CBD oil has become increasingly popular over the last few years, gaining heavy traction once cannabis became federally legal in Canada. As a budtender, I’ve personally noticed an increasing trend in the use of CBD and CBD oils over the last couple of months. There is so much that goes into cannabis, and the same is true for CBD and its methods of delivery. Sometimes it can be kind of overwhelming for both consumers and those in the industry alike.

            So, what exactly is CBD then? CBD (cannabidiol) is a secondary, non-intoxicating compound of the cannabis plant. It is found naturally within the resinous flower of the cannabis plant. Typically, CBD can be described to be felt more in the body than the head thanks to its non-psychoactive attributes. It is able to work within the human body thanks to the receptors that make up the endocannabinoid system similarly to that of the compound THC, (tetrahydrocannabinol) which is the main psychoactive or intoxicating component of cannabis. One might be asking “if they’re both cannabinoids then why don’t both intoxicate you?”, and there definitely is an answer for that. The answer lies within our CB1 receptors in our brain and central nervous system. All-natural and organic components are used. There are no artificial flavours, colours, or preservatives in this product.

            THC is the component that binds to the CB1 receptors, while CBD does not. CBD oil is actually considered to be an antagonist of CB1 antagonists, meaning that it doesn’t directly activate or suppress CB1 receptors. Instead, it suppresses the CB1 activating qualities of other cannabinoids such as THC. This is why you will hear some people say to use CBD if you ever feel uncomfortably high while consuming cannabis. So now that you know a bit more about what CBD is, it’s also important to know that there are multiple methods of consumption for it just like there is for THC!             There is a variety of methods available to consumers ranging from flower in multiple loose dried flower or pre-roll options, to vapes, edibles/capsules, and even topicals. Most popular however appear to be the oils because of their potency, effectiveness, and ease of use. Lake City Cannabis is proud to carry a variety of CBD oils at both our Calgary and Chestermere locations. Some of our favourites’s that you could find at either of our locations as of July 5 include the Free Oil from Soleil (for beginners), Pur Dew from Blissco (for the intermediate) or the Sync 100 from Emerald Health (half to one full syringe for the experts). Our friendly and knowledgeable budtenders would be happy to answer your questions regarding the recreational use of CBD and also try and find the right method of consumption for you!+