How long does CBD last? It all depends.
There are many factors that influence how long you’ll feel the effects of CBD after taking a dose. The type of CBD product you use accounts for a big part of the equation. So do more personal factors, like metabolism and body composition.
Let’s take a closer look at what CBD is. Then, we’ll dive into how long CBD and its effects last. Everyone will have a different timeline. However, we’ll share some general ranges that will help you better understand CBD’s potency.
Understanding CBD: What is It? How Does it Work?
CBD is the common name for cannabidiol, which is found in both cannabis and hemp plants. Specifically, CBD is a cannabinoid. That means it acts on the body’s cannabinoid receptors and produces certain effects.
Most other cannabinoids have psychoactive effects — they tend to cause feelings like elevated mood and altered sense of perception. CBD is very different in this regard. CBD does not cause a high, as Harvard Health Publishing explains.
CBD is legal in most states. Additionally, CBD made from hemp plants containing no more than 0.3% Delta 9 THC is legal at the federal level. You can easily buy CBD in most of the country.
Intended Effects and Side Effects of CBD
CBD has specific effects on the people that use it, even though it’s not psychoactive. It’s commonly used to address chronic pain, sleep quality issues, and anxiety. While these benefits are still being researched and confirmed, results thus far are promising overall.
In the big picture, you can think of CBD as more functional than recreational. It can help you relax by addressing certain issues and conditions, but it doesn’t produce a high.
CBD also has side effects, although they’re relatively minor for the most part. CBD side effects include dry mouth, nausea, and drowsiness.
Anecdotally, these issues seem to be more common at higher doses. However, they can appear with smaller doses as well.
How People Use CBD
There are a wide variety of CBD products available on the market. These include:
- CBD gummies and other edibles
- CBD tinctures and oils, which are somewhat similar to edibles
- CBD vapes
- CBD pre-rolls and flower
There’s something for everyone when it comes to CBD. You can have a more traditional smoking experience or simply eat an edible — there’s no shortage of options.
One important note: How you take CBD affects the length of its active effects. There are two broad categories that most CBD products fall into: smoked or vaped, or consumed.
Smoking or vaping CBD delivers it to your bloodstream directly as it enters your lungs. This generally means it acts faster, but also has a shorter length of activity than consuming CBD.
Consuming it means the CBD passes through your digestive system before it starts to act on your body. In general, that means it takes longer to start noticing the effects. However, those effects can last significantly longer than they do when smoking or vaping CBD.
How Long Does CBD Last?
The length of effects offered by CBD will vary from one person to the next. Important factors include:
- Metabolism. Individual differences in metabolism can affect how long CBD stays in your system and how long its noticeable effects last.
- Method of consumption. As noted in the prior section, smoking or vaping CBD means a quicker onset. It also leads to a shorter duration of effects. Edibles, as well as oils and tinctures when swallowed, take longer to kick in but have longer-lasting effects, too.
- Body composition. If you have more muscle and less fat, relatively speaking, you may metabolize CBD faster than someone in the opposite situation.
However, there are some guidelines to estimate how long CBD takes to kick in, and how long it lasts.
Healthline reports that vaping or smoking leads to an onset of roughly 15 minutes. Consuming CBD leads to a longer wait before the effects start, about an hour. There’s a broader timeframe to consider for edibles, however. They might take just a half-hour or as long as two hours to start providing noticeable effects.
CBD’s effects last for roughly 2-6 hours. You should expect a shorter duration for vaping or smoking. The higher end of that range is common for CBD edibles.
Wondering about individual CBD products and how long they can last? Let’s run through a few popular product-specific questions and answers:
- How long does CBD oil last? When consumed, CBD oil follows a similar pattern as other edibles. It takes about an hour to kick in, and its effects last for several hours. If you place it under your tongue, it has a shorter onset but also a shorter duration.
- How long does a CBD gummy last? Gummies can take between 30 minutes and two hours to start working. They will start to wear off after several hours.
- How long does a 25mg CBD gummy last? A large dose, like a 25mg CBD gummy, may offer stronger effects or a somewhat longer active period. However, the same guidelines listed in the answer to the prior question apply to this type of gummy.
Finding CBD You Can Trust
Compared to many other cannabinoids, CBD isn’t highly regulated or restricted in terms of sales. In many states, you can find CBD products at a variety of retail stores and similar locations.
However, availability isn’t the only concern when it comes to CBD. Finding high-quality CBD products means you can count on their purity, potency, and effectiveness.
Delta 8 Resellers offers a full range of CBD products from trusted brands with exceptional reputations. We also make the results of independent lab testing available for our products, too. You don’t have to just take our word for it — check out the quality and potency for yourself!
