*DISCLAIMER: This is a transcript of episode 3 – Which CBD Delivery Method is Right for You? from our Full Spectrum Living with CBD podcast. Click here to listen to the podcast episode Advocating for CBD or click here to watch the video.
Ep3_WHICH CBD DELIVERY METHOD IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Meredith [00:00:06] All right. Welcome back to your next episode of Full Spectrum Living with CBD. I’m Meredith, your co-host here with Jessica and Adriane. And today, we have got a fantastic topic. One that I’m sure so many people have questions about. And it’s really what type of CBD delivery method is the best for me. There’s so many options out there as far as how to really use CBD. And you guys want to help people understand the best way to pick the right delivery method for them. So, Jessica, why don’t you kick us off and give us some ideas about what you can share today?
Jessica [00:00:41] Yeah, sure. So you essentially I guess we’ve found that there are so many options that that’s a really nice thing for the consumer. But it can be a bit confusing as to what’s the best match for their particular symptoms. So we kind of broke it down to a few categories, listed out some pros and cons and offer that as information for our clients and wanted to share it here. So I guess to start, the general categories are sublingual, capsules, edibles, topicals and smokable products. OK. And just right off the bat, to make it very simple, we find that the overwhelming majority of people need sublinguals. That’s the best match for them. For one, it’s generally less expensive than other options. It has an overall better impact through the whole body.
Meredith [00:01:32] So can you even tell me what is sublingual? I mean, somebody might not even really understand that terminology. So when you say sublingual, what do you mean?
Jessica [00:01:41] Yeah. So that’s like the most common, I guess, form that you’ll find CBD in right now it’s like an oil or a tincture or drops. There’s different terms that people use for it. It’s, sublingual means it’s a kind of delivery method where you just put it under your tongue and allow it to hold, you know, 20 or 30 seconds up to a minute, whatever, before swallowing it. And because you’re holding it under the tongue where there are a lot of blood vessels, you get a better absorption rate occurring in a speedier delivery to the body.
Meredith [00:02:16] OK.
Jessica [00:02:16] So that’s basically the most common way that you’ll see it on the market currently and which is good because it’s the most ideal way for most.
Meredith [00:02:27] For most people. So what about taste like what can I expect as far as you know? Is it gonna taste terrible?
Adriane [00:02:37] Well, taste buds are very different depending upon who you are, of course. Depends upon the product that you’re taking. So a full-spectrum product that has the naturally occurring terpenes, it’s going to taste like the plant. It’s going to taste like hemp. So with the extraction method that’s used, of course, you can get something that taste hempy, but also tastes really kind of almost like the earth is in with it, too. That’s because the extraction method has pulled some of the chlorophyll. So it really depends upon the product. So you’ll find some that are, that they may flavor with peppermint or orange and they’re clear it really denotes the type of product that it is. And of course, I’m probably taking us way down in the weeds, but with an isolate product. They can usually flavor it with anything because it has no flavor whatsoever other than the oil that it’s in with full spectrum products that are done using a hydrocarbon distillation. It’ll be very natural flavored, very real. And then you’ll have those that are probably done through the larger way, where it’s done through, where you get some more of that earth flavor, more the chlorophyll comes through with it. So it really kind of depends.
Meredith [00:03:49] And that’s pretty easy to do, right. So I’m just going to put these drops under my tongue. Hold it there for a few seconds and then go about my day, right?
Jessica [00:03:57] Yes, and I wanted to add to that, you know. Well, so Adriane used another term that I’m thinking maybe some of our listeners may not understand, but terpenes are essentially they’re the agent that causes the flavor and the taste and the smell of the product. And they occur naturally in the cannabis plants. They can be like different, a different experience for different people. Like, some people will taste our oil and get a very lemon taste or a pine taste or more of an earthy taste or peppery taste. And those are all different chemical terpenes that are found in the plant. And people just perceive that differently. So your actual tastes will vary depending on your taste buds. But the reason that they’re there in ours, so we’ve put them, we’ve extracted them in a way that they remain in our product on purpose because they’re really beneficial substances. Kind of like the cannabinoids. The terpenes offer a lot of synergy and health benefit. They kind of act as a catalyst to essentially magnify the effects of cannabinoids. And so we feel they’re not just flavoring agents, but really vital to the overall benefit.
Meredith [00:05:08] Awesome. OK. So if I’m not going to take a product sublingually, then what’s kind of the next most common way that I would that I would use CBD?
Adriane [00:05:20] Well, so consumers will typically go to a capsule or a softgel, usually just because that’s more natural. That’s more every day. People take capsules and soft gels for a lot of different reasons. So it becomes very natural. It feels more normal in that sense. Not ideal, honestly, because it takes a little bit longer for it to get into your system. It’s not a bad delivery method. Don’t misunderstand me, but it does take a little bit longer because it has to go through that digestive track. And so at the onset of the feelings of relief are delayed.
Meredith [00:05:56] OK. OK. But kind of portable. Right. I mean, you know, it’s easy to take a soft gel and put in my pocket or have it in a little, you know, dish that I carry in my bag. So ease of use is high. But maybe, you know, speed of relief is on the lower side.
Adriane [00:06:12] Right. Absolutely. When it comes to, from a travel standpoint, if you’re going on vacation, it’s a lot easier to throw some capsules in a bag than it is to travel with your oil because God forbid, something happen while you’re traveling. But again, it’s just it comes down to when do you want to see the results? Right. We actually started creating capsules only after some people reported not really being favorable to the flavor of the extract and that natural flavor. And when you’re giving it to a senior citizen or quite possibly even a child with special needs, that flavor and even the texture of just the oil, the flavor may not even be what’s what they don’t like about it. It could just be the texture of the oil. Just giving them another delivery method to take it is, can definitely be beneficial for those people.
Jessica [00:07:05] I know it’s made a really big difference, like, for example, with my sister that I spoke about in the previous episode. You know, she didn’t really necessarily mind the taste, but she didn’t love it either. And so she tends to prefer the capsules also, because now that she’s back in school and more able to make decisions for herself, she takes a capsule with her so that if she has a really hard day, she can take one mid-day and then really help her to combat some stressors there. So, you know, a lot of reasons, but I think the nice thing is the convenience and the con to it, the downside is the lack of flexibility. Some people find that 10 mg capsules are a perfect match for them. Some people need a bit more, but 20 is a bit too much almost. I mean, it just depends on the person. But the sublingual oils would offer that variability a little easier.
Meredith [00:07:59] OK. OK. Good to know. Good to know. OK. So tell me another popular delivery method. I think you guys said there’s about, what, four or five out there that you wanted to chat about.
Jessica [00:08:08] Right. I mean, I think our next one up would be topicals. Topicals are a really comfortable entry point for anyone who’s really a bit more hesitant for using cannabis. So CBD, we don’t find a ton of people who just are opposed to the idea of it. But using it topical can be a softer entry point for them. Allow them to get some experiences with it and and see if it’s a good match for them. It’s also really nice for people who have just like there’s just a shoulder injury that they’re dealing with or you a knee issue. Something that’s really centralized just to one area is a nice match for topicals because it can be a really fast and effective pain reliever for a lot of people, whereas sublinguals are a great pain reliever. But it does seem like the trend is that they do tend to take a bit longer than the topic calls for their analgesic effect.
Meredith [00:09:11] Got it. So you are saying really like if I have something that’s kind of systemic, so if I’m faced with something that’s more whole body focused, that’s not related to sore joints or muscles or an injury, then maybe those first two delivery methods we talked about would be best. But if I had a sore muscle, if I have an injury to an area that I really want to focus on, that the topical is a great way to get quick relief using that.
Adriane [00:09:43] Yeah. And like, like Jessica said, for those that are maybe a little leery but want to understand or experience the benefits of CBD, it’s a great way to just kind of dip their toe in. Also, what we found is the topical you may be using it for pain relief and but maybe you got a bug bite or maybe your child bumped their head. I know Jessica’s actually used this for this specific reason. Your child, you know, as has an owie and you placed the salve on there. It does crazy things like it will reduce the inflammation on bumps and bruises and on bug bites. So, while you may have been using it for that sore tennis elbow, you’ve now found that it works for your kids boo-boos.
Meredith [00:10:27] Yeah, and awesome.
Jessica [00:10:29] To my surprise, you know our relieving salve, just on Mother’s Day, actually, I was doing a bit of laundry and a bee was somehow in my laundry and stung me. It was a Hornet. I got a hornet sting and I immediately rub the relieving salve on it, and it really was instant relief. Like I didn’t expect complete instant relief. And it was I had to reapply it probably every 30 minutes or so. But that was severe pain that it immediately addressed completely and then minimized the swelling as well. I have allergic reactions where I swell really large to be stings and mosquito bites, but that just I mean, it barely popped up at all. So I thought that was amazing. I sell this stuff, so.
Adriane [00:11:16] It’s funny because Jessica and I often or used to when we used to be in the same building. We used to joke like CBD is like Windex. I don’t know if you remember the movie? Oh, my gosh, Jessica, what’s the name of that movie. It’s My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Where they put Windex on everything, like it fixes everything. I mean, honestly, that’s what CBD feels like, it really does.
Meredith [00:11:39] You guys are saying, hey, it can’t hurt. So why wouldn’t you try it right? You know, why wouldn’t you try it and see and see what happens? So that’s awesome.
Jessica [00:11:49] Totally my go to. I think my, all of my relatives have gotten to the point where, like they call me and anything’s wrong and they already know like I’m going to say, well try CBD.
Meredith [00:11:59] Yeah. That’s so cool. You’ve got sublingual, you’ve got softgels, like capsules. You’ve got topicals what else is out there on the market that people might be seeing?
Adriane [00:12:12] So we do get a lot of people coming and looking for edibles. So gummies, especially when it comes to children, they’re looking for that easy delivery method, something that is appealing to a child. They’re quite possibly even an adult. I have adults looking for them too, or CBD infused chocolates, things that are quick and easy and on the go. And Jessica said it best. The thing with edibles is that they’re tasty and they’re fun. Right. So it makes it feel better. maybe makes it feel better like you’re getting a treat. In addition to also taking something that is that is therapeutic for you.
Meredith [00:12:45] So with that, can we address really quick? How do you guys make recommendations for parents? You know, I mean, we’ve heard a lot about like kids taking gummy bears and infusing them with vodka and then passing them out on the school bus and, you know, things along those lines. So how do you guys help or what? What education can you provide tips? Can you provide? Should people be thinking of their edibles, just like you would think of, you know, a bottle of Advil or a prescription like that needs to be in a cabinet away from kids or like how how do you recommend that?
Adriane [00:13:19] So in my opinion, edibles would not be anything that you would use for therapeutic reason if you wanted to say, hey, I’m going to eat this CBD chocolate because it looks tasty. And it’s just an additional way for me to get CBD in my daily routine. More power to you. But if it’s going to be your method of consuming CBD on a daily basis, you have to think about the other added ingredients that are in there, right? So you have to think about it from from from a gummy standpoint. What kind of dyes are in there? What other kind of ingredients are you putting that are, could quite possibly be working against the CBD that’s also in there. Also, a majority of the edibles today are made with an isolate and some of them not are not even mixed in with an isolate. Some of them are just sprayed on top. So you have to think about the actual manufacturer and who they are. The list of ingredients. So while, yes, they are an option, but for a therapeutic standpoint, not my favorite.
Jessica [00:14:15] I think, to add to that. Cost per serving, they tend to be the most expensive per serving. So that’s a big issue for some. So and I think as far as safety goes, when you’re talking about CBD dominant like ours, that has such a little amount of THC. Yeah, I think use good practices to keep it away from kids because if they eat it, then that’s it’s costly and it’s not necessary. But also nontoxic and safe. If you’re talking about THC, on the other hand, you obviously got to really keep that under lock and key because that has been a recurring issue in states where they have legal cannabis is accidental consumption by children who see a candy bar and eat the whole thing. And some of these candy bars are meant to have, you know, 50 servings or whatever. I don’t know. I think it varies per state, but a lot more than any one person, let alone child should have.
Meredith [00:15:10] So the headline is treat it with care. Right. Absolutely. You treat it with care. And obviously the CBD products are different than, you know, we’re talking with THC that people are using for like mood altering effects and things like that. But I think great advice, great advice on that. An interesting tip about the concept of what else is in the edible. If its your form, then you’ve got to ask yourself, why do you want it to look like a gummy bear? What’s the reasoning behind that? So are there other methods beyond these that we’ve talked about so far today?
Jessica [00:15:46] Yeah, I think the last larger category, because there are plenty more delivery methods which we can kind of touch on, but it would be smokeables. So smokeables are really popular because that’s been the traditional method of consumption for cannabis in the past that we’re most familiar with. I suppose as a nation or society. But, you know they have definite, as with anything, pros and cons. So the act of smoking something and combusting it is not ideal for the the point that it generally releases carcinogens which are never going to be good. But you know, people have different opinions on that in and of itself and the effect of smoking cannabis and its links to cancer or not. But I would say the biggest thing there is pros: if you vape it and you’re vaping a clean product that you’re you’re feeling confident on how it was made and what it contains. I think there can really be a lot of benefits to that personally because it is extremely immediate. It tends to be one of the most financially easy ways to consume it because it’s cheaper. It absorbs really well for most people. And the immediacy makes it ideal for some things like people who get nausea suddenly or really intensely and can’t keep something down orally. Smoking is going to be a good fit. We had a gentleman who had gastroporesis and essentially he did not digest things. So if he took CBD, which he did take our sublingual. But when he tried our vape for the first time, the effect was much more dramatic for his discomfort because it absorbed better than his digestive system, which was a major issue for him, was how that works. So, you know, a lot of symptoms that can be addressed certainly more immediately, but maybe more effectively by vaping or smoking in some way. I know I’ve heard of inhalers. I think that’s something to come in the market that would be more I don’t know. Something you could find more easily. Yeah. A Con would be just don’t burn it.
Adriane [00:18:04] Absolutely. Especially if it’s an eLiquid. But I think what’s also needs to be talked about from a smokable standpoint, depending upon what state you’re in, your laws are going to vary from state to state. So, Jessica, and you Meredith, being in a legal state where you can, you do have access to high CBD varieties on the hemp side, but also the high THC. Whereas here in Kentucky, yes hemps legal. Absolutely. But from a flower standpoint, it’s not legal for consumers to have. And if it’s found on a consumer, it’s treated as if they’re in possession of marijuana. They will not differentiate between the two, although you can still find it here for sale on store shelves, unfortunately. And that’s something Kentucky needs to work out. But you need to check the laws within your individual state. I know in Tennessee it’s legal. They can have smokeable hemp flower and more power to them. But consumer beware when it comes to that. And I always recommend to consumers, keep your receipt. Keep the packaging so that if anything does happen, you do get pulled over for whatever reason. You have something to kind of back up that you’re taking a legal product.
Meredith [00:19:12] Right. Right. Great, great ideas there. Well, anything else that you want to share when it comes to these delivery methods that you think would be helpful for people to know?
Adriane [00:19:22] My, I always recommend start with the sublinguals first. Honestly, I think that that’s the best way to kind of begin. If you’re nervous about consumption, then yes, start with a topical see how you work with it. But if you are ready to consume and just start taking it as a, as a method of, I don’t want to say treatment, but that’s the only word that’s coming to mind but in order to kind of just take it on a daily basis added to your daily routine. Start with the extracts. Be consistent with it, because that’s really what’s going to bring you the most relief is consistency. Taking it on a daily basis twice a day is what we recommend with our products.
Jessica [00:20:00] In addition to that, there is no harm in doubling up. Like use a topical and a sublingual, use a topical and a sublingual and a vape. If that’s what works best for you. I mean, I know in the past we’ve had someone who takes it twice daily consistently. When they have a breakthrough symptom, they vape. When they have an isolated area of pain, they apply it as a topical I mean, it’s safe. You know, you’ve got a lot of flexibility there to really find the exact regimen that works for you. And on a varying day to day basis to what works for you today, maybe needs a little change tomorrow to address it better.
Meredith [00:20:34] Awesome, awesome, awesome. Well, if listeners wanted to get a little bit more information, what’s the best way for them to connect with you outside of this podcast?
Adriane [00:20:43] Yeah, absolutely. So visit our website at bluegrasshempoil.com. We definitely have blogs out there talking about the different delivery methods and consumption and what we recommend as well.
Meredith [00:20:55] Perfect. Perfect. Well, for this episode of Full Spectrum Living with CBD. I’m Meredith, your co-host here with our hosts, Jessica and Adriane. And we will see you all the next time. Bye