Your Guide to the cannabinoid, CBN

September 06, 2022

The CBD market is welcoming an increasing number of cannabis products as legal barriers continue to come down. Many of these exciting new products come with medical claims that can help people become healthier and happier.

Most cannabis users are familiar with TCH (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). As your choices grow, you want to be an informed consumer. Here’s a quick look at one of the newest products on the market, CBN (cannabinol).

What is CBN?

CBN is one of more than 100 identified cannabinoids derived from the cannabis plant. Despite its relative newness on the scene, CBN was the very first cannabinoid that scientists identified way back in the late 19th century.

Cannabinol occurs naturally as cannabis ages, and a combination of heat and exposure to oxygen causes the THC to convert into CBN. You might automatically assume that because CBN comes from THC, it’s psychoactive and will produce a high. However, that would be incorrect.

CBN is old, degraded THC, so depending on its age, CBN may produce some intoxicating feelings, but much less than THC. CBN is known to deliver some terrific benefits of its own.

How Does CBN Work?

Despite its pedigree, there has been very little scientific research conducted on CBN. However, the scientific studies combined with anecdotal reports suggest that CBN might be on the verge of a breakthrough with exceptional medicinal benefits.

Like all cannabinoids, CBN travels through your bloodstream to interact with your endocannabinoid system. In other words, the receptors throughout your body that help regulate almost all aspects of how your body works. The goal is to achieve balance and encourage healthy activity.

A lot more research still needs to happen, but many report that CBN has numerous medicinal benefits. It’s interesting to note, too, that different cannabinoids reportedly work together, building off each other’s strengths to improve your overall well-being.

Benefits of CBN.

Here are some of the primary medicinal benefits that have come with CBN:

It might help you get a good night’s sleep. Very few Americans get sufficient sleep, and so perhaps CBN should be the newest addition to our medicine cabinets. Small amounts of THC can also promote sleepiness, but CBN is reputed to be the most sedating of all the compounds in cannabis.
It may be an aid in pain relief. CBN appears to calm the nerves that tell your brain you’re experiencing pain and help dull the affected tissue’s response.
It could stimulate your appetite. This is important to help people with conditions that inhibit their appetites so they can get sufficient nutrition.
It may help you manage skin conditions like psoriasis when you apply CBN topically.
There is some evidence that CBN can help stimulate bone formation.
It may help regulate your immune system to fight inflammation and related conditions like arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, or Chrons.
It may lower your level of anxiety when you’re dealing with stressful situations in your life.
It may help slightly lower your blood pressure, including the pressure in your eyes that can be caused by glaucoma.

How Do You Use CBN?

The three most popular ways to consume CBN are:

The most effective and fastest-acting way to consume CBN is to put drops under your tongue (sublingual).
If it’s in flower form, you can smoke it.
You can vape CBN in wax or oil.

How Fast Does CBN Work?

Everyone is different, but generally, you can feel the effects of CBN relatively quickly, usually within 15 to 60 minutes.

Cautionary Advice

As noted, there hasn’t been much scientific study of CBN. We know a lot more about cannabinoids like THC and CBD. We also know that knowledge and laws are constantly changing. Here are two things to keep in mind:

You should always check with your doctor or medical professional before using CBN. You want to make sure that you don’t have any condition or take any other medicines that might result in negative reactions.
Although CBN isn’t a scheduled controlled substance with the US federal government if it comes from hemp, you should still check with all the jurisdictions to avoid legal problems.

Summary

Science has been aware of CBN for more than a century, yet there is very little research regarding its many reported benefits. The explosive growth of the cannabis industry and the increasing popularity of products like CBD have expanded the market and brought greater awareness to CBN.

CBN can produce a mild high, but users usually search for other benefits like relief from sleeping difficulties, pain, anxiety, or inflammation. CBN has the greatest sedative effect of any of the cannabinoids.

You’ll enjoy the fastest results using CBN by taking it sublingually – by using a dropper to place a few drops under your tongue. You can also smoke or vape CBN. Most users feel the effects of using CBN within as few as 15 to 60 minutes after consuming it.

As with all medicines or chemical compounds that you place in your body, seek your doctor’s advice to avoid any negative interactions. It’s also a good idea to check your local laws to avoid legal problems, although straight CBN usually isn’t a problem.