Baker's Half-Dozen: A Half-baked CBD List

It's been a long, long time since I've written for the Potent category; it can be difficult to find new things to talk about for the category.

Serious question on that note - why are there so many stories completely unrelated to weed in this category?! Looking through the current submissions, it doesn't look anything like what this category should. Quality control lacking much? Just let anything through, why don't we...

How disappointing...

Then again, what else would I expect from this "platform" after the nearly 3 years I've been on here? Quality control was lacking from day fucking one...

Any case, my love/hate relationship with Vocal aside, I've meant to come back to this category for a while, but there's only so many "new" points to go over or share about pot these days...

And, that's why I only have a Baker's half-dozen this time - I couldn't possibly come up with 13 CBD products I use personally. THC strains - sure, no problem (though there would be a lot of repeats over the years).

Now, before we start on my short list, maybe some folks are wondering: what the fuck is the deal with 'THC' and 'CBD'?

The really basic short of it is that THC is the psychoactive component of cannabis that gets people high, while CBD does not (generally) produce a high and is geared towards pain relief. When people seek "medical marijuana", they are seeking out CBD for those pain-relieving properties. CBD is available online and is not as restrictive to buy as its THC counterparts. Please note, some THC is necessary for CBD to work, but it's not enough for a high. Some folks learn that CBD has a tiny bit of THC in it and freak; it's a needed component to activate the CBD, but is not the same thing as heavily THC strains - otherwise known as "recreational marijuana".

Personally, I use both. Even the recreational strains are not just for fun for me though; I really enjoy that smoking THC strains keeps me from remembering "dreams" as I basically have nightmares all the time. PTSD and all that jazz, you know? Before smoking THC, my sleep suffered far worse than it does now, years after starting to use THC. CBD does not do this - smoking only CBD or nothing at all, and my nightmares will quickly resume.

I have documented 3 months of dreams during a THC hiatus in 2021, and you can find them as follows: month 1, month 2, month 3.

Now with all that being said, let's get into my Baker's Half-dozen! Below, 7 CBD products I use for my aches and pains! Mostly menstrual pains, so prepare to read plenty about that...

Bear in mind, I bought plenty of these in bulk when they went on sale quite a while back; in looking almost all up, they are no longer available from the sellers! However, all products here should have equivalents from other sellers - particularly from shops that specialize in cannabis/CBD products! So while the exact items may no longer exist, folks should totally be able to find nearly identical products with little-to-no issue, and I'll do my best to include links to equivalent, available alternative products.

1) Topical Roll-on, 250 MG CBD

First up, we're only going skin-deep!

Now, I will admit; I find cannabis - THC and CBD - works best when smoked or ingested.

However, there's times when a topical application might be more likely to yield pain relief.

Menstruation readily comes to mind. Unlucky me; I have a 23 day cycle - and average 15 cycles each year. And they are painful as I get older.

Now, while ingesting cannabis products does work well, sometimes the cramping isn't as deep; meaning topical applications may reach the inflamed zone before an ingested option. And in those circumstances, I like to reach for this nifty little roll-on.

As I stated, most of these exact products are no longer available. I bought this roll-on - and many of the other items on this list - from Piping Rock over a year ago during some nice sales. Piping Rock is a supplement and vitamin supplier based out of New York, and I've personally purchased from them for over a decade due to both the quality of the products I've received and their competitive prices. The few times I have found items cheaper, I found they also lacked the quality I've come to expect from Piping Rock, so they've been my go-to for vitamins and the like for maybe 13 years now. I was thrilled that they carried CBD products, though they seem to have stepped back from that for some reason.

For as little as I do use topical applications, I really appreciate this roll-on bottle. As I'll mention when we get to it, other topicals can be messy, and this item eliminates that mess - it's pretty travel-friendly. I usually wind up using other pain relief in conjunction with this, but it can make a huge difference in my discomfort as I'm waiting for those to kick in.

Here's one that can be purchased from Walgreens, just to show how widespread the product can be in the public.

2) CBD Oil Quick Release Softgels - 450 mg CBD/15 mg CBD per serving

Now, while this entry is listed as 15 mg CBD per serving, I also have these in 25 mg and even 50 mg; it all depends on how bad I'm hurting!

These are ingestible softgel capsules, and I enjoy using these in place of some OTC pain relievers just to avoid complete reliance on Acetametaphen or Ibuprofen, especially as I find myself in more pain as the years go by and I'm reaching for pain relief more often. Instead of max-dosing on the other medications, I can opt to half-and-half it.

The main downside is that CBD capsules are more expensive; you'll get like 10x the capsules in a bottle of OTC for often much less. But, that said, I like having the option. It's also a great pick if I find myself in pain before/after enjoying some drinks; I don't have to worry so much about a negative reaction mixing CBD with alcohol.

So, it may not be the most cost-effective of the options, but it does have its time and place to shine.

Here's one place to find similar products.

3) CBD Oil - Liquid Ingestible 15 mg/serving-50 mg/serving

Similar to the softgels above, these liquid ingestibles come in ranges, and once again I have them in 15, 25, and 50 mg/serving!

When it comes to, say, out-of-nowhere cramps, these are the things I reach for instantly. It happens; I know I'm about to start. I know I can start cramping at any point, but I feel fine. Until I suddenly don't. It only takes seconds, and I find myself in a sudden fit of painful cramps - enough to clench my teeth until I fear they'll crack and break. Enough to double over. Enough that I pale (which says something for someone frequently made fun of for how white I am; I've literally been compared to vampires).

Depending on the OTC - and sometimes if it's generic or not - it can take 45 minutes to over 2 hours before a pain reliever kicks in for me (I'm not a "skinny bitch" and there's a decent amount of me to circulate through). I've done days where I just had to wait for that, and it's a miserable time! So when such sudden and painful cramps occur, these are my good, good friends!

CBD ingestible liquids like this work by shaking the bottle, drawing the liquid into the dropper, and then "holding" the liquid in your mouth for about 30 seconds before swallowing. "Holding" the liquid - particularly under the tongue - allows it to begin absorbing into the tissue of your mouth. Basically, it's the fastest absorbtion rate on this list; just what I want when the cramps are bad and the conventional pain relief is MIA!

I'd say the major drawback for this is just that it is more at risk for spilling or making a mess than say, capsules or flower. But in terms of fast results, I highly, highly recommend this type of product!

Heh. "Highly"...

Here is an available product that is similar.

4) CBD Tea

You know what goes good with menstrual cramps? Hot tea. Tea itself can be comforting and relaxing - both things that are welcome when I'm in pain - but the perk of hot tea is that, when it hits your stomach, the proximity to the uterus lets that heat get to those active, contracting abdominal muscles. It's like an internal version of a heating pad!

Now, combine that tea with a nice dose of CBD, and it's a good mix to combat a raging womb.

I know Ripple still exists, but it doesn't appear that The Green Solution - where we bought a few cans of this tea - still carries this tea. Which is unfortunate, as I just ran out last week and now need to see who carries it/find a similar product.

I've tried the Stillwater tea in both mint and plain green tea. At the time we purchased them, the mint was slightly more expensive, so I switched to the plain green tea and opted to add ingestible peppermint from Piping Rock to that for flavor (love the ingestible peppermint, but it is potent! Two drops is enough to really open my sinuses, and it's only recommended to use 6 drops total daily!).

The tea comes in perforated, recyclable sticks, and I wish I had realized I would write this up earlier so I could've gotten pictures while making that last cup of tea. I like to place the tea "bag" in a tall mug and cover up over the top perforations with hot water, and every once in a while I squeeze the topmost part of the "bag" and release. This draws in water into the "bag", and then squeezing back out pushes the water around, really mixing the CBD around as these steps are repeated.

The obvious drawback to this item is that, if I'm already in pain, I have to boil water and steep the tea and let it cool some before I can consume - meaning I probably don't even get CBD into my body until 15+ minutes after cramps have ramped up enough to warrant seeking pain relief. And while I have done better about preparing some beforehand, the drawback there is that the tea is then refrigerated, so I don't get that internal heating pad effect.

Still, once consumed, effects begin much sooner than most OTC pain relievers; at the very least, teas like this are enough to make the pains tolerable until something else kicks in. And sometimes that's the best I can ask for. Will seek out more, personally.

Here's a comparative product that I am interested in.

5) CBD Gummies/Edibles

Cannabis gummies and edibles have a mixed bag of reviews.

The biggest issue, especially with THC edibles, is that while waiting for one to kick in (sometimes over the course of hours), many folks overdo it and consume more than their tolerance can handle. Then, when it all hits, they wind up with upset stomachs or get a full dose of cannabis-induced paranoia.

I recall early on in our cannabis adventures when my boyfriend started using THC concentrates; despite being in his early 20s, he was having concerning pains in his chest and we went to a late-night urgent care to make sure it wasn't something serious like a stroke. There was nothing wrong.

It was likely just "phantom" or fake pains, which does seem to be a half-assed documented issue that arises from cannabis use well-above a person's tolerance at the time. It's something I see folks remark on in like reviews/forums, but I haven't seen much "official" documented studies on that. But it's something I see for both concentrates and edibles.

So, off the bat, always start small. The side effects aren't usually too terrible for most folks, but there is the possibility that you take too much and your body thinks something is wrong when it's not really anything...

Now, as for using CBD gummies and edibles...

I like gummies. There's less ingredients and mass for your body to break down than in other edibles, so I feel like gummies work faster when I try them. That said, they still take a while to kick in. And I won't fault someone for choosing a more substantial snack. Especially at those prices. Like, let me enjoy eating that monetary loss…

Due to their cost and unpredictability when it comes to kicking in, I usually don't use edibles. But, when I do, it's the CBD gummies for those days I just know are going to be chock-full of menstrual cramps.

One of the best things about them is that they just look like normal treats/food outside of their containers/wrappers; so if you take one in public, most folks don't even think twice about it. Well, maybe out here in Colorado... But that's kind of expected; the "Mile High" city is now also known for a different type of high...

They aren't the most reliable as far as, "how long does this take to kick in" since there's a lot of variation across edibles, metabolisms, and body weights, but they could arguably be the most fun for that reason, and the CBD does still work. Eventually.

Here's a link to a brand I have tried and enjoyed before!

6) CBD Topical Balm

Back to topicals!

Balms like these are usually pretty nice; a lot of them have menthol which helps to numb the area you apply it to on top of the CBD content.

The big issue with these is, as mentioned previously, the mess. The oily residue that gets left on your hands and body and clothes can be a real hang-up. Maybe some also don't smell as fragrant as you'd like, but it's usually a tolerable, herbal or mint scent.

But, it is a good way to avoid ingesting or smoking CBD and that tiny bit of THC used to activate it, and is likely one of the most easily available CBD products to those even outside of "legal" states. The added effect of applying - massaging - the balm into the skin also aides in some pain relief. It's not uncommon after applying for me to just sit and continue running that balm-oily hand over my disgruntled uterus, trying to soothe it like I would one of our cats.

Like the other topical - the roll-on bottle - the range of use is more limited; it's only going to work on the outer muscles.

But hey - every little bit of pain-relief helps, and every situation is different!

Here's a link to a list of CBD topicals!

7) CBD Cannabis Strains

As I mentioned earlier, CBD strains do need some THC to fully activate. And some stores only sell recreational cannabis, even though CBD strains can be purchased without a medical card (just not quite as cheaply/abundantly). I've not found one that didn't do something for me, though a very common strain for CBD use would be Sour Tsunami.

I personally still use flower, even though my tolerance is often so great, I don't even really feel true highs from recreational strains now (all these years smoking so I don't just have nightmares all the time). I also had a bad reaction after smoking concentrates too heavily in the past like my boyfriend (I had a lot of nausea and stomach issues), so I opt for flower even though I rarely get full effects of THC highs now. For my uses, I don't really see the need to bump things back up to the messier, more expensive concentrates. The flower does what I need it to.

I just need enough THC to keep the nightmares at bay.

Personally, I vape flower, though joints are nice once in a while too. The nice thing about the CBD flower, especially with my tolerance, is I can basically vape/smoke it all day without negative effects; just overall pain relief that's enough for all but the worst of cramps.

The downside - for me - comes when I use CBD all day and forget to use some THC before bed; even on night one without THC, I can start to have those nightmares. Other notable downsides for other people might be the smell, or how much a newbie coughs until their tolerance builds (you pretty much always cough, but when you're new... you might feel like you're hacking out your lungs).

But, it's effective for pain relief without a high!

So, CBD may not be the most effective choice for some for any number of reasons - most often cost - but I can tell you after nearly a decade of using various products myself that they do have their times, places, and uses. I encourage folks to try these types of products out for themselves; it can’t really hurt typically!

Thank you for your time! I hope you've enjoyed this Baker's Half-dozen checking out CBD products! If you're curious, consider checking out the 3 months of dreams I documented during my 3-month 2021 hiatus, linked earlier in the post! Or, if you're looking for some THC strains, consider checking out my former Baker's Dozen piece - a 2021 Top Story on Vocal featuring 13 of my favorite strains in 2020-2021 - linked below!

Or, just check out my profile in general - now boasting 160+ stories, from fiction, to candid mental health, to other Baker's Dozen lists in all sorts of topics!

Reads, shares, and tips are greatly appreciated for my work here on this site - where reads earn next to nothing! I’ve actually lost money writing here the last 3 years... Help a writer out? We clearly don’t get squat…

And, before I go, just a friendly shoutout to the lovely Sleepy Drafts, who has always had a kind word for me here (or rather a few discords related to the site since this “platform” just sends us evetrywhere else). I highly suggest checking their work out as well! Unlike me, I think they allow comments in their stories, so let ‘em know Baker/Baker’s Dozen sent you! You know, for indirect moral support. They deserve tips too!

Baker's Dozen: Cannabis Strains I Loved in 2021!