CBD is on everyone’s lips today, with the accelerating pace of weed legalization in the USA and dozens of new cannabis brands emerging every year to deliver health benefits to consumers. Though not everyone is ready to use marijuana to address health issues, the cannabis market has an exclusive win-win offer to consumers – CBD extract.
Cannabidiol derived from the weed plant is non-psychoactive, so it cannot make a user high in the classical sense of this word. However, it’s exactly CBD that’s responsible for most therapeutic benefits of cannabis – stress relief, mood improvement, management of pain and insomnia, and so on. Thus, users are presented with a perfect alternative to getting stoned for the sake of health benefits; a huge variety of non-stoning CBD products that also address health issues and help people manage their chronic conditions.
Though CBD is available in many fancy forms today, ranging from CBD gummies to oils, tinctures, creams, and even bath bombs, many users stick to the traditional form of hemp administration – smoking dried hemp flower. Here is a pro guide for fans of pre-rolls considering them for anxiety. We examine the ins and outs of CBD pre-roll choice, dosing, and safe administration to help you derive maximum health benefits from this product type.
Treatment with CBD Pre-Rolls: What You Need to Know
The first thing you should remember is that CBD pre-rolls are like usual cannabis joints; at least, they look this way. The only difference is that they don’t get you high. In other words, after smoking the CBD pre-roll, you will feel a tangible effect on stress, anxiety, and pain, but without the intoxicating high associated with usual marijuana. You can learn more about this product type at https://askgrowers.com/cbd/cbd-pre-rolls-for-anxiety.
Saying that CBD pre-rolls are fully devoid of THC would be an exaggeration. In fact, it depends; some pre-rolls are indeed THC-free, and that’s indicated on the packaging. All the rest come with the minimal legal threshold of 0.3% THC that doesn’t cause intoxication. The brands producing hemp-derived products should verify that their items don’t exceed the estimated threshold in compliance with the 2018 Farm Bill, which is usually laid out in the product’s certificate of analysis (CoA). So, if you’re extra-cautious about the THC content and want to eliminate any likelihood of testing positive for THC or feeling high, check the CoA document before purchasing the pre-roll.
Second, it’s vital to choose CBD pre-rolls depending on the CBD type you want to consume. It’s again a matter of tolerance to a meager amount of THC in your pre-rolls and about the richness of terpenes and cannabinoids in its content. There are three CBD forms available in the modern market:
- Full-spectrum CBD. This CBD type is the least refined; it contains a raw hemp extract that has been cleared from THC and contains all terpenes and cannabinoids of the hemp plant. This way, you can get the “entourage effect” of smoking these CBD pre-rolls, which is a special treat for any CBD fans. However, this CBD form may contain up to 0.3% THC – a concentration that will not get you high but can show up in the drug test.
- Broad-spectrum CBD. This CBD alternative is more suitable for people who take drug tests and need to drive a vehicle; it contains a guaranteed zero THC. Still, it comes with the full spectrum of terpenes and cannabinoids that make hemp so therapeutically valuable for users. By consuming pre-rolls with broad-spectrum CBD, you will surely enjoy the full value of terpenes and other weed components without THC risks.
- CBD isolate. This variant is ideal for people who want to get only CBD from the products they consume. Therefore, CBD isolate is the purest form of hemp extract, freed from any additional terpenes and cannabinoids you might be allergic to.
Finally, it’s essential to consider the content of your pre-roll; we recommend opting for the thin, non-processed paper used for rolling your pre-rolls, as it’s the safest option for your lungs. When you smoke your pre-roll, the paper burns, and that smoke is inhaled into your lungs. Thus, the purer the paper is (and the less of it is used), the better.
Can CBD Help with Anxiety?
Clinical studies on cannabis are not that plentiful since this herb has been labeled as a first-class drug for many decades. Thus, people using weed to treat their chronic medical conditions were mostly perceived with prejudice and superstition, with a “lazy stoner” stereotype imposed on them. Now things are changing, and it’s clear that THC is the primary weed component responsible for the intoxicating and anxiety-inducing effect of cannabis. CBD, in its turn, acts on the contrary, giving users stress relief and sedation.
The key mechanism that allows CBD users to feel anxiety and stress relief is the interaction of CBD with serotonin receptors in the human brain. As a result of that chemical reaction, the brain feels lower-intensity fear and can regulate anxiety-related behaviors better. Thus, CBD has proven to have pronounced effects on generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, and social anxiety in different populations.
However, it is notable that CBD produces a strong sedating and stress-reducing effect when administered at a high one-time dose. CBD use in smaller doses over prolonged periods of time is not associated with anxiety relief. This is why using a pre-roll to battle your anxiety attacks is a good option to consider. Smoking CBD is associated with higher bioavailability of this ingredient, so you have better chances to feel tangible relief quickly.
Side Effects of CBD Pre-Roll Smoking
Pre-rolls may also have side effects that users should know to enjoy a safe CBD consumption experience. These may include:
- Dry mouth;
- Red, dry eyes;
- Dizziness;
- Appetite reduction;
- Vomiting;
- Liver malfunctioning.
Most of these side effects are associated with CBD overdosing, so if you notice any of them, reduce the dose or stop using CBD altogether until you get your blood and urine tests right.
Dosing Guide for CBD Pre-Roll Use
As a rule, the CBD pre-roll’s pack will contain detailed information about how much CBD is contained in one pre-roll. Manufacturers of pre-rolls take proper care of various user needs and experience levels, so they produce pre-rolls with minimal, medium, and high doses of CBD to help you choose the right option.
Thus, you may easily find the variant that meets your one-time recommended CBD dose and avoid smoking half of the joint or two joints to reduce anxiety and stress. Your medical professional may consult you on a precise CBD dose to calm your nerves, but if you want to try it without a doctor’s consultation, start low to see what effects CBD produces on you. A common recommendation for beginners is 10mg of CBD per day; the total maximum you should never exceed is 1mg CBD per 1kg of your weight. So, use these guidelines to determine the right dose and enjoy a safe, responsible CBD consumption routine.
Conclusion
As you might see, pre-rolls can become an effective remedy for anxiety and stress, which you may apply daily to enjoy peace of mind and emotional stability. Find your ideal pre-roll product to meet your health needs; only by choosing the right CBD type, concentration, and dosing can you get maximum health value from this CBD consumption mode.
The author of this article is Tia Moskalenko, a cannabis industry advocate and avid researcher of weed products’ health value for humans and animals. Tia works as a full-time blogger at AskGrowers and examines the risks and benefits of various CBD product uses in different population categories. She regularly shares safety tips and optimal CBD product choice guidelines.