Cannabidiol – better known as CBD – is very new on the scene, but has already taken the country by storm. For good reason, too; the potential benefits it provides are too many to list in a single article, with more being reported by users all the time. It’s a compound isolated from the cannabis plant, but differs greatly from medical marijuana because it contains no THC and is therefore not psychoactive. That means that you can derive many of the benefits that the cannabis plant provides, without any loss of your faculties. Indeed, the sheer variety of positive effects that CBD provides are truly remarkable. But what are the ways to consume CBD?

CBD has been studied for its beneficial effects on:

• Anxiety
• Alcoholism
• Opioid Addiction
• Tobacco Addiction
• Appetite Loss
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Epilepsy
• PTSD
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Acne
• Glaucoma
• Weight Loss

It also seems to have benefits on overall health, possibly connected to its ability to reduce inflammation. It has even been studied for its potential anti-cancer properties; and these are just some of the benefits CBD helps to provide. With all of these benefits – and no harmful side effects reported – you’re probably already thinking about rushing to your local dispensary to buy some CBD. Before you do, however, you should consider what form to get it in. There are several ways to get this amazing compound into your bloodstream where it can work its wonders, and each has its own benefits.

The Different Ways To Consume CBD

CBD is a chemical compound that binds to cannabinoid receptors in your body, where it has beneficial effects on your immune system response and your serotonin production. What you’re looking for in a CBD delivery system is maximizing bioavailability: that is, the amount of the compound that your body can actually put to use. Ultimately, the CBD chemical needs to get into your bloodstream, where it can be delivered to your cannabinoid receptors. You can get it there by drinking it, eating it, or smoking it.

Drinking It

CBD can be consumed in the form of a tincture (an oil with the compound suspended in it) which you put into your mouth by way of a dropper or spray. Nowadays, there are also plenty of great CBD-infused drinks on the market, which makes it easy for you to consume it in liquid form. There are a number of benefits to doing it this way. Drinking it in liquid form is a relatively efficient way to get the compound into your system; it usually takes about 15 to 30 minutes to start feeling the effects. It will absorb through the membranes in your mouth in addition to your digestive system; part of the reason it can act fairly quickly. You won’t have to deal with any other equipment besides your dropper, spray, or drink bottle, giving it a decided advantage over smoking it. However, the downside of this method is that it can sometimes be difficult to control the dosage. You’ll have to carefully research the per-dose amount; while you can’t overdose on CBD, you also don’t want to waste any!

Eating It

Consuming it in edible form is another viable method of consuming CBD. Your local dispensary will have plenty of great-tasting CBD-infused treats you can try, each with the exact amount of the compound printed on the label. There are CBD-infused gummy candies, hard candies, chocolates, granola bars, honey, peanut butter, cooking oil, cakes, brownies, and even coffee beans! You’ll have fun trying out all the different CBD products and finding out which are your favorites. Or, if you’d prefer, you can also buy simple CBD pills that you take with water. Consuming CBD in edible form is not without its cons, however; chief among them is its rate of action. It’s definitely one of the slower-acting ways you can consume CBD, as it needs to get through your digestive system before your body can absorb it. That means it can sometimes be an hour before you begin to reap the benefits of your CBD-infused treat; if you need immediate relief, you may want to try something a little faster acting.

Smoking It

Smoking CBD is one of the fastest ways you can get it into your system. By inhaling the compound, it will enter your bloodstream very quickly through the membranes in your lungs. It can take as few as 30 seconds before you begin to reap the benefits of this wondrous compound. If you suffer from acute pain or anxiety and need to deal with it immediately, smoking CBD may be your best bet. While it’s possible to purchase marijuana strains bred with high-CBD and very low THC and smoke those in a traditional way, many consumers eschew this due to the acrid smell and the discomfort they associate with smoking in general. If smoking isn’t something you would prefer, you can still reap the benefits of inhaled CBD; it’s as simple as getting a vape pen and some concentrated CBD oil. Vape pens produce very little smoke and are mostly undetectable. They do have a downside of their own, however; they are prohibited in many public places. If you need to reap the benefits of CBD when you’re out and about, you may be better off bringing your edibles or your spray bottle.

Other Methods

The three methods mentioned above are the most common ways of consuming CBD, but they are far from the only ways. Depending on the condition with which you’re looking to help, there may be other ways of consuming CBD that will work better for you than drinking, eating, or smoking. For example, if you suffer from arthritis, you might benefit from a topical application of CBD, which is also sold in balms and creams. These can tend to be a little pricier than other CBD delivery systems, but they often have the added benefit of being good for your skin. It’s even possible to take CBD into your body via suppository, or intravenously; however, these are generally reserved for extremely sick patients, as they absorb well but are not comfortable for otherwise able-bodied people.