The current push towards legalizing both CBD and THC is a beautiful thing, and every day more countries choose to legalize these and other cannabis byproducts. However, just because something is legal doesn’t mean the general public accepts it. There are still plenty of areas and situations where you might be judged or made to feel uncomfortable for lighting a joint, even if it is legal to do so.
This sentiment is prevalent in areas where the legalization of cannabis products has happened recently. It’s always good to check how cannabis-friendly your travel destination is, even if the substance is legal there. You also may not feel comfortable smoking weed at work, during family meetings, and in various other social situations. And for times like those, it’s a good idea to have a backup. A discreet way to get a nice dose of CBD or THC without drawing any attention; a way to do what you want while also preserving your privacy.
Lucky for you, there are tons of very stealthy ways to get both substances into your body. Here are some of the most practical alternatives.
1 – Pills and capsules
When someone takes a pill at the office, how often do you stop to ask them what they have just taken? It could have been a prescription medication or an over-the-counter painkiller, or it could have been a pill with 1000mg of CBD isolate. You have no way of knowing, and you likely didn’t even think to ask, and that’s the point. Most people respect your privacy when you’re taking something that looks like medicine, so why not take medication that soothes the spirit, as well as the mind?
CBD and THC also come in capsule and pill forms. Pills are typically made using an isolated form of the substances, but you can get full-spectrum CBD or THC capsules. They’ll just be gel capsules filled with liquid — they usually look a lot like Omega 3 supplements. If you want to keep your stash inconspicuous — health supplement bottles are great for that.
Pills and capsules are easy to use, discreet, and easy to carry around — you can easily fit 50 capsules in one pocket-sized bottle, and that should be enough supplies to last you weeks. However, the key downside of this method is that pills and capsules go through the digestive system once consumed. This means that they have relatively low bioavailability, and they may take as much as an hour to kick in.
2 – Vaping
If you are not into the vaping scene, it’s easy to internalize the image of vaping as something flashy that produces a ton of vapor and funky smells. But the only reason you notice that type of vaping is because they are the flashy type. However, if you have a bit of money to invest and know what to look for, there are many stealth-focused vaping devices on the market.
These are usually compact and produce very little smoke, which allows you to sit down in a busy restaurant and vape in relative anonymity. Of course, people will see what you are doing if they look straight at you, but that’s different from putting out a pillar of smoke that lets everyone in a 5-mile ratio know that someone is vaping.
The smell is optional as well. And while there is a lot to love about a flavorful and aromatized THC vape cartridge, there are flavorless and odorless options in the market. Vape juices are typically made using THC or CBD isolate, which are naturally void of flavor and odorless already. So making discreet vape liquids is just a matter of choosing the right ingredients.
Granted, carrying a vape device with you isn’t the most convenient and discreet option on this list. But it does allow you to get high in public without drawing much attention. After all, no one has to know what you’re vaping, and the right vape device will make it so that people walking by may not even notice you are vaping at all.
On top of that, vaping THC or CBD allows the substance to go through your lungs, which is a much more effective delivery method than having it digested. In addition, the effects are often immediate.
If you are traveling, keep in mind that many airports have special rules for vaping devices. So you might need to make sure you buy one with a removable battery, depending on where you are going.
3 – Edibles
Edibles are a popular option for anyone looking to get THC or CBD without getting attention, and it’s easy to see why. Edibles are discreet, easy to carry, and easy to use. It’s trivially easy to pop a gummy into your mouth as you go about your day. Edibles can also be made pretty much as potent as you need them to be. For example, you can set a gummy bear containing 1000mg of THC and one containing 18000mg side by side on a table, and you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the two.
Ironically, one downside of edibles is just how popular they are. Infused gummies, chocolate, and other types of candy are so popular that many members of the mainstream have heard about it, and an adult carrying random gummies around is hardly inconspicuous.
Another downside is just how long they can take before becoming effective. As is the case with pills and capsules, edibles need to be digested before they become effective. That’s a process that can take as much as an hour, which isn’t ideal if you are taking CBD for anxiety and want something that will provide immediate release.
That said, there are ways around those problems. First, the edible market is as vast as it is diverse, meaning plenty of edible options that people won’t suspect, including infused chewing gum, cookies, cake mixes, beans, jam, butter, and more. This means you can sit outside with a warm cup of coffee and peanut butter and jelly sandwich and relax without worry. No one has to know that the jelly is infused with cannabis byproducts.
It’s also worth noting that you are not limited to what you can buy. For example, it’s relatively easy to get CBD oil or a THC tincture from your favorite cannabis dispensary and then use that to make your own edibles.
As for the problem of how slow edibles can be, you can get around that by just planning ahead and taking an edible sometime before you want to feel the effects. Or you can try taking the edible on an empty stomach. That usually speeds things up, although it’s hard to tell how much faster it’ll be.
The slow march of the digestive system also offers one advantage. Of all the ways to take CBD and THC, using edibles is the method that leads to the longest-lasting effects. In theory, the effects of edibles can last over six hours, while most other forms see the effects starting to fade away within 2-3 hours.
4 – Beverages
Infused beverages are often edibles together with “edibles” but they deserve an entry of their own in this specific list. The market is filled with exciting options for infused beverages, with CBD and THC being added to sparkly water, beer, soda, coffee, tea, juice, and much more. And of course, just like it is easy to make your own edibles, making beverages isn’t tricky either.
The advantage that beverages offer over edibles is in versatility. There are plenty of situations where you might not want to eat anything, but you can drink something cold without worry. How about taking some infused sparkly water on your next nature hike or replacing your morning coffee with CBD coffee, so you don’t have to remember to take a dose every morning.
If you are considering making your own infused beverages, keep in mind that while oils and tinctures can work, the easiest option is to use the isolated form of THC or CBD. Those will dissolve well into a liquid, and they won’t change the flavor of whatever you’re drinking.
5 – Skin patches
CBD and THC skin patches have become more common over the years, and they are not a bad pick if you are looking to lay low. These patches look a lot like nicotine patches. They deliver a steady inflow of whatever cannabis byproduct you choose, eliminating the need for another dose as long as the patch lasts. Some patches can last up to 8 hours from reviews seen online. These are great at pinpointing pain in the body.
Of course, the main downside of patches is that they aren’t enjoyable to use, and not every store will stock them. Not to mention, they are also easy to spot if you are going somewhere where you might wear a swimsuit.