Now that everyone is waking up to the proven science that shows CBD can help with everything from social anxiety to chronic pain, it’s time we dived deeper into the plant it comes from. Cannabis has been seen as something of a recreational drug and nothing more for far too long. It’s a naturally flourishing plant just like any other, and one that happens to contain an ample supply of CBD and other health-driving cannabinoids.
One of the main issues people still have with CBD is the fact it is closely related to cannabis. Closely related, and yet when the THC is carefully removed, completely different. That’s because THC is the psychoactive compound responsible for getting ‘high’ that many rightfully associate with cannabis. Our Londonderry CBD goes to great lengths to ensure THC is completely removed, leaving you with nothing but health-driving substances, all of which are abundant in nature.
What we also need to discuss are the long term effects of taking cannabis: not CBD, but standard cannabis. The idea is to raise awareness and educate users on the good points and bad points of particular choices and show you that when you come to a brand like ours, you never have to worry about a thing. Let’s answer some of the common questions around cannabis use and user health.
How long does cannabis stay in your blood?
48 hours after light to moderate use is typically how long cannabis will remain in your system. This will mean that if you were to take a drug test during this period, you would test positive for cannabis if the test was conducted on your blood. It also means how long the cannabis ingredients will be circulating in your body and potentially entering your gut or brain. The initial hit you get will be largest a minute or so after consumption, but in practical terms your body is still experiencing the impact of that same hit up to 48 hours after. And for heavy users, this figure can routinely increase to 7 days and beyond.
How long does cannabis stay in your system for?
To answer this question we first need to define what we mean. System in this context basically means your body, and if you think that this is just the same as the previous question but with different phrasing, think again. Cannabis may largely leave your blood after 48 hours have passed following light to moderate use, but it will remain in other parts of the body.
As a rule of thumb, for moderate users you can expect cannabis to present at least one part of your body for the next 30 days. The manner and level in which it remains is a highly complex scientific question and beyond the scope of this article. If this makes you think twice about smoking cannabis, remember that our Northern Irish CBD brand provides a health conscious choice for anyone looking to avoid the impact of THC.
How long does cannabis stay in your urine?
5-7 days for a moderate user who smokes 3-4 times a week is pretty typical. This ties in nicely with the answer to the previous question by showing that traces of cannabis will exist in different parts of the body for different lengths of time. There’s nothing inherently wrong or dangerous about this — you would find the same type of behaviour with virtually any substance — but it does mean that you may want to think about whether you’d prefer our fully tested CBD products instead of standard cannabis.
Are there psychological effects from taking cannabis regularly?
While many of us smoke or eat cannabis as a way of relaxing, winding down and escaping stress, there is a growing body of evidence that shows we’re actually increasing the risk of other negative mental states arising.
Advocates of cannabis smoking are always keen to state the fact that cannabis is not chemically addictive and that you can’t overdose from it, but is that enough to mean it’s completely without risk? If you take a look at the lengths our Real Cannabis Club CBD brand goes to ensure the psychoactive ingredient THC isn’t present, you’ll soon see the scale of the problem.
Excessive use of THC has been linked by scientists to heightened levels of anxiety, depression and even paranoia and personality disorders. While the last thing we want to do is be alarmist and scare people away from choices they are making for a variety of reasons, we do want to be upfront and honest about this. After all, would you trust a UK CBD brand that tried to convince you that cannabis was 100% safe and that everyone should expect to be able to smoke it heavily with no side effects? No, that would just tell you that they have a rather slack or overly casual attitude to THC and the psychoactive nature it possesses.
Let’s just pause there briefly and reiterate that we’re talking solely about the long-term effects of cannabis here, not CBD that’s been tested to ensure no THC remains. This distinction is really important because it allows you to make an informed decision about how you wish to supplement your health and wellness journey. By being able to see that cannabis isn’t risk-free purely because it’s related to safe CBD, you can start to think a lot more clearly about where you might want to put your trust when it’s time to work on your health and wellness in a truly holistic way over the long term.
How can you avoid psychological damage from excessive cannabis use?
The two simplest ways are to (a) never smoke it in the first place, or (b) only do so in moderation. If it were up to us, we’d suggest doing your own research so you know how long cannabis stays in your system and what that street-bought cannabis is likely to contain. Only then can you say with a high degree of certainty what you’re likely to experience with sustained, long-term use.
Alternatively, you come to the experts here who know a thing or two about the safe alternative to smoking cannabis: holistic CBD supplementation with help from a trusted supplier. To ensure nothing is missed, we make sure every single product we put our name to is independently third party tested for quality, purity, and the complete absence of THC. Only then will you truly be able to sleep easy knowing that you’ve done everything in your power to ensure that your mind and body are being looked after the right way.
Final thoughts An exact prediction of the long term effects of taking cannabis isn’t possible for any given individual because of the sheer number of complex, ever-changing factors involved. One of the biggest is the fact that the strength and dosage you’re getting from smoking cannabis will vary from one use to the next. This simply isn’t the case when you go down the CBD route because everything is tested and verified by an expert independent third party. Ideal when you want to chase down your health and wellness goals by following the science.
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