How to Use CBD Bud Without Smoking It

by Martin B. · August 28, 2020

If you’re a serious CBD user, you know that one of the most effective ways of using CBD is by inhaling it – and if you didn’t know that, you’re going to learn why in just a moment. If you want to use CBD in the most effective way possible, there really is nothing quite like rolling up some CBD bud and smoking it.

That’s right – CBD bud is actually a thing. It’s likely to be one of the hottest categories in the entire CBD industry over the next couple of years, and it’s going to change your CBD routine in a major way. These are the exact same cannabinoid-rich hemp flowers that are used to make CBD oil and other products, and providing that you get them from a reputable retailer, they are tested and proven to be both extremely high in CBD and low enough in THC that they won’t ever produce intoxicating effects. CBD bud is completely legal to buy online, as long as its delta-9 THC content is below the federal limit of .3%.

There’s just one problem, though. The traditional way to consume hemp is, of course, by smoking the flowers – but you might not want to do that. For one thing, smoking any type of hemp releases a potent smell, and you might prefer to use CBD in a more discreet fashion. The bigger issue, though, is that you may simply be unhappy about the potential health implications of inhaling smoke every day.

A dry herb vaporizer is the perfect alternative to smoking, and it’s the ideal way to use CBD bud. This article will provide an overview of how to use CBD bud by vaping it instead of smoking it. First, though, why is CBD bud something that should be on your radar in the first place?

Why Use CBD Bud Instead of CBD Oil?

The standard oil-based tincture is easily one of the most convenient ways of using CBD, but it isn’t necessarily the best route of administration for all purposes. Are you using CBD because you believe it helps to alleviate a condition that can flare up suddenly and without warning? If that’s true for you, you’re probably looking for a route of administration that gets as much CBD into your bloodstream as possible, as quickly as possible. In that case, you definitely need to try inhalation.

• The fastest way to get just about anything into your system is by inhaling it. That’s why e-liquid vaping has proven so successful among former smokers. E-liquid and nicotine gum can both get nicotine into your system, but only one of those routes of administration provides the same immediacy as smoking a cigarette.

• The bioavailability of CBD is significantly higher when you inhale it as opposed to taking it orally. When you inhale CBD, as much as 31 percent of it reaches your bloodstream. The bioavailability of CBD taken orally, on the other hand, is around 13-19 percent. All medications and drugs have reduced bioavailability when used orally because of the first-pass effect. The liver metabolizes a significant portion of orally administered CBD before the rest has an opportunity to reach your bloodstream.

How to Vape CBD Bud: What You Need

To vape CBD bud, you need only two things. Although there are plenty of other accessories that you can grab to spice up your CBD vaping experience later, two items are absolutely essential from the very beginning.

• You need a dry herb vaporizer. It doesn’t need to be one of the big, fan-equipped desktop models; a small battery-powered vaporizer is fine. Vaporizers for wax and liquid concentrates are also available; make sure that you get a device designed for dry herbs. Expect to spend around $50 – or a bit more – for a reliable vaporizer with basic capabilities. Look for a vaporizer that gives you the ability to select your preferred temperature.

• You need an herb grinder. To vaporize your CBD bud, you’ll need to grind the flowers down into small pieces so the heat of your vaporizer’s oven can penetrate the material evenly. Hemp flowers can be very sticky, so look for a grinder with a knurled or textured lid that’s easy to turn.

Using a Dry Herb Vaporizer for CBD Bud

Vaping CBD might be a little more involved than smoking it, but it’s really not that complicated. In this brief overview, we’ll explain what a typical CBD flower vaping routine is like.

• When you receive your vaporizer, you’ll dampen a cotton swab with a little rubbing alcohol and use it to clean the device’s herb chamber. Although this step isn’t strictly necessary, it’s a good idea because it’ll remove machine residue from the device’s oven.

• Next, you’ll charge the vaporizer with the included charging cable. It’s wise to let the battery charge fully before using the device for the first time.

• Take a CBD bud and break it into smaller pieces with your fingers. Put the pieces into the top section of the herb grinder and turn the grinder’s lid several times. The grinder’s teeth break up the flower, and the smaller pieces fall into the grinder’s lower section.

• Open the bottom section of the grinder and transfer the ground hemp flower into the vaporizer’s oven. Some vaporizers include tools to make this process easier. While not all grinders include loading tools, most include packing tools because a grinder with a conduction oven usually works best if you pack the herbs firmly. Using the packing tool, press the herbs down gently until they’re level with the top of the oven. Depending on the size of your flowers, you may need to use more than one flower to fill the oven.

• Turn your vaporizer on. If you have a device with adjustable temperature settings, start at a lower temperature and increase the temperature slowly until you reach the intensity and flavor that you prefer. Many people like to begin their vaping sessions at lower temperatures for maximum flavor quality and end their sessions at higher temperatures for maximum cannabinoid extraction.

• Inhale deeply through the device’s mouthpiece, holding the vapor in your lungs for several seconds before exhaling.

If you prefer, you can use a single oven load for multiple short vaping sessions simply by turning your device off after you’ve inhaled once or twice. You’ll experience a noticeable change in flavor when your CBD flowers are completely used up; some people liken the flavor of spent CBD bud to that of burned popcorn.

A Note About the Quality and Purity of CBD Bud

There have been some rumblings among unhappy consumers who have alleged that certain companies appear to be trying to pass off lower-quality flowers as “CBD bud” because those flowers aren’t quite up to the standards that dispensaries require. Buying cannabis from a dispensary is expensive, but one of the ways in which dispensaries justify their high prices is by extensively testing incoming products before selling them.

Your goal when buying CBD hemp, then, is to find a merchant that holds its products to the same standards a dispensary would require. Look for a brand that explains where its CBD bud comes from and provides full-panel test results. Learn more by reading the hemp flower FAQ at this page.

Before buying CBD flower, you want to know that it:

• Contains the amount of CBD claimed

• Contains THC below the federal limit of 0.3 percent

• Is grown according to organic principles and contains no pesticide, herbicide or fungicide residue

• Has no mold contamination

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Martin B.

Ex-smoker, passionate vaper who loves to tell the world about the life-changing potential of vaping. Co-creator of Ecigclopedia with a background in Business & Finance. Prefers a dessert flavored vape and loves to innovate.