Does CBD Flower Reduce Anxiety? – Which Strain Works Best

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CBD is well-reported as an anxiety remedy, but does the same hold true for CBD flower, which is rich in other cannabinoids? Read on to find out more. 

CBD flower does reduce anxiety. Various studies have proven that CBD flower interacts with the neurotransmitters that regulate our body’s stress responses to create a sense of calm and relaxation. CBD flower can improve anxiety disorders, panic disorders, and insomnia, and it also aids with physical symptoms of anxiety like headaches or stomach aches. 

In this article, we’ll break down how CBD flower can provide beneficial relaxation, in addition to debunking fears about CBD’s potential to cause anxiety and giving guidance on where and how to purchase the highest quality CBD flower to help you with your anxiety.

Closeup of a Secret Nature sour space candy bud.
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Pros:

✔️Unique CBD Rich Strains

✔️100% Organic, No Pesticides, No Additives

✔️Premium Dispensary Grade – Grown Indoors

✔️Hand Trimmed to Perfection

✔️Small-Batch, Bi-Weekly Harvests, Ensure the Flower Is Always Farm Fresh

Cons:

✖️Popular Strains Sell Out Quickly Due to High Demand

Closeup of a Secret Nature sour space candy bud.
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Secret Nature Indoor CBD Flower

Review Breakdown

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Flavor 
Price vs Value 
Experience 
Company Reputation 

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Does CBD flower relax you?

CBD flower has been widely demonstrated — both anecdotally and scientifically — to have relaxing effects. Many individuals who smoke it report feeling the tension and pain in their bodies easing while their anxiety symptoms melt away. It is rich in a wide variety of cannabinoids and terpenes that can all help to alleviate stress and promote relaxation. 

CBD itself has been proven to be a potent anxiolytic, with a good deal of potential in treating anxiety-related disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, panic disorder, and other conditions. While scientists don’t know the exact mechanism through which CBD modulates anxiety and stress, they suspect that CBD may have unique interactions with our body’s cell-signaling systems to help with anxiety. In particular, CBD is alleged to help increase the production of vital neurotransmitters that control mood, stress, and anxiety. 

Additionally, CBD can help to relieve physical discomfort through its ability to ameliorate pain and discomfort. If physical pain prevents you from unwinding, CBD can help to soothe it, making it much easier to relax and feel more at ease in your body. It’s been thought to have applications for treating various symptoms of chronic physical ailments, including gout, endometriosis, and arthritis. 

Furthermore, CBD flower contains all of the natural cannabinoids and terpenes in the hemp plant, with nothing filtered out. While this might not be the ideal option for all potential CBD users, depending on certain lifestyle factors, it undeniably boosts the calming effects of CBD flower. Research is still unclear on the exact role of the myriad of other cannabinoids and terpenes contained in CBD since most studies have focused on THC and CBD exclusively. Still, a good deal of evidence seems to point to the idea that cannabinoids combined with terpenes are far more effective than CBD alone, especially at helping treat some of the symptoms of mental health disorders like anxiety. This “entourage effect,” in particular, is a benefit you might only get from high-quality CBD flower.

A hemp bud being pulled out of a pop top container held by tongs.

Can CBD flower cause anxiety?

In general, no, CBD flower does not cause anxiety. U.S.-grown hemp harvested for CBD flower is specially cultivated to contain low THC levels. THC is the compound that causes the fear and paranoia associated with bad marijuana highs. CBD itself cannot cause anxiety in users and instead is an effective anxiolytic. While, yes, whole CBD flower does contain small amounts of THC, unlike highly distilled CBD products such as CBD isolate, CBD flower does not have nearly enough THC to cause anxiety and paranoia in the vast majority of cases. 

However, there are rare instances where people have reported mild anxiety after smoking CBD flower. This anxiety can only happen for two reasons:

1. The flower contains more THC than what’s listed on the label.

Unfortunately, mislabeling is endemic among the sketchier parts of the CBD industry. While many reputable companies will go above and beyond to ensure that their growing, processing, and labeling processes are well-documented and third-party approved, some more insidious sellers may try and pass off products that are poorly labeled or even just plain illegal as high-quality CBD, hoping to cash in on uninformed users in a newly lucrative industry. 

By law, THC percentages in all CBD products must be less than or equal to 0.3% THC by dry weight or else be subject to the penalties that come with growing, processing, and selling a schedule 1 drug. However, FDA overhead is currently scarce in the CBD industry. Many companies get away with selling mislabelled products by marketing their products as cosmetics, despite the fact that CBD products other than topicals are intended for internal use. Other companies simply hope that no third parties will check the THC percentages, or percentages of contaminants such as metals and toxic chemicals, in their products. While extreme cases are relatively rare, mislabelled CBD products have caused some harm already. 

For this reason, it’s essential to purchase your CBD from a reputable seller who you know has not only consumer health at the forefront of their minds but also sellers who make explicit attempts to be accountable to their consumer base. Being a reliable CBD seller means keeping and providing ample documentation of the production process, such as how they grow and process their products. 

However, the most important signifier of a company’s reputability is its willingness to provide a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) to its customers. A CoA is a document showing the results of third-party lab testing of a product. They are done by labs that have no affiliation with the seller or growers, and they are guaranteed to have an unbiased look at the quality of the product. The most basic CoAs will include cannabinoid levels, including THC levels and CBD levels, while some companies test contaminants, such as microbes, pesticides, and toxic solvents. 

2. The person is allergic to THC or other cannabinoids and terpenes within the plant.

Like any plant, it is possible to be allergic to cannabis. Cannabis contains pollen that can create or exacerbate allergy symptoms in individuals sensitive to it. Individuals who have allergies to common fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, peaches, grapefruit, eggplant, apples, and bananas may experience allergies to cannabis, as many pollen proteins in these plants resemble the pollen proteins in cannabis. 

When exposed to allergens, individuals with a cannabis allergy may experience symptoms such as: 

  • Red eyes
  • Itchy or dry skin
  • Hives
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Runny nose
  • Congestion

However, the allergy itself is not likely to cause anxiety. Instead, all of these unpleasant symptoms may induce stress in the individual, especially if they have never experienced a cannabis-induced allergic reaction or if they may be worried about the possibility of anaphylaxis or severe allergic reaction.

Which CBD flower is best for anxiety?

When looking to purchase CBD flower for anxiety, it’s critical to reach for the highest quality products, as poorly labeled or even just incorrectly processed products can put a barrier between you and your most calming CBD experience.

In that vein, we love Secret Nature’s Frosted Kush & Secret OG strains of CBD flower, as they are very popular and highly potent strains specially formulated for relaxation and chill. Secret Nature is a company that values consumer transparency and highly curated quality, which is noticeable in their willingness to answer questions about the way they farm and the clarity with which they present lab reports. In addition to presenting CoAs right on the sale page, they also include a page on their site that guides buyers through reading a lab report for one of their products, ensuring that consumers are as CBD-literate as they can be.

Frosted Kush - 15.3%

This relaxing indica strain has a pungent aroma of sweet cream and fresh berries. Its exotic bud structure displays colors of neon green and frosted white. Frosted Kush is the perfect strain to wind down your day and enter into a more grounded state. Imagine breathing in your favorite dessert.

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Secret OG - 11.3%

A powerhouse strain with the classic look and smell of OG cannabis varieties, Secret OG is a staff favorite known for its strong indica leaning effects, which may bring on relaxation and sleepiness. Its buds are silver and green with streaks of purple throughout, and it has underlying flavor notes of gassy lemons and earth.

Closeup of a Secret Nature secret og bud.
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Takeaway

CBD flower can help ease anxiety and promote relaxation for most users due to its interactions with your brain and body. More so than distilled and processed CBD products, CBD flower’s chemical profile provides it with the unique benefit of the entourage effect, making it more potent and able to soothe anxiety. 

While some individuals may have misconceptions regarding CBD flower’s THC concentration and its ability to prevent anxiety, the truth of the matter is that anxiety from CBD flower is incredibly rare and is usually a result of negligent or predatory labeling. Additionally, allergic reactions to cannabis may induce anxiety in some individuals, although it is not necessarily a side effect caused by CBD, THC, or any other compound in and of itself. 

If you’re looking to purchase CBD flower, softgels, gummies, and more, consider browsing our directory. Here, we provide you with a wide variety of high-quality, health-oriented CBD products from reputable companies across the country.

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Josh Murdoch

I was born with Cystic Fibrosis, and although it is incurable, CBD and THC have been allowing me to live my life as a healthy adult now for years. For that reason, I’ve dedicated my career to spreading the good news about cannabinoids. Currently, I work for a cannabis distribution company called Humble & Fume which operates in California. Previously, I worked on two cannabis farms in northern California, one of which was located in the famous Humboldt County. I’ve also managed a medical cannabis delivery service in Marin County, California. I created CBD Facilitator to share what I’ve learned, and to recommend the best products that I have found in this chaotic market.

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Our Mission

Our goal is to educate you on all things CBD, enabling you to navigate this vast unregulated industry like a pro. We know all too well how overwhelming it can be to find trustworthy brands in this crowded market, so we’re here to help!

Shop CBD Products

Our Favorite Brands

FACILITATOR25
(25% Off)

CBDFACILITATOR
(15% Off)

CBDFACILITATOR
(15% Off)

FACILITATOR
(10% Off)

Topical Cream

Perfect for Localized Pain and Inflammation Relief!