If you’ve visited our cannabis blog, you know that cannabinoids such as THC and CBD have the potential to reduce pain and inflammation, tame anxiety, soothe us into deeper sleep, and many other beneficial effects. But did you know that cannabis is just as powerful outside the body as in? Whether in the form of THC lotions, CBD balms or other products, cannabis topicals deliver the healing power of THC and CBD right where it’s needed.
Here’s everything you need to know about cannabis topicals: what they are, how they work, and why they just might be the medicine you never knew you needed!
How Do Cannabis Topicals Work? A New Way to Harness The Power of Cannabinoids
At the most basic level, cannabis topicals work by applying cannabinoids such as THC and CBD directly to the site of soreness, strain, or mild injury. Cannabinoids, of course, are the major “active ingredients” in cannabis, and they’re responsible for a majority of the plant’s beneficial medicinal effects as well as the characteristic euphoric “high” most associated with THC.
No matter whether you smoke or vape cannabis or apply it to your skin in the form of THC topicals, the cannabinoids interface with something called the endocannabinoid system, or ECS. A highly developed regulatory network, the ECS helps control such functions as sleep, memory, immune function, and other processes.
However, there’s a major difference between smoking, vaping and consuming cannabis edibles as compared to topicals. When we use cannabis topicals, the THC doesn’t typically impart an intoxicating high.
That said, there are exceptions. Cannabis transdermals (sometimes known as “transdermal patches”) are high-tech products that deliver cannabinoids to the bloodstream through the skin. Long-lasting and potent, they’re a great way to treat stubborn soreness or pain, even while you sleep! But because transdermals containing THC can impart an intoxicating psychoactivity, they’re best used when the potential distraction won’t be a drawback.
If in doubt, be sure to read the product label to be certain whether given THC topicals are intoxicating!
What Are the Benefits of Cannabis Topicals? Fast-Acting Relief, Right Where You Need It
While cannabis topicals may not offer the same type of experience as smoking or vaping, they have a number of advantages. For one thing, they allow you to deliver the pain-relieving and analgesic properties of cannabis right where you need them. And because they typically don’t impart a psychoactive high, they’re great for daytime use, limbering up muscles before or after exertion, or other other applications in which you don’t want the potential for distraction.
Different Types of Cannabis Topicals
What are some of the types of cannabis topicals you might encounter on our dispensary shelves? Here are a few of the most popular:
- THC Topicals: Because THC has been shown to potentially reduce pain and inflammation, applying it directly to the skin with a cannabis-infused lotion, balm, or salve is a great way to deliver those healing effects where and when you need them most!
- CBD Topicals: CBD is a potent medicine in its own right, and topicals that rely on its powerful anti-inflammatory properties deliver all the relief without any potential for intoxication.
- Transdermal Patches: These high-tech patches deliver cannabinoids directly to the bloodstream for potent and long-lasting effects (in some cases, up to twenty-four hours!). That said, transdermals containing THC may impart a psychoactive high, so be sure you choose the one that best suits your needs (ask a budtender for help!).
Shop Cannabis Products: Cannabis Topicals, THC Lotions, and More
Looking for where to buy cannabis topicals? If you’ve been searching “THC topical near me,” we’d like to offer our family of dispensaries serving Michigan, Massachusetts and Illinois. Just choose the Mission dispensary closest to you and browse our expansive selection. Better yet, we invite you to visit any of our family of dispensaries in person and ask your friendly budtender for tips. We’d love to hook you up!
THC Topicals: FAQs
Q: What are topical cannabis products?
A: Cannabis topicals such as THC lotions or CBD balms apply cannabinoids directly to sites of pain or injury, such as muscles and joints. This allows the cannabinoids to relieve pain and inflammation right where they’re most needed.
Q: What’s the difference between topical and transdermal cannabis products?
A: THC topicals are products for external use that apply cannabinoids directly to the skin at the site of an ache or injury. Transdermal products are a type of topical that allows cannabinoids to penetrate the skin to enter the bloodstream. This means that transdermals containing THC have the potential to impart a psychoactive “high.”
Q: Does transdermal cannabis get you high?
A: Because transdermal products allow cannabinoids to enter the bloodstream, transdermals containing THC have the potential to impart a psychoactive “high.”
