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Oral Ingestion Vs Sublingual Cannabis Consumption
Tinctures and space cakes are back! That’s right gobbling ganja is on the rise. It’s time we took a closer look at the effects of two trending alternatives to smoking. Sub-lingual and oral ingestion are common consumption methods for both recreational and medicinal cannabis users. Keeping reading to find out why.
THE BEST ALTERNATIVES TO SMOKING CANNABIS
Smoking and vaping are the most popular methods of cannabis consumption for recreational users. Inhaling cannabinoids directly through the lungs is efficient and increases bioavailability to 50% or above. The effects are felt rapidly, usually within tokes. The THC high can also last for an hour or more if your stash is potent bud.
CBD-rich cannabis flowers and extracts also take effect almost immediately when smoked or vaped. But smoking and vaping are not for everyone. Plus, it’s good to experiment with alternatives to smoking every once in a while. Medicinal cannabis users have always been more creative and willing to diversify how they consume cannabis. As a result, space cakes and cannabis tinctures are cool again. So let's take a look at the differences between sublingual tinctures and oral ingestion of cannabis.
WHAT IS SUBLINGUAL?
Sublingual means under the tongue. By applying a few drops of cannabis tincture or CBD oil under the tongue, the user will experience the beneficial effects within about 20 minutes. In contrast, to simply swallowing the oil or tincture this method avoids the first pass effect of the liver.
By absorbing the cannabinoids under the tongue the effect is not altered, diminished, or time delayed by digestive processes. Sublingual application facilitates cannabinoids entering the bloodstream faster with predictable results. It’s not just more efficient than eating cannabis it’s also a whole lot easier to dose with a tincture in a dropper bottle.
WHY DO EDIBLES TAKE SO LONG TO WORK?
Edibles tend to have the greatest variance in effects on the largest amount of cannabis users. Sometimes the high can be all waiting. A negligible high eventually hits you and moves on before too long. Other times it can creep up on you. A couple of hours after you scoffed a fistful of brownies and wham! You’re completely couchlocked.
When your liver absorbs THC it is actually converting it from Δ-9-THC into 11-hydroxy-THC, which is actually more psychoactive. Other variables include how much or little you’ve eaten that day and how much of a tolerance you’ve got for edibles.
Oral ingestion of cannabinoids consistently delivers inconsistent results. Professionally prepared cannabinoid infused edibles should take effect or provide relief 1-2 hours after consumption. The slow release effects can last for 6-8 hours. A very trippy high is to be expected if you overdo it on the high-THC cookies.
ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE CBD
Oral administration is preferred by many users due to ease and simplicity. CBD can be added to many different types of food and drink, making it extremely easy to dose throughout the day. It’s superior to smoking CBD-rich flowers for lung health, and edibles and oils can be made much more potent.
Oral administration of CBD involves a very different metabolic pathway than that of smoked or sublingually administered cannabinoids. The latter enter the bloodstream instantly and produce almost immediate effects with a shorter duration. Oral CBD must first pass through the GI tract and then through the liver. This longer route to the blood-brain barrier means the effects take longer to set in, but the duration of effects is longer.
Passing through the digestive tract is quite a perilous journey, and some CBD will degrade along the way. This means users might need to take much higher doses than they would when smoking or taking sublingual formulas to feel adequate effects. However, the bioavailability of CBD can be increased when the cannabinoid is suspended in liposomal formulas.
Liposomes are essentially minute vessels that safely carry drugs through the throes of the digestive tract to the cells where they are needed. These vessels are sphere-shaped and comprised of one or more phospholipid bilayers formed from cholesterol and natural non-toxic phospholipids. Using a liposomal oral formula will ensure a much higher percentage of the CBD you ingest reaches the site of chemical action.
THE CBD OIL
CBD oil is the most widely available sublingual tincture on the market. The best products utilise carrier oils to improve both the taste and the bioavailability of the organic CBD oil. Infusing carrier oils also makes it possible to produce a variety of concentrations of CBD oil. The most popular CBD oil products are olive oil and hemp seed oil-based.
Moreover, as the CBD oil is sourced from hemp and non-psychoactive, CBD oil is legal in most European countries. Supplementing Cannabidiol with a few drops of CBD oil under the tongue is already a top wellness trend of 2018. Convenient dropper bottles and CBD oil softgel capsules are discreet ECS (endocannabinoid system) supplementation solutions.
HOMEMADE HIGH THC EDIBLES
Despite the 100mg/THC limitations per pack and 10mg/THC per serving on edibles in California, the homemade space cake renaissance is well underway here in Europe. Cannabis cuisine and dank desserts are seeing a resurgence in popularity. Old favourites like cannabis-infused brownies and decadent space cakes are safe to consume inconspicuously at social events and gatherings. A pinch of cannabis-infused curry or other sauce may be offered up for dinner at the right kind of reefer party.
Brand name high THC edibles are essentially being regulated out of existence in the US. And never had much of a foothold elsewhere, to begin with. So if you want to go deep and consume a high dose of THC you’ll have to bake your own dank delicacies.
SO WHICH IS THE BEST, SUBLINGUAL OR ORALLY INGESTED CANNABIS?
To answer this question, you have to consider what you want to get out of the experience. Sublingually dosing a cannabis or CBD tincture is an extremely efficient, easy, and discreet way to use. This is especially true if you are on the go. The faster effects are often favored by those looking for a fast high or for maintaining an ongoing therapeutic application.
Oral ingestion of cannabis, on the other hand, does not offer quick results. What it does offer are longer, often stronger highs. As the cannabinoids become available at a slower rate, and the THC is converted into a more psychoactive form, it can feel like a much punchier, stronger experience. The problem with it is that it can be hard to dose evenly between portions.
So which is the best? The method of cannabis consumption that suits your current needs.
RQS CBD Oil is available in 10ml, 30 and 50ml bottles in 3 different concentration strenghts: 2.5%, 4% and 10%.
RQS CBD Oil is available in 10ml, 30 and 50ml bottles in 3 different concentration strenghts: 2.5%, 4% and 10%.
