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Which CBD Flower Gets You High?

Published May 30, 2021
Which CBD Flower Gets You High? - Secret Nature

CBD flower contains CBD — not THC. So, it doesn’t get you high. But, the story is a little bit more complicated than that, right?

Yep, because CBD flower also contains up to 0.3% THC. Again, though, that’s not enough THC to get you high — at a ratio of around 50:1, CBD completely drowns out any faint nigglings of THC intoxication 0.3% might provide.

So, there’s bad CBD flower. That’s why we have lab tests — you can tell for yourself whether your CBD flower contains less than 0.3% THC.

You’ll see, though, that we’ve still only scratched the surface of this fascinating puzzle. Let’s dive into the intricate details surrounding CBD flower, the compounds it contains, and how they affect your perceived experience of reality.

Overview of CBD flower — what it is and what it contains

Why doesn’t CBD flower get you high? Easy, because it doesn’t contain high enough concentrations of intoxicating cannabinoids.

So far, a few intoxicating cannabinoids have been identified. There’s the old favorite, ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (usually just called “THC”), but there are also new upstarts like THCV and ∆8-THC (usually shortened to “delta 8” or “D8”).

It’s not like containing high concentrations of ∆9 THC is the only way for hemp flower to be intoxicating. Some terpenes, even, might have intoxicating or at least mind-altering effects.

Let’s break down the three main factors that can influence the effects of CBD flower:

— Cannabinoids —

Cannabinoids are special natural chemicals that are unique to Cannabis sativa. Hemp is a type of cannabis, and its female plants bear cannabinoid-rich flowers.

Scientists are fascinated by the potential benefits of cannabinoids. Some of these compounds, for instance, appear to have analgesic properties while others might help with epilepsy or even neurodegenerative conditions.

The cannabinoid ratio in a hemp flower strain largely determines its effects. Strains with high concentrations of ∆9 THC and low concentrations of other cannabinoids get you high, and strains with high concentrations of CBD (or most other cannabinoids) won’t.

— Terpenes —

Terpenes can also change the way CBD flower feels. So far, we haven’t discovered any terpenes that are anywhere near as intoxicating as ∆9 THC, but these aromatic chemicals are considerably more volatile than cannabinoids — a little goes a long way.

A terpene won’t get you high, but multiple terpenes combined with an intoxicating cannabinoid might boost or augment its high. Terpenes are far from all-important to the question of which CBD bud makes you high, but they’re relevant enough to keep in mind.

— Flavonoids, etc. —

In addition to terpenes and cannabinoids, cannabis and hemp are also home to flavonoids and a wide host of other compounds scientists are just starting to understand. To really get to know the effects of hemp, we’ll need to stop focusing so much on individual compounds, though.

While it can be harder to hold together in your head, the only way to look at cannabis is as a holistic unit. Some parts clearly have more intense effects than others, but no part is more important than any other.

Without the entire plant kept together (and the best plant with the best cannabinoids and terpenes, at that), cannabis can’t reach its full potential. This is probably the most important factor to keep in mind as we explore the secrets behind CBD flower and getting high.

Is CBD flower psychoactive?

Let’s start zeroing in on our main objective. The best place to begin is by defining what it means to be “high” in the first place.

What does CBD do in the brain?

Let’s keep this short. Basically, we don’t know exactly how CBD works in the human nervous system yet, but preliminary research indicates that both the serotonergic and vanilloid neuroreceptor systems may be in play. Let me explain.

Serotonin, a very important neurotransmitter that governs everything from metabolism to mood, is primarily controlled by the 5-HT1A neuroreceptors. It just so turns out that CBD significantly impacts these neuroreceptors — in exactly which way, we aren’t sure yet.

Similarly, CBD seems to interact heavily with the vanilloid receptors, most notably TRPV1. This neuroreceptor, which is also activated by the pepper derivative capsaicin, is critically involved in the governance of inflammation throughout the body. Very intriguing stuff.

Note that these interactions mainly have to do with the peripheral, not central nervous system. In every way, CBD focuses more on the body whereas THC is more intent on twisting your mind.

So, which CBD flower will get me high?

The bottom line is that no CBD flower should get you high. If CBD flower made you high, then what you smoked was not CBD flower.

Strains make a big difference in the effects of CBD flower, though. One strain might make you feel peppy while another makes you feel relaxed.

What’s more, there are plenty of new cannabinoids on the horizon — some of which await regulation and may be intoxicating. So, a product sold by the same company that sells your favorite CBD flower may make you feel intoxicated because it’s main cannabinoid isn’t CBD.

There are lots of different types of smokable Cannabis sativa. CBD flower is simply one of the types that isn’t supposed to get you high.

Which cannabinoids get you high?

To make things simple, we compiled a list of the cannabinoids that get you high and the cannabinoids that don’t:

— Intoxicating cannabinoids —

  • CBD
  • CBG
  • CBC
  • CBN (debatable, some say it’s 1/4 the strength of ∆9 THC)
  • CBDV

— Non-intoxicating cannabinoids —

  • ∆9 THC
  • ∆8 THC (less, but still intoxicating)
  • THCV (different, around 40% as intoxicating as ∆9)
  • Other THC-family cannabinoids

Will CBD flower get you high? Common questions —

Anything still on your mind regarding CBD flower and getting high?

Which CBD flower contains the most THC?

All CBD flower contains less than 0.3% ∆9 THC. Well, it should at least, since anything more than that is illegal.

You don’t want your CBD flower to be high in ∆9 THC. You want it to be high in THCV and ∆8 THC instead. Secret Nature Super Spectrum exhibits the latest developments in rare cannabinoid breeding by maximizing concentrations of ∆9 alternatives in organic, indoor-grown CBD flower.

Is CBD flower expensive?

If you think CBD flower is expensive, you have the wrong mindset. CBD flower has inherent value, and it’s all a matter of whether your needs match up with the value CBD flower provides.

Let’s start with the basics. To get the most value, it’s always right to:

  • Choose the company that offers the best products — even if they have higher price tags
  • Carefully plan your usage habits — efficiency and spontaneity don’t go well together
  • Fully understand what you get out of the product — why is it worth it to you?

Messing around with purveyors of low-tier buds will get you nowhere. You’ll end up wasting more money trying and hating bad products.

Just buckle down and get the best quality money can buy. Start small, and see how it affects your life. If things go well, CBD flower should empower you to achieve more, increasing the ratio between its price and your income.

Does CBD flower make you feel good?

Yes, it should. You won’t experience the euphoric high associated with THC, but CBD should feel like a strong herbal sedative or a similarly calming and gentle, but not intoxicating substance.

Does CBD flower make you paranoid?

No, it shouldn’t. Paranoia is a common side effect of THC, but CBD doesn’t appear to have this effect.

In fact, scientists still haven’t been able to pin down any major side effects of CBD. That’s part of why the CBD industry is so interesting right now.

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