Now that the cannabis market has taken off in Michigan, CBD may seem to have taken a backseat, but there are still people (and pets) who enjoy the benefits of cannabidiol every day.
There’s been some confusion around CBD ever since it took off in the 2010s, before the adult-use cannabis market was even established. This hot new product was available all over, from gas stations to Family Video for some reason, but was rarely reliable due to a lack of regulation.
It turns out, CBD products need to be crafted with care, good science, and standards—when you do that, you get results. Still, it seems like quite a few people don’t understand exactly what CBD is or what it can do for them, so let’s take a moment to explain with the help of Rod Glupker, owner of CBD Store of Michigan and Blue Lake CBD.
What Is CBD?
Everything on Earth is made up of chemical compounds—H2O, CO2, C2H6O (this one is alcohol), etc.
CBD is just the short name for cannabidiol, a major compound (C21H30O2) found in cannabis plants. THC is another major compound, but they do very different things. While THC is what gets you high, CBD affects the body in different ways that we’ll discuss later. Another commonly used compound is CBN, which helps with sleep.
While you will always have some CBD in your cannabis/marijuana flower that you buy to smoke, it’s in much smaller amounts than hemp, the plant CBD products are typically crafted from—including at CBD Store of Michigan.
The best CBD products use organic hemp with no pesticides or heavy metals, extracted with CO2, which is the highest quality method, compared to alcohol/solvent extraction.
What’s It Do?
We’re not here to give you medical advice or make claims that CBD will diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. However, studies and anecdotal evidence have shown that CBD seems to ease symptoms like chronic pain, inflammation, anxiety and insomnia—along with larger issues like cancer and dementia.
Glupker himself has had his life changed by CBD, using it for his degenerative disc disease and seizures. With just CBD in the morning and CBD/CBN in the evening, nothing pharmaceutical or even over-the-counter, he’s managed to reduce his pain greatly and prevent the seizures entirely over the last 5 years.
The most common success stories with CBD are around managing chronic pain and anxiety, in both humans and pets! All mammals have the endocannabinoid system that helps receive cannabinoids like CBD and THC, including dogs, cats, horses, ferrets, bunnies and so on.
How Do I Take It?
Just like with THC, there are tons of methods for getting your CBD. While the most common are tinctures (oils) taken orally, there are also gummy bears, CBD flower you can smoke, and all sorts of topicals like creams, roll-ons and even bath bombs.
“Tinctures are much faster acting than gummies,” Glupker said. “Putting drops under your tongue will absorb fastest into your saliva glands and then into your bloodstream, versus a gummy that has to go through your digestive system before it starts to release the CBD into your system. Gummies can usually contain sugar and other ingredients. Tinctures are usually just coconut oil, CBD and tasty flavoring.”
If you’re not sure how you want to get your CBD, there’s no harm in trial and error, but it also depends on factors like whether your symptoms are localized or all over. Topicals are great for specific areas, while consumables are best for full-body aches and pains. Plenty of people use both! Much like THC, there’s no danger of “overdosing” here, and not even a danger of getting too high and freaking out.
Where Do I Get Started?
To avoid online misinformation, of which there is plenty, your best bet is to talk to the experts! CBD Store of Michigan will gladly help you whether it’s in the actual Fremont storefront or reaching out online, because this is very much not a one-size-fits-all product.
“There are a lot of factors that will decide how much someone should dose CBD,” Glupker advises. “The most common are the size of a person and the severity of symptoms. Most tinctures (CBD Oil) taken orally say to use a full dropper. However, most people do not need a full dropper. Many people can get away with half a dropper or even a quarter of a dropper. It may also depend on how much CBD is in the bottle—250 mg, 500 mg, 1000 mg, 2000 mg and more.
“The typical person needs about 25-50 mg per day. Many people also prefer to cut their daily dose in half with half in the morning and half in the evening. CBD will stay in your system about 16 hours before it starts to be less effective, so doing twice per day will keep it in your system 24 hours so you don’t wake up with symptoms.”
Glupker also recommends talking with your doctor when taking CBD so they are aware and can factor it into your treatment plan—even if it’s just to reduce another medication that CBD has essentially replaced (but absolutely do not go off any meds without talking to a medical professional).
CBD Spotlight
Here are just a few local products to check out so you can graduate from CBD 101 and become an expert.
Shah Saffron - Oasis CBD & CBG Bath Bomb
Made with 175mg of hemp-derived CBD and 75mg of CBG, bringing your soak to a whole new level, leaving your skin hydrated and silky smooth.
Blue Lake NIGHT Tincture
Blue Lake CBD introduces NIGHT. 750mg of CBD and 250mg of CBN. You get the best of both worlds and a good night’s sleep, without feeling groggy in the morning. Flavored with Blackberry!
Buddha Teas
Sold at CBD Store of Michigan, this tea has 5 mg of water-soluble CBD in each bag. Try different flavors like Peppermint, Chamomile or Turmeric & Ginger.
Wyld CBD Gummies
If you love Wyld’s THC gummies, of course you’ll love their CBD line as well, packed with real fruit and 25mg of broad-spectrum CBD per gummy. Available at Premier Hemp Company.
Made By Hemp Luxury Body Oil
This massage oil is hand-crafted with calming and rejuvenating herbal extracts for a premium full-body massage experience. The unique formulation is designed to soothe sore muscles, replenish nutrients in the skin, and relax the senses.
Strava CBD Coffee
Strava’s CBD Coffee is an amazing line of specialty CBD roasted coffees. They are infused with healthy Broad-Spectrum Organic Hemp Oil. The hemp oil provides a balance to the coffee’s natural caffeine and may alleviate the jitters. Sold at Grassy Knoll.
CBD Store of Michigan
37 E. Main St., Fremont
cbdstoremi.com
bluelakecbd.com
CBD Store of Michigan is in Fremont Michigan with more than 60 brands of CBD, as well as hemp clothing, jewelry, bags, hats, washcloths, towels, hacky sacks and more. Hemp does not require pesticides, does not deplete the soil, takes CO2 out of the air, has fibers that are 10x stronger than cotton, and produces more fibers with less space. Hemp can be used for textiles, construction, oil, fuel, foods and medicine. CBD Store of Michigan even has a hemp wood putter on display in the shop. The website offers free shipping on all orders over $25.
Blue Lake CBD is their proprietary brand, grown and manufactured in Michigan, doctor formulated, using organic farming practices. It’s processed by CO2 extract, rather than alcohol, making it a much cleaner product without any alcohol taste.
