Hemp has become increasingly popular since the 2018 Farm Bill and for good reason! It has a wide range of medicinal properties that millions of people are finding value from globally. In fact, it is estimated 1 in 7 adults use a CBD product daily in the United States to support their health and wellness. However, the hemp plant has so much more to offer than just CBD. Let’s take a look at the many advantages there are to using the whole hemp plant, rather than CBD on its own.
What is hemp flower?
Hemp flower are the flowering buds from the mature hemp plant. When harvested, the flowers are cured and then crafted into a wide range of hemp products, including smokables, topical products, and edibles. Hemp flowers are used for both recreational and medicinal purposes and can provide a wide range of benefits to those who consume. The most primary cannabinoid found in hemp is CBD. However, there are many other cannabinoids present that produce therapeutic benefits, such as CBG, CBN, and analogues of THC.
Hemp flower is federally legal per the 2018 Farm Bill as long as it contains 0.3% or less of Delta 9 THC. While this is not enough THC to induce euphoria, it can trigger a positive result on a drug test. If you need to pass a drug test, it is advised you abstain from using whole hemp flower.
What are the benefits of using whole hemp flower?
Whole hemp flower has many advantages when compared to consuming a product with a singular cannabinoid. To begin, rather than delivering the benefits of only one cannabinoid, such as CBD, it has the potential to deliver benefits from a wide range of cannabinoids. In whole hemp flower there is CBD, CBG, CBN, various analogues of THC, and much more. Here are some of the many benefits one can potentially gain from whole hemp flower:
- Pain Relief
- Anti-Nausea
- Anti-Anxiety
- Anti-Depression
- Anti-Inflammatory
- And so much more!
Smokable hemp can also provide a smoking alternative to traditional cigarettes. Studies have found, CBD helps to reduce anxiety and decrease intrusive thoughts related to nicotine cravings. Smokable hemp also provides a smoking alternative for those who smoke nicotine cigarettes, allowing them to enjoy the activity of smoking without the harmful side effects that accompany nicotine.
In addition to the many cannabinoids present in whole hemp flower, each strain has terpenes that one can benefit from. Terpenes are most known for delivering the taste and smell of hemp flower. However, they also produce a wide range of therapeutic effects and even help to dictate the experience one has with the hemp flower. For example, a high myrcene strain would bring mild sedation and would be ideal for unwinding after a long day, while a limonene strain is great for daytime use, sparking creativity and delivering an energy boost.
When smoking whole hemp flower, the combination of terpenes and cannabinoids deliver an elevated experience to those who consume. Not only are there a wide range of benefits, but it also enacts the entourage effect. This is a phenomenon where compounds taken together work synergistically to boost the effects of their singular parts. This means when we consume a product made with whole hemp flower, the cannabinoids and terpenes interact to boost the overall effects, and in turn give use a much more elevated experience than taking a tincture for example with only CBD.
What products contain whole hemp flower?
To leverage the benefits of whole hemp flower, there are a wide range of products to consume. Smokable hemp is one of the most popular options, as it achieves the most rapid delivery of cannabinoids to the body when compared to all other routes of administration. Hemp smokables have come a long way since breaking down flower and smoking it in a bowl. They are available in pre-rolls, cigars, cigarettes, vapes, and can even come with infusions to enhance the effects, such as distillates, isolates, botanicals, and terpenes.
Whole hemp flower can also be found in orally ingested options. Edibles, tinctures, capsules, and more are being crafted with whole hemp flower. When buying these options, it is best to opt for a full-spectrum or broad-spectrum formula, to gain the benefits from as much of the plant as possible.
Topicals, like lotions, patches, and bath soaks, are a great way to gain the benefits to a specific area. They are the best allies for aching muscles and joints.
Whole hemp flower is so much more than CBD. It has a wide range of compounds that help to deliver benefits CBD alone cannot. There are many options to choose from to gain the benefits the whole plant has to offer, and as consumers it is best to try various routes of administration to know what products our best for your individual needs. Over time, you will know exactly what your body needs to thrive with the help of cannabinoids.