For decades, growers have been focused on producing cannabis strains with the highest THC content possible to have a maximum high. High-THC means you’re getting baked, whether sativa, indica or a mix of the two. Now, however, we know CBD can be therapeutic, healing parts of the plant and growers are focusing on high-CBD cannabis that places THC in the backseat. What are the effects of smoking low-THC, high-CBD cannabis? And what are the benefits?
While CBD doesn’t get the patient high, it does provide a sense of well being and calm. CBD from hemp is legal across the US, while CBD from cannabis is only legal in states that allow for medical and recreational usage. What about a combination?
For one thing, there will be a change in mood, just not a drastic one that either has you talking a mile a minute or locked to the couch. The feeling is cerebral and one of well being. The low-THC cannabis makes you feel comfortable in your own skin and has the healing benefits of whole plant medication.
Data shows CBD can help you quit smoking cigarettes, manage your diabetes, acne, Crohn’s, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, insomnia and more. But there must be more research to better understand the benefits and how combination can enhance medical treatments.
So consuming low-THC, high-CBD bud is a little like smoking with the three bears. The high THC strain gets you really high, while the hemp CBD strain doesn’t get you high at all. The strain that has a little THC and a lot of CBD? It’s just right to have you feeling on cloud nine without altering your state to an extreme.
And beyond being “better than nothing,” the high you get added to the relief you feel equal an experience that leaves a lasting impression and will likely have you going back to the bong. It’s nearly impossible to get “too high” on low-THC cannabis, but you are able to find the bliss level.
So as growers expand their lines to include these new forms of medicinal marijuana, they are bound to continue improving upon the genetics, coaxing all the more CBD out and finding the most beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids to create the finest low-THC, high-CBD cannabis out there. Craft cannabis is definitely the new name of the game and this cannabinoid combo fits right in.
While it is true that the cannabinoids in cannabis can have some effect on the skin and can treat itching and even skin diseases like psoriasis, marijuana’s impact on the skin adds a level of complexity to the debate. We know that marijuana increases testosterone, so can marijuana or CBD hep acne?
Just as higher estrogen can stave-off a breakout, testosterone seems to fuel additional production in the glands. A 2017 study, published in Andrology, found increased testosterone among more recent marijuana users. However, long-cited for its anti-inflammatory effects, THC appears in some studies to ease inflammation inside and outside the body, therefore decreasing the threat of acne. Just like some medicines work for one individual and not another, marijuana may act the same way.
What about CBD?
Dr. Leslie Bauman believes that CBD has effects that can help reduce redness caused by acne but also decrease oil as well. She wrote in the Miami Herald, “One study found that a 3% cannabis seed extract cream effectively reduced both redness and sebum production in acne patients.”
In fact, researchers have been studying CBD for a while. Bauman referenced a 2018 paper that acknowledged CBD’s skin-altering qualities, including helping to ease inflammation.
From face masks to bath bombs and beyond, businesses are recognizing the CBD craze isn’t ending any time soon and are capitalizing on the Gen Z trend of wearing less makeup and focusing on skin health instead.
What should an average skincare fanatic know? It’s all about the ingredients. For those looking into hemp/CBD, it’s essential to ensure the bottle contains what it says it does. With CBD and hemp production being a relatively new craze, companies may take advantage of the buyer. For instance, while most products tout the benefit of full-spectrum CBD, many skincare remedies have “hempseed oil,” which can hydrate and soothe skin, but lacks the cannabinoids of CBD.