mg apiece sizes, making them pretty easy to use measurably – rather like capsules.

Sometimes gummies are given in total milligrams for the package on the label, so you can determine the strength per gummy by dividing the total milligrams by the number of gummies. Simple math will tell you that a 100mg package of gummies with 20 gummies in the container means that the gummies are 5mg each (100mg ÷ 20 pieces = 5mg per piece). Bigger baked good or candies like a 200mg cannabidiol chocolate bar can be snapped into pieces – so halving it would give you 100mg each, quartering would yield 50mg sections, and so forth.

Once you eat a medible or piece of one, it can take between half an hour to an hour for the effects to become noticeable. You may have to wait awhile before deciding you need another bite and then that bite will take about as long to really kick in. With cannabidiol edibles, they are slow acting but long lasting – that’s something to keep in mind when you consider whether to take cannabidiol orally.

CBD Topicals

If you have muscle pain, skin rashes, or an epidermal bacterial infection then cannabidiol skin treatments like ointments, massage oil, salves, lotions and even skin patches might be of interest to you. Cannabidiol works with your body’s endocannabinoid system to bring homeostasis, or balance, to your bodily organs and one of those organs is your skin, which has endocannabinoid receptors throughout.

Topicals are sold with a cannabidiol total noted on the label – usually from a low of 50mg/ml up to around 1200mg/ml. While it’s hard to be precise with dosing when using a skin cream, you can target specific areas of pain and inflammation fairly directly; you will experience soothing relief within minutes of applying the cream or ointment and the effects generally peak after about 90 minutes.

The absorbency of your skin and your own metabolism will have some effect on how fast the cannabidiol is absorbed, reacts and lasts. As a rule, the more potent the amount of cannabidiol is the more expensive the topical may be. Just as with oil and capsules, creams come in full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or CBD isolate – and the purity of the cannabidiol concentration may also boost the cost. CBD isolate is generally the most expensive form of cannabidiol due to processing out the other cannabinoids. And with topicals, too, there is an entourage effect from the presence of the other cannabinoids.

Dosing with CBD topicals

The closest thing to measurable dosing with CBD topicals is using teaspoons as a reference – not that anyone uses teaspoons to scoop out and apply cannabidiol topical lotions, but it gives you a rough idea of the amount. Therefore, if your 200mg cream contains 20 teaspoons, then each teaspoon would be about 10mg. It’s a rough measure, and that way you can somewhat gauge the potency of the cream that you scoop out and apply with your fingers. For mild pain, low amounts of 5mg per teaspoon dose may be affective, for higher pain levels you’d obviously want more along the lines of 25mg per dose.

Transdermal patches infused with cannabidiol stick to your skin and slowly release cannabidiol through your skin into your blood stream. Patches can give you hours of relief, and you can simply put one on and forget about it, wearing it underneath your clothing for complete privacy and unobtrusiveness. You want to ideally apply the patch to an area of clean skin that is not very oily, so it will stick, and free of hair, so you don’t painfully tear it out when you remove the patch. Some good places to park a pain patch include the inside of your wrists, on either side of your biceps, along your shoulders, on the back of your neck, pretty much anywhere on your back, or the ankle of your foot.

10 to 20mg are popular strengths for patches, and you can use multiple patches in different areas to add potency to your dermal treatment. Patches retain effectiveness for between 8 to 12 hours depending on their strength and your metabolism.

What is the Best Way For You to Take CBD?

There is no one way to take cannabidiol that is going to suit everybody. Factors that you may have to consider include how fast you need relief, how long you need it to last, what specific condition you are treating, and what works best for you in particular situations – at work, at home, or on-the-go.

Pain relief at work may be best handled by a dermal patch worn under your clothing. At home you may opt for quick relief from a vape or sublingual drops. And while on-the-go, a infused edible may handle minor pain or stress issues. Oil or a tincture is by far the most popular option, and taking some under your tongue, sublingually, produces fast results; and nearly any condition (pain, anxiety, PTSD, epilepsy seizures, and so on) can be treated with cannabidiol oil. Oil is available in a variety of overall strength bottles up to 1500mg, and it’s easy to dose with a squeeze dropper. Capsules are conveniently premeasured for easy dosing; and, other than sublingually, pretty much the same as oil insofar as convenience of taking. It will take a while longer for any option to kick in if it has to pass through your digestive tract.

You can also take cannabidiol by vape – which gives you quick but short-term relief, excellent for de-stressing or to target minor pain like headaches. Vapes are portable and easy to use, usually just a one-button press. You can munch a medible to keep pain, stress and depression tamped down, but that again takes a while because you have to digest it – so the effects are delayed half an hour or more. Lastly, you can use cannabidiol topically with a cream, ointment or patch – which targets relief specifically to areas of pain or, in the case of a dermal patch, can be worn beneath clothing discretely.

These are the different ways that you can take cannabidiol – which one is the best is up to you and what works for your needs. You don’t have to pick just one, many cannabidiol users employ a combination of methods to suit their needs of the moment – try them out and see how much better you feel!

If you’ve bought a few different brands of CBD oil you may have noticed that there’s some variations between them: a different smell or perhaps even a different taste.

This is no mistake, as the oils likely were extracted using different methods. There are many ways to extract CBD oil from the plant (even one involving olive oil!), but today we’re discussing the two main methods used.

1.) Alcohol (or ethanol) Extraction

Here CBD is extracted from the plant material using alcohol as a solvent. It’s actually quite a simple process and many people can, and have, done this in their garage. While I won’t discuss all the details here, with your plant, ethanol, a large bucket, something used to strain (like a cheesecloth), and a way to maintain a steady mid-temperature heat like an oven or rice cooker, you can make your own CBD. Granted, this is the far simplified version of alcohol extraction and not to popular brands’ quality, but it works.

Alcohol extraction at the commercial level involves dousing the entire plant, which is typically chopped up and in powder form at this point, into the ethanol solution. After the mixture has soaked the plant material is strained off and the remaining solution, which now contains the precious cannabinoids and terpenes (but the ethanol as well), is treated by evaporation using heat to get rid of the solvent.

2.) CO₂ Extraction

CO₂-extracted CBD is more complex and uses CO₂ as well as pressure and very low temperatures to extract the CBD from the plant material. CO₂ is pushed through the plant material and the cannabinoids are separated. This method not only produces a very clean product, but doesn’t use or give off harsh products so it’s good for the environment as well. The caveat here is that some of the cannabinoids and terpenes that can lend a beneficial effect to the CBD oil are diminished by the process, for the sake of purity.

Some important factors in the CBD oil process:

Obviously, the extraction method is critical. Research has shown that CBD oils derived from CO₂ methods typically have much lower terpene profiles than ethanol-extracted CBD (if you’re unaware what terpenes are or do, check out our blog post on terpenes). On the other hand, CBD oil made from CO₂ extraction makes for an amazingly pure CBD product because of this intense process. Fortunately, many brands add in terpenes thereafter to ensure a well-balanced product.

Ethanol extraction, much like CO₂ extraction, is sort of a double-edged sword. While you do retain many of the terpenes and cannabinoids in the plant, you’re also incorporating remnants from the plant like chlorophyll into your oil. If you’ve tried many CBD oils you likely already know the taste of chlorophyll as some brands do not filter it out. It’s taste is noticeably bitter and is reminiscent of hay or grass. While not harmful by any means some people may find the taste and the green color it lends off-putting.

Most importantly, it doesn’t matter what method of extraction you use if your starting plant material isn’t from a good and trusted source. Hemp/marijuana is like anything that grows: it draws from its environment; that is, what’s in the soil will reflect upon the health of the plant.

Like in many things involving the wondrous CBD, such as the how effectiveness of full-spectrum oil vs CBD isolate, or CBD oil vs flower etc., it’s nuanced. Really, it just means that it’s up to you and what you want in your CBD experience.

I hope you found this article informative and as a token of our appreciation for your quest for knowledge enter the coupon code: Relax at the Dr.Ganja website checkout and receive a small discount!

The world of CBD can a bit daunting: from crumble to tinctures to capsules to edibles – the possibilities seem endless. For many, that endless possibility begins with CBD Oil. Let’s say you’ve finally settled on a tincture at Dr.Ganja, had it shipped to you (free for U.S. orders), you open up the bottle, catch the peculiar but enticing aroma of the oil and… now what?

How Much CBD Oil Do I Take?

This is sort of a complex question, but there are definitely guidelines to stick by. It’s important to note that when it comes to CBD dosing, there is no one size fits all. Take these recommended CBD dosages from the esteemed Mayo clinic for example:

For epilepsy: 200-300 mg by mouth daily.
For sleep disorders: 40-160 mg by mouth.
For schizophrenia: 40-1280 mg by mouth daily.

As you can see, these dosages range wildly; in fact, one of the few research studies covering CBD dosage for anxiety found pre-clinical results with anywhere from 150 to 600 mg of CBD a day. I don’t know about you, but 150-600 mg of CBD and 40-1280 mg of CBD leaves a little too much open for interpretation.

So why is this?

Reason Why Dose Varies So Much

CBD, as well as THC and the other cannabinoids, are something called “biphasic.”. This means that different doses produce different effects. Alcohol is an example of a biphasic compound: lower doses tend to produce energetic effects while higher doses produce sedation and incoordination.

Additionally, CBD works by affecting our endocannabinoid system; namely, our CB1 and CB2 receptors. These receptors are some of the most widespread receptors in the entire body, so it’s no wonder CBD has such an all-encompassing and powerful effect. But if you think back to that first time you cut open a frog during dissections in 8^th grade Biology, you’ll recall how everything wasn’t exactly the same as in the textbook. Some arteries seemed to be in some weird places, the spleen looked a little funky…

This holds true for our endocannabinoid system (and basic anatomy) too. Everyone’s system is slightly different and so it makes sense that the same chemicals, AKA CBD, affect people in different ways. What might be a low dose of CBD for your friend who has been taking CBD for a long time may be an extremely high dose for you or a new user.

CBD Oil Dosage Guidelines

Fortunately, there are some basic guidelines that can ensure that you’re on the right path to relief:

1.) Start small. As discussed above, CBD is biphasic, so in this case it’s best to underdo it, than overdo it. A good starting point is 20-25 mg twice a day. Gradually increase each week if you’re not getting the results you want (if the CBD is for severe circumstances such as epilepsy, consult a doctor).

2.) Don’t expect instantaneous results. While some users experience benefits from the first use, your endocannabinoid system is an extremely complex system and long term results take exactly that: a long term.

3.) If you experience heavy sedation with your starting dose and that’s not the effect you’re looking for, try cutting your dose in half.

4.) When placing CBD oil in your mouth, don’t swallow it right away. Let it rest under your tongue for about 30 seconds to a minute before you swallow. This will increase the bio-availability (how much CBD gets into your system to have an effect).

Measuring out your dose

So now that some ground rules have been laid down, you might wonder, how exactly do I measure out, say, 20-25 mg of CBD oil?

It’s pretty easy. The dropper in almost all tincture and oil bottles is about 1 mL. You just divide the amount of CBD in the bottle by the mL content of the bottle and that will tell you how much CBD you’ll get with each full dropper.

For instance, take one of Dr.Ganja.com‘s popular CBD isolate Tinctures, Lazarus Natural’s CBD Isolate Tincture. At 750 mg of CBD and a 15 mL bottle, 750/15 = 50 mg of CBD per mL. So each full dropper contains 50 mg of CBD. If you’re looking for a 25 mg dose, you’d take exactly half a dropper. Now take Dr.Ganja’s heavy hitter, CBDistillery’s Full Spectrum Extra Strength 2500 mg CBD Tincture. At 2500 mg of CBD in a 30 mL bottle, 2500/30 = 83.8 mg of CBD per mL. For a 20-25mg CBD dose, you’d need to take a little less than 1/3 of the dropper.

We hope this helped you in determining the right dose, or a good starting point, for your CBD needs. One of the wonderful things about CBD is its safety, so if you do get too strong of a dose, don’t worry, as the side effects are mild and range from feeling tired to an upset stomach.

Can we talk briefly about a very important topic? Something that affects both you and I as CBD users: quality.

Not All CBD Is High-Quality

With the myriad of health problems that CBD hemp products have been said to assist with (and rightfully so), CBD has been one of the hottest new products on the market. And as one might expect, to capitalize on this sudden surge of popularity, there are tons of companies that sell the products, with more being created every month. Interestingly enough, they all purport to be ‘the best’, but of course, they can’t ALL be the best.

What’s more is that many of them are as far from being the best as is possible; indeed, some are flat out fakes! You may have seen this reported in the news (check it out here). Fake CBD making people sick! Who knew?

How To Spot Fake CBD… Or Avoid It Altogether

It goes without saying that not all CBD is created equal, so how can one be sure that what you’re getting is the real deal and not something synthetic that is blindly labeled CBD? Well I’m glad you asked because this is something we take very seriously.

1.) ALL of the CBD products available on Dr.Ganja go through an extensive selection process; this includes not only reviewing, but verifying, lab tests that companies must provide on each of their products.

2.) We also keep our entire CBD inventory in climate-controlled environments which helps maintain potency and freshness. This is something a lot of other companies do not do because of the inherent costs.

3.) We go one step further: before you see any company’s products on our website, we have researched the company’s general reputation, stock of inventory (so best sellers can keep on being best sellers), and methods of quality control. Many companies have come knocking at our door but were ultimately rejected because they didn’t match our required level of quality and transparency.

If the company you’re considering buying from doesn’t follow a similar process to ensure the quality of their products, then you put yourself at risk buying from them.  Good products come from good companies that stand behind their products. We’d also be hypocritical to expect so much of our brands if we didn’t own up to high standards as well. That’s why, while we try to keep the prices as low as we can (we even give free shipping to U.S. orders), we keep the quality top-notch, and that doesn’t just mean in terms of CBD. We pride ourselves not only on our awesome products but our awesome customer service as well. And it shows, check out this email from our head honcho David to a company that review’s websites:

“Our goal is to have the best selection of products and provide the best possible service. The most important thing has been that the reviews & feedback for the products and their benefits have been tremendously positive! So positive in fact that it’s even hard to put into words. We get eternally grateful and passionate thank you letters from our customers, filled with info on how the products have been affecting them and even how they’ve now stopped taking anti-anxiety medication. We get that over and over again and it’s what’s inspiring us to keep growing Dr.Ganja”

We don’t cut corners when it comes to CBD. This post isn’t meant to toot our own horn, but rather, to assure you that you’re in good hands. We hope everyone can appreciate the care and passion we put into everything we do, and if any of the amazing emails and reviews we receive are indication, it seems like you do. Thanks to everyone from the Dr.Ganja team!

The Challenge Of Quitting Cigarettes

Smoking affects 14 of every 100 adults every day. The best way to start this is to explain how nicotine affects the body and how this habit has gotten so many Americans addicted. Nicotine dependence is the term used and related to the addiction to nicotine other words tobacco more commonly in the form of a cigarette.

When you’re dependent on something you can’t quit or stop it. When most people want to smoke it’s usually because they want the effects their body gets from the nicotine. A lot of tobacco users state they experience mental and physical changes. They want to relieve stress, socially or with pleasure. You must first find your reason for smoking to better understand your addiction. Maybe it’s a pattern in your life maybe you only smoke with a beer or coffee perhaps you only smoke after you eat or on a work break.

Common Alternatives To Smoking

When smokers want to quit they tend to find a replacement. Some use food, sweets or maybe even another addiction. When quitting sometimes these things come into play and is usually the first step and how they start the quitting process.

How Nicotine Affects Our Brain

Nicotine is so addictive because of the way it affects our brain. The brain is made up of billions of nerve cells that release chemicals known as neurotransmitters basically and a nicotine molecule is shaped similar to a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. This specific neurotransmitter contributes to many bodily functions from breathing, muscle functions, heart rate and more. They also can release hormones that can affect your memory, mood and with some people even appetite this list can go on.

One of the ways nicotine gets people addicted is how it affects our brain by activating areas that can raise our dopamine levels. What does that mean you might be asking? Dopamine is our pleasure molecule. This is the same molecule that is associated with more serious drug-related addictions such as heroin and cocaine. THC can also affect our dopamine levels.

How CBD Can Help You Quit

Now let’s dig a little deeper and explain how CBD can help with a strong addiction such as nicotine. If you don’t already know it has no psychoactive properties which mean you won’t get high, which is a common misunderstanding among new CBD users when they relate CBD to THC. we have an endocannabinoid system which can suppress GABA inhibitors so when they get suppressed our body naturally increases dopamine production.

Some Helpful Effects Of CBD

So how can CBD help someone quit smoking? Well let me start by telling you CBD reduces anxiety levels some even say it reduces stress. Replacing a cigarette with a Dr.Ganja pre-rolled CBD hemp flower blunt would eliminate the oral fixation of needing to smoke. Without stress or anxiety the need and wants to smoke decreases, so you may no longer have the urge to smoke if that was your reasoning.

CBD is a calming with pain relief best described without the crazy side effects similar to opioid prescriptions. If you attempted to quit smoking and switched to a vaporizer try a CBD vape liquid found on Dr.Ganja instead of a nicotine-based liquid. Some people like to roll cigarettes and with the accessibility and wide selection of CBD hemp flower available Dr.Ganja you can also roll cigarettes and have an oral fixation replacement.

What CBD Is And What It Isn’t

Since CBD has no psychoactive properties, it’s not physically addictive. If you’re new to CBD it can be very scary because there are a lot of people who don’t understand what CBD is.

CBD is always mistaken as marijuana and getting a person high which is not at all true. When trying CBD I always say take a walking start. Just remember to take it slow like starting in the shallow end, a low dose is best and increase as you see fit for your own lifestyle. CBD has many benefits and is worth the try to help you quit something as bad for your body as nicotine.

These are solely my onions with some factual evidence to support. I always recommend learning about your endocannabinoid system and how CBD affects you to better understand what you’re taking.

At checkout use my coupon code CBDQUEEN to get a discount on your Dr.Ganja CBD order.