You’ve tried CBD oil, and you enjoyed it. Now, you’re curious about some of the other CBD products on the market. You’ve heard about CBD hemp flower, but you have no idea what it is or how to use it. Worse yet, you’re not even sure if it’s legal! Relax. Nibble on a CBD gummy, and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about hemp flower.
What is Hemp Flower?
Farmers harvest hemp flowers from Cannabis sativa plants that contain less than .3% THC. In December of 2018, the US Congress passed the landmark Agricultural Improvement Act, which effectively legalized the production, distribution, and possession of hemp cannabis plants.
Historically, hemp was an important plant for industrial purposes. People around the world used the thick, fibrous stems for rope, paper, and textiles. With the passing of the US Farm Bill, the world started rediscovering the hemp plant, whose flowers just happen to contain a high quantity of the cannabinoid, CBD.
How Do I Use Hemp Flower?
You can use hemp flower in an astonishing number of ways. If you’re used to taking CBD oil, you might want to start with homemade edibles. But first, you’ll have to decarb your hemp buds to maximize the potency of the CBD. Just break up your flower into smaller chunks and spread it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Set your oven to around 200 degrees, and bake the flowers for about an hour. Give your flowers around 30 minutes to cool, and you’ll have CBD hemp flower to use for edibles. Some of our favorite ways to make hemp flower edibles include:
- Hemp flower smoothies: Grind your hemp flower in a coffee grinder and add the powder to smoothies.
- CBD baked goods: Add ground hemp flower to your favorite cookie, cake, and other dessert recipes.
- CBD butter: You can spread homemade CBD butter on toast or add it to any of your favorite recipes that call for butter. Youtube has excellent videos of some easy ways to make CBD butter.
- Hemp flower tincture: Hemp flower tincture is great for adding to drinks, making candy, or even taking sublingually. Here’s a simple recipe for cannabis tincture.
Smoking and Vaping Hemp Flower
You can smoke hemp flower in all of the ways you’ve seen in the old Cheech and Chong movies. Roll a joint like Willie Nelson, smoke a blunt like Snoop Dogg, scrape the kief and sprinkle it over your bowl or simply invest in a small pipe. Water bongs and ice bongs cool down the smoke before it hits your lungs. If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to smoking, you can vaporize hemp flower in a dry herb vaporizer.
Now that you have a better understanding of hemp flower, it’s time to decide which strain you’ll choose. Different strains have unique terpene profiles that determine the taste and effects of the flowers. Ask your dispensary for suggestions for beginning hemp flower strains.
