Not just in the UK but around the world, we’re seeing the remarkable trajectory of cannabidiol (or CBD for short) as a consumer product. Accessible in a variety of ways, you can eat it, apply it as a cream and digest it orally through a CBD oil you drop under the tongue. But one of the fastest proven ways to work through your body and receive the reported benefits is via vaping.
While many associate CBD oil with vaping, these two do not go together. It’s CBD e-liquids formed with the same carriers like Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin in standard vaping that you inhale. You need to know the safe dosage of CBD permitted, find a suitable device and flavour that matches your profile and most importantly - understand how to vape correctly and safely. To begin with, let’s explore the safety of CBD and its legality in the UK.
Is it Safe and Legal to Vape CBD?
Regarding CBD e-liquids, providing they’re under the UK government guidelines of low THC levels, it’s considered safe to vape CBD legally. Following the same rules as you would vaping nicotine products, in public places it’s considered good etiquette to not vape in a public crowd, but instead in designated areas along with smokers and e-cigarette users. Although we can not comment on the benefits of vaping CBD, we would like to point you towards the positive reviews on our site which demonstrate the impact it's had on our customers.
In the UK, CBD is classed as a food supplement that’s sold in shops and online. Not to be mixed up with marijuana, CBD does only contain very mild amounts of Tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC), which is the psychoactive constituent of the cannabis plant which causes the high associated with recreational cannabis. Both CBD and marijuana continue to polarise opinion on a global scale but when produced organically, tested and produced in a clean laboratory, it can produce surprising results.
How Does Vaping CBD Make You Feel?
Vaping itself as a tool to quit smoking continues to rise in popularity, with so many different e-cigarettes available for heavy to casual smoking cessation. In more recent times, the popular CBD trend has jumped on the bandwagon, offering CBD enthusiasts the quickest method to enjoy the properties of the cannabis plant. Providing it’s a very low-level THC vape juice under 0.2%, you will not feel the high whatsoever associated with marijuana. You can read more about the effects of vaping CBD here, which can depend on the person vaping, the dosage they take and any individual circumstances. It’s recognised as the quickest absorption of CBD into the body in comparison to any other method of taking CBD, accessing the bloodstream at the fastest rate. This process is known as bioavailability.
Vaping 101: What’s Your CBD Vape Dosage?
First things first - before you can even think what dosage is correct for you daily - it's important to understand how many milligrams of CBD exist per 10ml bottle of CBD e-liquid, which is the maximum based on TPD regulations. The same theory would apply to CBD oil too when taken sublingually. It’s a really simple calculation - as seen below in the diagram. Essentially, you take the number of milligrams (mg) of pure CBD, divide by the quantity in millilitres (ml) of the bottle and that’s your total of mg per bottle.
As an example, if you take our popular 500mg bottle of Full Spectrum CBD E-Liquid, sold at 10ml a bottle, that’s 50mg per 1ml of e-liquid you can vape. Now that you know how to calculate what’s in any size bottle, you can now concentrate on what’s the right dosage of CBD you require.
Regarding the dosage, there is not a one size fits all amount that’s suitable for everybody. That’s because everybody is unique like we stated earlier! A man at over 185cm weighing 85kg may require a stronger dosage than a woman at 155cm weighing 60kg. Just the same as you would vaping nicotine, you start at a lower safer amount and build up a higher dosage that’s required if necessary. It’s best to increase in 5mg increments and work your way towards your desired end goal.
Another factor you have to consider is if you have any extenuating circumstances, such as illness or long-term physical or mental condition. Always consult with your doctor beforehand but remember our advice before in the safety section. Providing you select a respected brand that keeps to the THC limits and does not mix CBD with nicotine for obvious reasons, (although nicotine is addictive it’s not considered a risk either on its own), you should be able to vape CBD with no qualms at a low dosage and see how it impacts your daily routine.
What is the Best Vape to Use for CBD Oil?
You do not want to use any vape device that’s too powerful. Sub-Ohm vapes are popular with nicotine vapers because you can get bigger clouds of vapour. However, it can impact nicotine, just like it can your CBD. If you burn your coils at too high a temperature, that will essentially waste all the good properties of your natural CBD e-liquid from the plant.
Therefore, the best vape and wise choice for selection is a simple vape pen, a disposable or pre-filled cartridge of CBD you can add to a battery. Regarding disposables, they’re very easy to use and throw away but can prove wasteful with little control. However, with a starter kit featuring a small battery, you can add your own CBD e-liquids, creating complete control over what you vape. With a vape pen, it’s even more customisable, as the popular XEO VOID demonstrates, tweaking the wattage to get the smooth hit from your CBD. It’s easy to fill and very rarely leaks, as the reviews on our site highlight. Check it out for yourself!
How to Vape CBD - Do You Hold in CBD Mouth to Lung?
So vaping is a relatively simple process, particularly if you choose from one of the kits highlighted above. A vape is formed of three parts - the tank storing the vape juice and coil, the battery and the mouthpiece at the top. With CBD vape pens, you either hit a fire button as you would with the XEO VOID or it’s automatically activated when you inhale. The battery heats the coil which in turn creates vapour from the CBD vape e-liquid. Vapers either inhale directly into the lungs or the mouth and then through the lungs, which is most common with CBD inhalation and smokers switching to nicotine vaping or CBD intake.
Always read the manual carefully of the device you purchase before use and treat with care, maintaining as needed. Vaping CBD as mentioned earlier is the fastest route to get CBD into your system. Unlike edibles which take roughly 30 minutes to work their way through your stomach, vaping CBD goes into the lungs almost instantly. You should not hold your breath after inhalation as that may damage your lungs - our advice is to exhale straight after inhalation via the lungs.
How to Use CBD Oil in a Vape Pen
Follow these instructions and you’re good to go with your trusty vape pen:
- Top up your tank with your CBD vape juice.
- Make sure you prime the coil correctly for optimum performance.
- Let it sit for 5-10 minutes max to ensure the coil is soaked in the CBD e-liquid. This helps to prevent any initial burning.
- Next, activate your vape pen based on the manual. Your intuition will usually guide you too as most devices are explanatory of how they turn on.
- Puff slowly while you get used to the sensation of vaping CBD, particularly if you have not vaped before.
- Adjust any settings accordingly, reducing the mg of CBD if required.
- Top tip - allow a bit of time between vaping to soak up the properties of the CBD.
- Clean tank often, especially if you are changing liquids to get the best taste and to not mix nicotine if you vape that as well separately.
If you have chosen a starter kit with cartridges instead of manually filling yourself, it’s a similar process. Just attach the CBD e-liquid with the pre-installed coil to your 510 thread battery. Hit the button to activate or automatically inhale.
Any Side effects - Will it Make You Feel Sleepy?
In the UK, CBD oil is at a fascinating crossroad as research expands to all corners of business and consumerism. In terms of side effects, CBD has yet to demonstrate major side effects or huge benefits. Studies show it can cause mild drowsiness, but this varies from vaper to vaper depending on how much you take and how your body functions.
As we stated earlier, it’s safe to use and still in its infancy regarding major clinical research. Research the products well before you buy, look for lab reports to back up the level of THC and go slowly, testing out in small amounts to begin with before vaping to your heart's content. We wish you happy vaping with CBD and would love to hear your thoughts.
For more information about using CBD, introducing it into your lifestyle, and our range of products, please feel free to contact us.