Want to incorporate full-spectrum CBD in your daily life, but apprehensive about the effects of marijuana to your activities? You now have the option to smoke hemp cigarettes, a less potent but definitely more enjoyable option that won’t be detrimental to your routine. Read on to learn what it’s about.
What Are Hemp Cigarettes?
Hemp cigarettes or CBD cigarettes to some are not synonymous to your traditional “joint,’ mainly because they’re not made from marijuana. From the name, they’re made with the flower of the hemp plant, which falls under the classification of less potent cannabis strains that only have less than 0.3% Δ9-THC.
But hemp is no slouch when it comes to other cannabis compounds. It may contain low concentrations of THC, it still possess a considerable amount of powerful cannabis compounds like CBD, terpenes, and many more.
For the uninitiated, CBD or cannabidiol is a naturally occurring compound found in cannabis plants. But unlike THC, CBD is non-intoxicating, so you don’t expect it to deliver any mind-altering effects when used. Rather, researchers found CBD to be quite helpful in regulating various bodily functions by interacting with the body’s Endocannabinoid System (ECS) receptors.
Advantages of Hemp Cigarettes
There are already many proven ways to get CBD into your system, including oral tinctures or topicals, and they’ve been around for quite a while. You might be thinking that with these methods, there’s really no merit to smoking hemp. Fortunately, there are still quite a handful of benefits to smoking hemp, some of which are listed and explained below.
Increased Bioavailability of CBD
When it comes to supplements and even medication, not everything we consume gets absorbed by the body and make its way to our bloodstream. This is what the concept of bioavailability roughly means, and this is also a big concern when consuming CBD products.
Unless injected directly to your veins, substances like CBD lose some level of bioavailability because it goes through some other system beyond the circulatory system. Perfect example would be consuming CBD tincture, which first has to make its way through the digestive system before it gets to your bloodstream. Even by the time it reaches your blood, a significant amount of it may have already been metabolized, so you don’t really get the full effect of whatever the advertised amount of the compound is.
Unlike ingestion, smoking CBD has the potential to deliver the cannabinoid to our circulatory system with better bioavailability levels. Smoking draws the cannabinoid into the lungs, which is then absorbed by the bloodstream, so you get rid of the first-pass metabolization that significantly reduce the amount the body absorbs. But do note that there are factors that affect bioavailability for smoking, like how much is inhaled with each puff, or the method to smoke CBD.
Get the Desired Effects Quicker from Hemp Cigarettes
Not keen on consuming tinctures or other edible forms of CBD, or simply want to feel the effects of CBD faster? Your best bet is smoking hemp cigarettes, as concentrations of cannabinoids were at a peak in the bloodstream within minutes. You should start to feel the effects rather quickly, as inhaled CBD may start working in as little as 15 minutes. On the other hand, consuming an edible CBD product usually means waiting up to two hours before the effects kick in.
Full Spectrum Experience from Smoking CBD
Hemp cigarettes contain a full range of cannabis compounds because they’re made with CBD in its natural state—not lab-extracted or chemically-prepared. Thus, the contained cannabinoids and terpenes promise to deliver a full spectrum experience. Consuming multiple cannabinoids and terpenes at once deliver a stronger effect known as the Entourage Effect, something that you’ll definitely enjoy experiencing.
A Nicotine-Free Smoking Option
Since they’re made from hemp flower, hemp cigarettes do not contain tobacco or nicotine, unlike tobacco cigarettes. Hemp flowers, when smoked, burns just as smoothly and allows users to enjoy a legitimate smoking experience without the included risks of consuming tobacco or nicotine. Looking to kick the habit smoking tobacco because of its harmful effects? Hemp smokes are the perfect nicotine-free alternative.
Can You Get High from Hemp Cigarettes?
If you’re here with a bit of cannabis experience, this is probably one of the first questions you’ll ask about hemp cigarettes. Understandably so, but since hemp is cigarettes do not contain THC (cannabinoid responsible for cannabis’ psychotropic properties) these cigarettes will not get you high.
But as a precaution, always buy your hemp cigs from trustworthy and reputable retailers if you want avoid getting a poorly regulated product, those that contain more than 0.3% Δ9-THC. If possible, check the product’s lab report just to confirm that it contains the advertised THC amount to avoid unknowingly getting high from smoking hemp cigarettes.
Are Hemp Cigarettes Legal in the United States?
When it comes to the legality of hemp cigarettes, there’s one law that you need to know about: the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 or more commonly known as the 2o18 Farm Bill. Here, hemp and its derived products were federally legalized and officially de-classified as a controlled substance, and in order to be classified as “hemp” or a “hemp-derived product,” there should no more than 0.3% Δ9-THC content. Hemp flower, the main component of a hemp cigarette, is a hemp-derived product that has less than 0.3% Δ9-THC content so it is federally legal in the US.
Still, it is important to remember that certain states have specific laws that regulate cannabis, hemp, and/or smoking. You NEED to research the laws and regulations in your state or region before purchasing in order to avoid complications.
Hemp Cigarettes and Drug Tests: Will it show up?
Next to the “will it get me high” question, interested users usually follow up with something like “will it show up in my drug test?”
Let’s get straight to the point: Hemp cigarettes contain CBD and other cannabinoids, but they do not contain THC, therefore, these shouldn’t cause you to fail a drug test. It’s because drug tests are designed to detect illegal substances such as cocaine, methamphetamines, or Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This is why extensive research is required: it is very important to only purchase from only trustworthy and reputable sellers in order to avoid purchasing a poorly regulated products. You might think you won’t fail a drug test because you only smoked hemp cigarettes, but you’d be shocked when you find out that it contains more than 0.3% Δ9-THC because it was poorly regulated and made.
Final Thoughts
After reading everything and you still want to incorporate full-spectrum CBD in your daily life, your next step would be to source quality hemp cigarettes. Read up, research, and don’t be afraid to ask for lab tests just to verify that what you’re buying is legit and contains less than the regulated THC amount. It might seem nitpicky at first, but once you’ve identified a reliable and trustworthy source, you’ll be able to enjoy a stable supply of quality hemp cigarettes for regular consumption.
