Why Did Smokable Hemp Become So Popular?

A couple of years ago, the idea that smoking hemp flower would ever become as popular as smoking typical marijuana was laughable. Why would anyone be interested in smoking hemp anyway? But, fast-forward to the last stretch of 2020 and smokable CBD flower is making headlines every single day.

Suddenly, everyone and their brother is looking into the benefits of smokable hemp. As the interest level in CBD rose, so did the number of people deciding to try smoking CBD hemp flower. The research is starting to catch up with the interest and the wholesale cbd flower market is projected to keep growing exponentially.

Let’s find out why.

When Did Smoking CBD Flower Become Popular?

The passage of the 2018 farm bill allowed for the cultivation of legal hemp and the use of hemp for products. As long as the hemp contains no more than 0.3% THC by dry weight they are considered legal.¹

As one may assume, on the flip side of that coin, “hot crops” containing more than 0.3% THC by dry weight are not federally legal.

This progressive bill sparked the wild CBD-mania throughout the US and products started hitting the shelves. Suddenly there were CBD products everywhere you looked! There were CBD balms, oils, and teas. You read about being able to vape it, eat it, and absorb it under the tongue.

All these different ways to consume CBD came out of the woodwork and yet, a large number of people decided to take up the act of smoking it in raw form.

Who Smokes Hemp?

Since the reasoning for smoking hemp can vary from person to person, let’s take a look at who falls under this category of ‘consumer’.

Cannabis consumers and those who are curious about the cannabis space are the most likely demographic to try smoking hemp. Since they’re already comfortable in the realm of the cannabis industry it’s likely they have little to no reservations about trying it.
Millennials are another huge demographic in the smokable hemp scene. According to the Chigaco Tribune about 90% of Millennials feel that cannabis is safer than alcohol.⁴
Smokers who are trying to quit tobacco. As the benefits of smoking CBD flower continue to be brought to light, many cigarette smokers who are desperate to kick their addiction are looking into this method as a nicotine replacement strategy.
Former vapers are also likely to smoke hemp flower as many have shifted to alternatives after the vaping lung injury crisis of 2019.

While this list is obviously not exhaustive, it does provide a good framework for understanding the different demographics that are likely to consume and take interest in this.

Why Has Smokable Hemp Become So Popular?

The appeal of smokable hemp may at first glance, make little sense to some. With low levels of THC, what is the point in deciding to waste your time smoking it?

While still in the early stages of being consumed in this way, many are reporting a positive and pleasant experience with smoking CBD flower. There are a plethora of reasons why smokable hemp is becoming the go-to way to unwind after a long day such as:

Can feel the effects of CBD quickly through the inhalation method.
It’s not addictive.
Won’t get you high.
Convenient and effective.
Not everyone wants to get intoxicated.
Increasingly being viewed as a way to quit nicotine.
The damage that’s been done to the vaping industry’s reputation.
More attainable than marijuanna.
Still get the terpenes and flavinoids.
Purest rawest form of the flower (hasn’t been processed into oil or anything) most un-altered version of the plant.

One reason is that the inhalation method is one of the fastest ways to administer anything into the body.² Because of that, the effects of the CBD can be felt within as little as 30 seconds.⁴

Smoking hemp flower also gives consumers a way to enjoy the cannabis plant without getting high. With paranoia often being the result of too much THC, this is a more pleasurable alternative for someone interested in taking in higher levels of CBD.

Even though the THC levels are lower in smokable hemp than they are in smokable marijuana, CBD on its own has been observed to provide some interesting results. In this particular double-blind randomized study, CBD was observed to aid in the symptoms experienced with social anxiety disorder.

The fact that hemp cigarettes don’t contain anything that makes them addictive in them is another reason why people are beginning to try it out. Many people have attempted (and some successfully) to replace tobacco cigarettes with natural hemp cigarettes for their own well-being and health.

While legalization is rapidly changing for the better, the fact remains that marijuana is illegal under federal law. While some states have access to medical and recreational marijuana the fact remains many people don’t have save access like that. For the mere fact that hemp is easier to obtain than marijuana for some remains a reason why they like to smoke it.

The preservation of terpenes and flavinoids could be another reason people parktake in smoking hemp cigarettes. Terpenes are the reason for the aroma of cannabis and help bring about the desired effects.⁶ Flavonoids are closely related to terpenes in that they add to the plant’s scent and flavor profile, but also offer their own positive results. Terpenes and flavinoids of the plant are lost in products that have been overly processed. These compounds are responsible for many of the therapeutic effects of CBD. Smoking hemp in its raw unprocessed form allows for the enjoyment of these terpenes and flavinoids to the fullest extent.

Final Thoughts

While the explosion of the smokable hemp market was a surprise to many, cbd affiliates included, it does appear that it’s here to stay.

Also as consumers become more and more informed, and as research continues to develop and be made available to the public, we can only expect this number to grow.

No matter what the reasons are for the explosive growth of this trend, the fact remains that it’s here to stay and likely to snowball. Circle back to our blog at Jeffery’s hemp to stay updated and informed about what’s happening in the hemp industry.

Sources:

United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry. (2018, December 20). 2018 Farm Bill. Retrieved October 23, 2020, from
Mohammed, A. (n.d.). Pulmonary Drug Delivery. Science Direct.
Harper, T. (n.d.). The Chicago Tribune.
Gill, L. (n.d.). How to Use CBD. Consumer Reports. https://www.consumerreports.org/cbd/how-to-use-cbd-inhale-spray-apply-eat
Weedmaps. (n.d.). Cannabis trichomes: How cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids are made. Weedmaps.