Newcomers to the cannabis world often wonder what cannabis oil is, if cannabis oil can get you high, how to use it, and for which purposes.
Cannabis oil is a prolific umbrella term these days, referring to any oil-based cannabis extract you might find on the market. Often, psychoactive compounds are removed from cannabis oil during extraction to produce CBD oil. Cannabis oil is a compound that contains over a hundred chemicals known as cannabinoids, which are found in the cannabis plant before it is processed. The two most sought-after cannabinoids are cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It’s mostly the THC in cannabis oil that gets you high. If your cannabis oil is strictly CBD, it is not intoxicating and therefore does not alter your state of mind.
Cannabis oil is obtained by extracting CBD and THC compounds from the cannabis plant, then diluting it using a lipid (oil). The resulting oil is then included in drinks, food, bath soaks, and dietary supplements, in addition to products that get you stoned. Different breeding and growing methods produce different levels of CBD and THC in the cannabis Sativa plant. Most CBD oil products are extracted from industrial hemp, which usually contains higher, workable concentrations of CBD than cannabis.
It is important to note that hemp oil is not the same as CBD oil derived from hemp. Hemp oil is extracted from the hemp plant’s seeds, and it has no meaningful cannabinoid count.
In most states, hemp-derived CBD products are legal on the federal level, as long as they contain less than 0.3% of THC, the amount that legally defines the difference between cannabis and hemp. THC oil produces similar effects on the body as edibles, especially when ingested via edibles rather than vaped. This is through the body’s interaction with cannabinoid receptors found all over the body, mainly in the brain. The functions of the endocannabinoid system include regulating movement, emotion, mood, pain, appetite, memories, and thinking.. CB2 receptors are prevalent in the immune system, affecting pain and inflammation in the body. While THC only attaches itself to the CB1 receptor, CBD cannabinoids stimulate CB1 and CB2.
Human bodies produce endocannabinoids, the same as cannabinoids produced by the cannabis plant, which get triggered when cannabis compounds are consumed. When using cannabis oil, the endocannabinoid receptors in the human brain and their immune system will respond to chemical signals from various stimuli. Manufacturers of cannabis extract use many different methods, including steam distillation, olive oil extraction, CO2 extraction and extraction by solvent. The manufacturer will then add the cannabinoid extracts to a particular carrier oil.
How to Use Cannabis Oil
The method you decide on using cannabis oil will affect both the onset of the effects and the period its effects will linger in your body. You can take cannabis oil orally or apply it to your skin in a moisturizer solution. When taking CBD oil orally, you need to place it under your tongue together with a dropper. When you place the cannabis oil under your tongue, it will be quickly absorbed in your bloodstream, and its effects will last longer in your body. However, creams and lotions containing cannabis will take longer to get into your body, and the effects out of your body will be slow.
Cannabinoids can stay in your system for about two to five days, varying by individual. For some, they can remain for up to a few weeks. The amount of time a cannabinoid remains in your system depends on how you use cannabis oil, how often you use it, the food you eat, and your body type.
The higher the THC levels of cannabis oil you use, the longer it will last in your body. Also, how frequently you use it determines how long it will remain in your system. The more oil you use, the more it will build up in your system. The amount of food you eat, the food itself, and how often you eat depends on the cannabinoid’s effects. The effects will vary depending on a body’s water content, metabolism, and mass index, among other things. Cannabis oil generally takes about fifteen minutes to an hour for you to start feeling the effects.
Cannabis oil products are found in various strengths and capabilities today. They come in several notable and distinct categories, such as full spectrum, isolate, and broad spectrum.
Full Spectrum CBD Oil
A full-spectrum cannabis oil provokes better and more well-rounded effects while working synergistically with a variety of cannabinoids. Full-spectrum cannabis extract has only naturally occurring substances extracted from the plants. It has not only CBD but also CBA, CBG, CBDA, and non-noticeable, trace amounts of THC.
Broad Spectrum CBD Oil
A broad-spectrum oil is identical to the full-spectrum CBD, except it goes for processing to remove THC components chemically. Otherwise, broad-spectrum oils can be nearly identical to full-spectrum oils in rich cannabinoid content.
CBD Isolate
A cannabinoid isolate contains only one cannabinoid, in this case, CBD. A CBD isolate is highly recommended for people looking to explore the effects of the cannabinoid without any outside influence. The only major downside of isolate is you’re not getting the synergistic effects of multiple cannabinoids working in tandem.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, withhold from using cannabis oil and do not use it within a week that you plan to start breastfeeding.
