by Jeff Eckenrode, COO

By now, you’ve likely heard somebody you know talk about CBD.

You might even have a friend or coworker that uses it for treating anything from anxiety, to sleeplessness, to physical discomfort.

CBD Cannabis — *Photo credit:* Alex Block

But what is CBD? How does CBD work? And what are its benefits?

If you’re looking to learn more about CBD and how it can help improve your everyday life, then you’ve come to the right place!

Here you’ll find everything to know about CBD, put together by the experts at Hashtag Cannabis.

What is CBD?

CBD is short for “cannabidiol”, a chemical that is produced naturally by cannabis plants (just like THC).

But unlike THC, CBD is non-intoxicating. Which means that when you consume it, it won’t get you intoxicated or “high”.

So what can CBD do?

It can make you feel really good!

Cannabis research suggests that CBD, along with other chemicals found in cannabis, can have unique health benefits.

CBD has even proven to be effective in combating the adverse, uncomfortable aspects of a THC high.

How does CBD work?

Like THC, when we consume CBD in an edible, rub it on our skin, or inhale it, CBD enters our bloodstream (either through the blood vessels on our skin, our lungs, or the lining of our small intestines).

While in the bloodstream, CBD can interact with receptors in your endocannabinoid system (or “ECS” for short) — the vast network of receptors throughout the body that interact with cannabinoids.

What are the benefits of CBD?

Observational and anecdotal evidence suggests that using CBD may help alleviate a variety of chronic conditions, including anxiety, insomnia, pain, and post-traumatic stress.

Some research even suggests that CBD can be helpful in alleviating cravings for alcohol.

A recent cannabis study selectively bred rats for high alcohol preference and consumption. What researchers found was that, when the rats received a low dose of CBD, the number of times they pushed levers that delivered alcohol decreased!

How do I use CBD?

Everybody is different, so how you use CBD depends entirely on your preferences and needs.

At Hashtag, we carry CBD flower and joints for smoking, concentrates and cartridges for vaporizing, edibles and beverages for ingesting, and topicals and tinctures, too.

And if you are new to using cannabis and want to try CBD for the first time, then our best advice is to “start low and go slow”.

Choose a consumption method that you are comfortable with (whether it’s eating an edible before bed or using a tincture first thing in the morning), and try a product that contains high amounts of CBD and low amounts of THC.

Did we answer all of your CBD questions?

Let us know by commenting here or on our social media accounts!

Everything you need to know about CBD