Cannabis is in the spotlight more than it’s ever been before, at least when it comes to favorable attention. While more and more states are moving toward some form of legalized marijuana, industrial hemp was re-legalized at the federal level with the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill and has quickly turned into one of the hottest industry niches in the country. Cannabis is cool again, and its potential benefits are being touted by celebrities, elite athletes, and holistic care aficionados. Even the FDA, a regulatory agency that maintains an often dour view of natural remedies, has signaled a willingness to listen to science and consumers when establishing guidelines for the nascent legal cannabis industry. For many, it’s been a long time coming.
From Patriot To Criminal To Healer
CBD isn’t the new kid on the block; it’s just coming back to the old neighborhood. Hemp was already here before Europeans landed on the shores, and the local strain
Hemp was often cultivated near the fertile Mississippi river
proved to have some superior qualities to the strains they had brought with them. It didn’t take long for early colonizers to begin farming both their originating country’s strain as well as the one used by local Native American tribes, followed by the hybrid stock that was created from the inevitable cross-pollination. The fact that it was included as part of a colony ship’s stores is a testament to the importance of hemp.
The wellness properties of hemp were already well known by that time and had been for thousands of years. Besides, the fibers of hemp were necessary for the creation of both fabrics for clothing and sails, as well as hemp rope, which was used for rigging, tying, and binding. It was also a source of oil that could be used for cooking or as an alternate fuel source like most fats. It was crucial that some colonies required any landowner to set aside part of their farm area for its growth.
Hemp bast fibers which can be used from anything, from toilet paper to clothing.
It continued to be an important commercial, industrial, and strategic crop in the United States of America for generations. As an essential cash crop for both domestic production and international trade, it was well respected for its versatility, and it was that very versatility that made it a target. Spearheaded by timber, paper, and chemical interests, a smear campaign played out in the headlines of William Randolph Hearst’s publishing empire. Hemp was equated to its intoxicating sister-plant, marijuana, which was also being targeted by a racist campaign meant to paint it as a dangerous drug preferred by persons of color.
The result was punitive taxation that virtually killed industrial hemp overnight. With the passing of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, which still considered hemp and marijuana to be the same plant, hemp was effectively banned. As the population matured, however, interest in natural wellness products, including cannabis, grew. Eventually, pressure forced Congress to act and return hemp and hemp-derived products to the marketplace.
The New Hemp-Derived Cannabis Industry
Since then, manufacturers have gone to work, creating a wide range of CBD products to let
CBD infused products are becoming more and more popular
people get their CBD dose. These products create competition in the marketplace, but they don’t always create diverse dosing options. Just about every manufacturer offers tinctures and gummies of one sort or another, but there are a few products that stand apart because of their originality. There are also some ways you can take some of the most common CBD dosage forms and add them to your daily routine. Here are some of the hottest ways to get your CBD today:
1. CBD Bath Bombs
There’s just something about a good, long bath that’s perfect for rest and relaxation. For some, it’s the hot water that soothes aches, opens pores, and makes you feel warm to your core. Some people might appreciate the steam that clears their sinuses and leaves them feeling clear and alert. Others are just happy to have a locked door and a quiet room for themselves. Whatever the reason you love your bath time, the addition of a CBD bath bomb can make it better.
Bath bombs are small, molded shapes or balls made of minerals, oils, and botanicals meant to be dropped into your bath either as it’s drawing or after the tub is full. Once submerged, they begin to dissolve, releasing their nourishing goodness into your water. They usually come with a bright splash of color, an amazing scent, and sometimes glitter, to keep things fun. Now they can also infuse your bath water with hemp-derived CBD.
CBD works well in topical preparations that are meant to absorb into your skin. In bath bombs, this often means they are included in the mixture of imbued oils, such as olive, hemp, coconut, and vitamin E oils that are intended to nourish and moisturize the skin while reducing the appearance of blemishes like scars, stretch marks, and age lines. There may not be a more relaxed way to give your skin the CBD support it craves.
2. CBD Essential Oils
Essential oils are the distilled essences of a botanical. In a pure state, they offer the benefits of an herb or plant, concentrated down into a more potent form. Often fragrant, they’re popular ways to use a plant for aromatherapy in oil warmers, diffusers, and beauty products.
essential oils are becoming increasingly popular
The addition of CBD to essential oils may not seem earth-shattering, but the reality is that it is adopting an emerging natural wellness substance to a familiar technique used to promote better health. Aside from CBD, full-spectrum or whole-plant CBD oil also includes terpenes, which are themselves aromatic compounds that help provide CBD’s entourage effect. By combining these with established essential oils and usage techniques, you’re giving those essential oils a similar entourage potential.
In addition, essential oils are common beauty ingredients because they mix well with the oils in lotion, just as CBD oil does. This allows people to create their own “designer” topical CBD applications by adding a few drops to their favorite neutral lotion or cream base. From face cream to skin lotions and muscle rubs, you can tailor your self-care with the amount of CBD and the aromatherapy scent that suits your needs the best.
3. Vaping
CBD vaping is an old hat by now, but companies are working to create new blends and new vaping mechanisms for CBD even as nicotine vaping and THC vaping are coming under scrutiny due to their potential cause of lung ailments. As researchers work to find a reason for the problems with those two types of vaping, it remains a popular way to get your regular dose of CBD.
CBD vape pens can allow cannabinoids to reach your system extremely fast
More and more companies are offering a variety of flavors and mixtures designed for your box mods, including ones that provide you a full dose of terpenes. Better yet, disposable vapes are becoming more prevalent. With no charging, filling, or building needed, they’re a quick, effective way to start vaping faster. Just grab your pre-filled vape, puff until it’s done, then dispose of it responsibly.
If you are interested in creating your own CBD Vape Juice, head over to our new guide post.
4. Pet Products
For a lot of us, our food is also our pet’s food. We love our pets, cherish them, and want them to lead long, happy, and healthy lives. It’s only natural that after experiencing the benefits of CBD for ourselves, we’d want our pets to be able to reap some of the same benefits. Because dogs and cats have an endocannabinoid system similar to a human’s, they can experience similar CBD benefits to us.
CBD products formulated specifically for pets are becoming more common as people try to support their companion’s health and wellness. While CBD pet treats are already old hat, companies are pushing the market to new heights with tinctures formulated for cats or dogs and topical products that are meant to work with their skin and coat. Whether you want to use a no-rinse shampoo that lets you brush in the CBD or support their whole body with the flavor of bacon, as a pet owner, there are sure to be options you and your companion animal will love.
Love your pet? – Check out our CBD for dogs guide, or our Hemp bedding for pets guide.
5. DIY Dressings, Dips, And Condiments
Don’t feel like buying a whole new product to switch up how you get your dose? That’s fine because you can create your own instant edibles and get your treatment your way. Usually, people stick to brownies, gummies, or making smoothies, and sure, you can do those things, but you don’t have to stop there. This is the perfect time to get creative, and sometimes this is best done on an empty stomach with a meal you’re ready to dig into.
Salad dressings help enhance the flavor of the salad
CBD’s oil nature, whether in a more pure hemp oil tincture or as an isolate in solution with MCT (coconut) oil, as some manufacturers prefer to offer, mixes well with other oils. From your favorite salad dressing to your signature spinach artichoke dip, sauces, and dips that are fat-based, whether olive oil, butter, or cream-based, are plentiful. Choose an unflavored liquid and mix your dose well, and you have a new and delicious way to take your CBD that doesn’t require a day of baking.
Keep Looking For The Right CBD For You
If you’re having problems finding the right CBD for you, keep looking around and experimenting. While you’re at it, reach out to a manufacturer you like; they’re always looking for new ways to offer the natural endocannabinoid support their customers need. The next innovation in CBD products may very well come from you.
About the Author
Joseph Bitzer is the co-owner of Sovereign Holistics, an online boutique shop based out of California. He is an advocate for healthy, balanced lifestyles and alternative medicine.