The use of CBD flowers - A guide for beginners

In Switzerland, unlike other countries, smoking CBD weed is widespread and one of the most popular ways to consume CBD. How else can you consume your CBD flowers and what effects are associated with it?

We will answer these and some other questions in this article. This article is mainly for beginners who need a little guidance.

What is a CBD flower?

We begin our guide by clarifying the two most important questions:

• What is a CBD flower?
• And what are the differences to regular cannabis?

If the quality of CBD flowers is good, hemp and CBD flowers look and smell the same as normal (THC-containing) flowers. So you can't see any difference between them visually.

In both cases it is cannabis. There is only one big difference between CBD flower and normal cannabis. Normal cannabis contains a high THC content and a lower CBD content.

CBD flowers, on the other hand, contain a high CBD content and a low THC content. CBD flowers therefore always contain traces of THC (below 1 %). Thus, there are no CBD flowers that are completely free of THC.

Effects of CBD flowers - Does CBD get high?

If you've never consumed CBD flower before, you're probably wondering what effect CBD weed has and if it's psychoactive.

The answer is simple - CBD itself is not psychoactive. Since CBD flowers contain almost no THC, they have no psychoactive effect on you.

Nevertheless, thanks to the traces of THC in the flowers (as well as some other cannabinoids and terpenes), it is possible to feel a very mild high. This mainly depends on your sensitivity and the amount of cannabis consumed.

However, this so-called state is not even close to what a user of regular cannabis experiences. Most people describe it as a relaxed feeling that doesn't jar them out of their normal functioning and keeps their mind clear. The effects of CBD flower can be mildly stimulating or calming, depending on which strain you use and how your body reacts to it.

Since most people find these effects pleasant, you can also consume CBD flowers recreationally and not just for medicinal purposes.

If you're worried about being overwhelmed with the condition but still want to feel relaxed, we recommend starting with small amounts to see how you react.

Are CBD flowers legal in Switzerland?

The simple answer is yes.

CBD flowers are legal in Switzerland as long as the THC content does not exceed 1%. They are also legal in most other countries.

CBD laws change frequently, so be sure to check regularly on the legal status of CBD flower.

Even if you live in a country where CBD flowers are legal, you should still be careful. As described above, CBD flowers look and smell the same as regular cannabis. This means that the police will not be able to tell the difference from the naked eye without performing a test.

What is the best way to consume CBD flowers?

There are several ways you can consume your CBD flowers. Among the most popular are the following:

• Smoking: Just like regular cannabis, CBD flowers can also be smoked. To smoke the flowers, you can roll a joint or we also have many suitable bongs and pipes in our assortment.
• Food: CBD flowers are edible and can be taken in foods such as cookies or in capsules. However, the flowers must be decarboxylated beforehand
• Vaporizing: You can vaporize CBD buds. To vaporize you still need a vaporizer

Smoking vs. vaporizing

Smoking and vaporizing (or vaporization) are two very popular ways of using CBD flowers. However, some people are not aware of the main differences between these two methods.

Let's take a look:

• Smoking CBD flower is done in the same way as smoking cannabis normally: the stuff is crushed, rolled and lit. Vaporizing CBD flower, on the other hand, requires a vaporizer made specifically for "dry herb vaping." Such a vaporizer is different from devices that are primarily made for vaporizing liquids.
• The main difference between smoking and vaporizing is that smoking burns the plant material, while vaporizing does not. In vaporizing, the material is heated only to the point that it does not yet burn. Instead, vapor is created that contains the activated cannabis compounds.
• Although CBD buds do not contain harmful substances such as nicotine, the burning process produces smoke that is not healthy for the lungs. Moreover, a great advantage of vaporizing CBD buds is that you do not inhale the substances that are produced during burning, such as tar.
• Since CBD flowers do not burn when vaporized, no smoke is produced, only vapor. Another advantage of vaporizing CBD flowers is that it produces much less odor than smoking and is therefore much more suitable for indoor use.
• That's not all! The vapor is much smoother and more pleasant than the irritating smoke during vaporization. It also tastes better.
• When you vaporize CBD flowers, they also last longer. When smoking, on the other hand, the material is burned, so it is consumed immediately. So you can reuse the CBD flowers until they become significantly darker when vaporized. Once it turns dark brown, most of the cannabinoids have already been used up. However, since the material is decarbed during the process, you can still use it to make CBD edibles.
• Both smoking and vaporizing are effective ways to use CBD flowers due to their high bioavailability. However, the effects can vary a bit with both methods. The feeling you get when vaporizing a CBD flower is much "cleaner," while smoking has a stronger (not necessarily better) effect on you. This is probably because the burnt essences you inhale can have additional side effects on the body.
• The only downside to vaporizing CBD flower is that a dry herb vaporizer can be quite expensive. However, it is an investment that has already paid off for many people in the long run. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

If you look at all the points discussed, you will understand why we prefer vaporizing to smoking.

Buy only the best quality!

It is important to work only with flowers of the highest quality, as this will also determine the quality of the effects, whether they will be great or not.

Unfortunately, the market in Switzerland is not regulated and anyone can grow and sell CBD weed.

In stationary trade as well as online, there are a variety of providers on the market. However, many of them (rightly) do not have a good reputation. We have tried a lot of products from various producers in Switzerland, only about 10% could meet our standards.

We'll explain later what you need to look for when buying CBD flowers.

The fact that many people now order their CBD flowers online does not make the whole thing any easier. When buying online, you can't see, feel or smell the product beforehand. Therefore, it is practically impossible to judge the quality.

For these reasons, we list some crucial aspects to look out for when shopping online:

• The total CBD content (CBD + CBDA) in the flowers can be a valuable indicator of quality. If the producer/seller can still offer lab tests, all the better. CBD flowers that contain less than 10 % CBD(A) are considered low quality.
  A high-quality CBD flower should contain at least 10 % CBD(A).
  Note that the total CBD content is different for each strain. Some generally have lower CBD(A) content than others. Therefore, you should only compare the percentage CBD(A) content with hemp buds of the same strain from another seller. This value tells you how much the CBD weed contains.
  If 1 gram of a flower contains 20% CBD, that's a total of 200 mg of CBD.
• As briefly mentioned earlier, the CBD weed must be tested in an independent laboratory. If possible, always check if the results are published on the seller's website and if they are genuine.
• Learn as much as you can about the seller and look at some reviews, preferably not on their own website, but on independent sites like Google or Trust Pilot.

Buying CBD flowers In store

If you buy your CBD weed directly from the store or producer, you can go much further and get more info about the flowers. Here's what you should look for:

• How are the flowers stored? It is important that the flowers are stored in a cool place and not exposed to sunlight. If the flowers are simply stored in a baggie on the shelf, this is not the best sign.
• How transparent is the seller? Are all CBD flowers provided with a batch number so that traceability is possible?
• Can the stated cannabinoid content of CBD flowers be verified by laboratory analysis?
• For each CBD variety, the cultivation method should be listed.