In the dynamic landscape of hemp products, finding the right fit to meet your distinct needs and daily routine can make your experience much better. But where should you even begin considering you have an array of delivery methods, product varieties, and individual inclinations to consider? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. The quest for your ideal hemp product is an exciting journey of possibilities. This comprehensive guide is designed to help you navigate the process and find something you’re sure to love.
Delivery Methods: Harmonizing a Hemp Product with Your Lifestyle
The first step is getting really familiar with all of the options you have available to you. Choosing one will ultimately come down to your lifestyle and the experiences you’re looking to achieve, but understanding your options is always a good place to start.
Inhalation Delivery: Inhalation is just a fancy way to say smoking or vaping. It usually involves things like flower or vape carts and offers a rapid onset of effects, making it a prime choice for those seeking immediate relief. Vapes provide discretion and portability and are great for whenever you’re on the go. On the other hand, the raw experience of smoking or vaporizing hemp flower delivers an unprocessed and natural encounter.
Ingestion Delivery: Ingestion means eating or drinking. Most ingestible products include gummies, chocolates, or infused beverages that you digest and process. The digestion process makes it so that edibles and infused drinks take a lot longer to kick in (sometimes up to two hours), but they last a lot longer. You can strap into an edible high for up to 8 hours, making them an excellent option for people with a packed schedule who don’t have time to smoke or use other methods. They’re also highly potent and discreet.
Sublingual Delivery: Sublingual delivery involves absorbing cannabinoids under the tongue. Lollipops and tinctures fall into the category, and they take about 15 minutes to take effect. They also provide long-lasting relief of about 4-8 hours. Sublinguals are also usually pretty easy to measure and can be seamlessly incorporated into foods or drinks. They suit those who value controlled dosing and a more gradual onset of effects.
Topical Delivery: Designed for localized relief, topicals like bath bombs, lotions, balms, creams, and salves are non-psychoactive and perfect for targeted concerns like pain and inflammation without affecting the entire body. While they usually won’t cause you to feel high, they’re a discreet way to enjoy targeted relief on the go.
Suppository Delivery: This method involves inserting cannabinoids into your body. They’re absorbed through blood vessels in the areas they’re inserted and help provide targeted relief to lower areas. As a bonus, they’re also pretty discreet and long-lasting.
How long do they last?
Different hemp products offer different experiences and durations of effects. Knowing how long a specific hemp product will affect you can make a world of difference.
- Edibles and Infused Drinks: Typically encompassing gummies or capsules, edibles offer a sustained experience lasting 4 to 8 hours due to their gradual digestion process. They may last longer depending on how much you take and your body composition, so always remember to start with a small serving and gradually increase as needed after waiting two full hours after your first dose.
- Flower and Vapes: Inhalation methods yield effects nearly instantly, which is why they’re great in social settings. The instant feedback makes it easy to gauge your tolerance and stop smoking once you’ve reached your desired effects. They usually peak after about 15 minutes and last from 1-3 hours.
- Tinctures and Sublinguals: Sublingual tinctures provide effects within 15 to 30 minutes and last up to 8 hours. Absorbing cannabinoids sublingually contribute to a faster onset, but they may last as long as edibles when you swallow and digest the rest.
- Topicals: Topicals deliver localized relief for several hours, rendering them an optimal choice for targeted issues like muscle discomfort or skin irritations. You can usually start feeling them after about 15 minutes, and they can last several hours before you’ll need to reapply them.
- Suppositories: Suppositories normally provide relief within 15 minutes. The effects often stop when the suppository is removed, but in other cases, you’re looking at enjoying the effects for up to 6 hours.
Choosing your cannabinoids
Now that you have an idea of the different product types out there and how they work, it’s time to add one more ingredient to the mix: cannabinoids. There are a ton of different cannabinoids out there that offer different effects, so familiarizing yourself with them can help you align your products to your lifestyle and personal preferences. Here are a few of the most common cannabinoids found at our store:
- CBD: CBD won’t cause you to feel high, but evidence suggests it has soothing properties on the endocannabinoid system that may contribute to reduced inflammation for pain management, anxiety reduction, and relaxation without the euphoria associated with a high.
- Delta-9 THC: Also known simply as THC, this is the same stuff found in cannabis known for making you feel high. Known for inducing euphoria, fostering creativity, and stimulating appetite, delta-9 THC may be helpful in managing low moods and minor aches and pains, nausea, or a lack of appetite.
- Delta-8 THC: Delta-8 is synthesized from CBD. It’s a lot like delta-9, but its chemical structure makes it a little more mild compared to delta-9. Delta-8 THC appeals to those seeking a milder experience with a lot of the same effects as delta-9.
- CBG: CBG is the mother cannabinoid that converts into both THC and CBD as the plant grows and matures. Evidence suggests it offers potential anti-inflammatory effects and may contribute to an upbeat mood. When taken with other cannabinoids like CBD or CBN, it may promote an entourage effect.
- CBN: This minor cannabinoid is often hailed as a sleep aid, though conflicting scientific evidence isn’t so sure. It’s made when THC degrades from light exposure and exhibits potential anti-inflammatory, sedative, and analgesic properties.
Aligning with Lifestyle Dynamics
The biggest point in your hemp product decision comes down to your lifestyle. For the grand finale, you’ll want to consider what you’ve got going on in your life to help you decide.
For example, maybe you’re a morning person who wants to feel focused and motivated while you start your work. You might opt for CBD or CBG as a tincture mixed into your morning coffee to get things off to a good start.
If you’ve got a lot of tedious tasks ahead of you, like cleaning your house, getting groceries, or mowing the lawn, and you’re dealing with fatigue or a lack of motivation, you might choose to puff on a delta-9 THC bowl or vape to keep your head in the game and feel good while you’re at it.
Maybe you’re into an active sport or sit at a desk all day. A CBD balm might be just the thing to soothe sore muscles after a workout or hike or mellow out the aches and pains you feel while sitting down all day.
If you’ve got some socializing to do at the end of the day, smoking a delta-8 edible may help you feel chatty and upbeat after a long day without that heavy stoney feeling. A THC-infused drink might be a good alternative for you if you’re trying to avoid alcohol.
On the other hand, if you’re dealing with a lot of work stress, a soak in a hot bath with a CBD + THC bath bomb or edible might be just the thing to keep you level-headed at the end of the day. If you have trouble relaxing or sleeping after your tasks are done, a CBN tincture might help you unwind with a cup of herbal tea.
Final Thoughts
The point is you’ll want to carefully consider the experience you’re looking to have and pair it with the perfect delivery method, cannabinoid, and product to find the best hemp product for your day. By grasping these vital facets, you can confidently make choices that amplify your well-being and contentment. Whether seeking solace from pain, alleviation from stress, or simply desiring relaxation, there exists a hemp product tailor-made for you.
As you embark on this journey of discovery, remember to start with conservative dosages and gradually adjust to unearth your optimal balance. At The Hemptender, you can always talk to our budtenders to help you come up with the perfect wellness regimen that aligns with your goals.
