Why all cannabis users should have CBD on hand
For those who consume cannabis, pure/high-ratio CBD is an absolute must to have on hand.
Why?
Because it’s the bad-high eject-button.
Cannabidiol, or CBD for short, is the powerful ‘other’ cannabinoid in cannabis, and it is usually the second most prevalent compound in the plant after well-known THC. It does not get you “high,” as it doesn’t work directly on the CB1 or CB2 (cannabinoid) receptors in the body as THC does. Rather, CBD enhances the endocannabinoid system as a whole, allowing other endogenous and plant-based phytocannabinoids to work more effectively.
CBD is anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, anxiolytic (anti-anxiety), antipsychotic…it’s pretty much everything “anti-bad.” The key to its effectiveness as an ‘eject button’ is not only from its direct effect on anxiety and paranoia, but also in that it regulates THC’s effect at certain cannabinoid receptors in the body and brain, thereby shunting the psychoactive compound.
That’s the science. Anecdotally, I have seen it work incredibly well (although ‘felt it work’ may be more appropriate), and have a few other firsthand accounts of it being used effectively to stop a cannabis-driven anxiety attack. I do not recommend trying to overmedicate yourself with THC at home just to test this out — just like you wouldn’t eat a Payday bar if you had a peanut allergy to test out your Epipen. However, if you have done this in the past, or happen to need to utilize this technique in the future, please share your story!
“It’s the responsible thing to do.”
Even if you are an experienced user, you never know if that strange edible your buddy left over is from a poor manufacturer - possibly mislabeled or overpowered. Or how about the visiting friend, who hasn’t touched a joint since high school 15 years ago, getting a little too brave and taking a shatter dab on your Vapexhale Evo?
What were to happen if a child — maybe a niece or nephew, or the neighbor’s kid — got their hands and mouths on a Kiva Bar?
Accidents happen, and while there is no risk of direct overdose harm, it can be a mentally horrific experience. Frankly, if you consume cannabis, having pure CBD around is the responsible thing to do.
As for form, best practices would dictate having a pure CBD vape cartridge on hand and dedicated for this situation, sort of like a rescue inhaler for asthmatics. With a pure CBD cartridge costing anywhere from $30-$50, it’s a small but common sense investment, much like a smoke or CO2 detector.
If a vape cartridge is not feasible, some well-stored high-CBD flowers (AC/DC, Harlequin are two great strains), a CBD tincture, or a CBD edible is recommended, in that order.
Speaking of edibles, it isn’t a bad idea to always have a pure CDB snack around as well. While its longer onset makes it a poor choice for immediate response, its much longer mechanism of action helps folks ride out even the largest doses of THC.
Oscar Night — A Scenario
Imagine the following: you’re having an Academy Awards watch party at your apartment, and in addition to some light drinking, cannabis is involved. Virtually all of the guests are experienced users, but one, a mutual crush in fact, is a cannabis lightweight but wants to keep pace with you and the group.
Your crush takes a deep, rich, full rip from the 24% THC Gorilla Glue #4 joint that you supercharged with some hash, right as Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway step up to the podium to announce the Best Picture winner. The toke ends suddenly with a violent coughing fit. Everyone laughs and the joint is passed, but less than a minute later, as La La Land is announced, your crush is reactionless, and you can clearly see the beginnings of a major panic attack in their trembling eyes. You quietly pull them aside, verbally reassure them, and give them a pure CBD vape hit or two, as well as a 10mg CBD gummy, all washed down with a glass of water.
They feel the paranoia washing off them almost instantly, and you both rejoin the group before the Academy has even realized its screw-up. Not a single other person at the party will ever be aware of how ugly things almost got. Without the CBD, the drama in the room would have undoubtedly eclipsed the drama on that stage; rather, you are now your crush’s hero.
