Cannabis topicals are completely changing how cannabis is viewed. They are quick acting, extremely versatile and best of all – they are non-psychoactive. If a patient needs an appetite stimulator because of chemotherapy rounds or to suppress memories that trigger PTSD episodes, the best solution for them is to ingest or smoke medical marijuana. But cannabis topicals provide a different type of effect altogether. It’s important that patients have all the information they need to make informed medical decisions. On the Sweet Releaf Instagram and Facebook pages, we are often asked questions about cannabis topicals.
Of course, we aim to inform.
What Are Cannabis Topicals?
Cannabis contains over 500 cannabinoids. The most powerful cannabinoids are THC, THCa, and CBD. Each of these cannabinoids is used to provide relief from both physical and mental conditions.
The term ‘cannabis topicals’ encompasses an array of products. Cannabis topicals are enriched with some level of THC and CBD, depending on the product. Some topicals are a combination of the two cannabinoids while others are purely THC or CBD. Topicals can come in the form of creams, lotions, oils and even transdermal patches. In essence, anything applied to the skin.
What Ingredients Are Found In Cannabis Topicals?
Cannabis salve combines the cannabinoids with melted coconut oil and beeswax, then the mixture is cooled. Cream topicals combine the cannabinoids with melted shea butter and other ingredients, then cooled to create a thick, soothing solution. Beyond these basic steps, ingredients can vary based on the maker’s preference. For example, lavender to soothe pain or cayenne pepper to warm and loosen stiff muscles.
Other types of topicals include gels, oils, sprays, and transdermal patches, which are patches that release THC and CBD directly into the bloodstream.
How Do Cannabis Topicals Work?
Once placed on the skin, the topical cream then binds to a network of receptors, called CB2. CB2 receptors exist throughout the body and activate with the body’s own endocannabinoids or outside cannabinoids like THC and CBD. This means that our bodies are built to communicate efficiently with cannabis.
Cannabis topicals are non-psychoactive by nature, which means that you will not experience a high from applying it to your skin. The THC and CBD (cannabidiol) will not enter your bloodstream unless specifically formulated to do so (i.e. transdermal patches). A topical cannabis user will also be able to pass a drug test. Only when cannabis travels through our bloodstream is it detectable on drug tests. For more about how cannabis topicals interact with drug tests, check out our blog post here.
The Healing Versatility of Cannabis Topicals
The list of positive effects from cannabis topicals is endless. It opens the door of cannabis to patients who may be unable to smoke or ingest it. Patients with small children, who work with heavy machinery or who drive for a living all benefit greatly from the passive nature of cannabis topicals. It is non-evasive, non-psychoactive, and fast acting.
Cannabis topicals are most often used to relieve tight muscles. When rubbed directly onto muscles, it naturally eases tension. Massage therapists have been using cannabis topicals in recently increasing numbers. Cannabis topicals are strong anti-inflammatories that treat swelling of all kinds. The list of ailments treated by cannabis topicals grows by the day.
- Allergic skin reactions
- Minor cuts, wounds, and scrapes
- Headaches and migraines
- Fibromyalgia
- Arthritis
- Skin irritations
- Muscle cramps
- Cold sores
- Throat pain
- Asthmatic breathing
- Diabetic Leg Pain
- Ovarian cysts
- Back pain associated with childbirth
How Sweet Releaf Does Cannabis Topicals
What do you do when the very thing you desperately need doesn’t exist? You make it yourself. We needed a powerful pain reliever that was also harmless to the body and responsively sourced. Everything we tried was hard, sticky, and produced weak results. When we developed our cream topical, we found alchemy in a jar. Our main ingredient is raw cannabis trichomes. Trichomes are resin glands on the cannabis leaf where the actual production of THC and CBD occur, giving us the most potent source of healing and pure cannabinoids. While other topicals infuse their products with extractions, we use the plant’s raw material. This produces a high quality, nutrient-rich body butter.
Our ingredients are all natural, including; coconut oil, cocoa butter and shea butter. To make our product unique, we also added a proprietary blend of essential oils giving Sweet Releaf its unmistakable delicious scent known for pleasing both men and women. Shop today!
