Field Trip in Search of High CBD “Bud”
For those patients who inhale cannabis flower or “bud”, which is a safe and efficient way to get symptomatic relief, I frequently recommend using high (4% CBD or more) CBD strains.
The advantages of CBD are multiple: it can be effective in reducing anxiety, attenuates the psychoactive effects of THC, helps in microdosing, and can reduce pain.
Yet not all dispensaries carry high CBD bud, which can present a challenge for patients.
Last week, Naturally Healing MD conducted a survey of 12 dispensaries – seven brick and mortar dispensaries and five delivery services – in search of marijuana flower with at least 4% CBD (which is not exactly high-dose CBD, but enough to count as CBD-containing bud).
Of course there are many more dispensaries to shop for CBD bud. We limited the search to dispensaries close to Naturally Healing MD, as well as one niche dispensary specializing in CBD products which our patients have used for years, and several delivery services.
Here is a summary of our findings:
Brick and Mortar Dispensaries
Synergy CBD (415) 488-4885
synergycbd.com: Twelve strains high in CBD – including three strains in the19% CBD range.
Seven Stars (510) 527-7827
weedmaps.com/dispensaries/7-stars-hhc: One strain at 14% CBD.
Berkeley Patient Group ( 510) 540-6013
mybpg.com/shop and East Bay Therapeutics (510) 925-1266
weedmaps.com/dispensaries/east-bay-therapeutic: Both dispensaries had one strain with 11% CBD.
Patient Care Collective (510) 540-7878
berkeleypatientscare.com/menu/: One 8% CBD strain for the astoundingly low price of $20 for four grams. It was such a bargain, that we called twice to verify.
High Fidelity (510) 838-2400
hifidelity.treez.io/onlinemenu/: No loose high CBD strain, just pre-rolls (i.e. joints). Smoking joints is wasteful and makes dosing unreliable. If you buy pre-rolls, unroll and microdose.
Cannabis Buyers Club (510) 849-4201
cbcbberkeley.com: No information would be released by phone.
Delivery
Craft Collective (855) 563-2738
https://bayareacraft.org/menu/: One strain at 18%.
Sava (415) 993-9973
https://www.getsava.com: Only pre-rolls of 9.78% CBD
The Green Team (510) 697-1566
https://www.the-green-team.org/pages/view-menu and Yerba (510) 692-1716
https://www.cannabisreports.com/dispensary-reports/ca/berkeley/yerba/menu were not taking calls or messages when we contacted them.
Conclusion: Synergy CBD remains the go-to dispelnsary for high CBD strains, even though they are not in our ‘hood. At most, in dispensaries close to Naturally Healing MD, you can find one high CBD strain, and some of those strains have appreciable THC (e.g. 4%THC). For some patients, that’s too much THC.
Since most patients only need one high-CBD strain in their toolkit, you may be able to find what works for you at a local dispensary, which hopefully sources it reliably from the same grower so it is available to you in the future.
As we reported in our 2018 Field Trip, (https://www.naturallyhealingmd.com/field-trip-to-berkeleys-patient-care-collective-medical-cannabis-dispensary/) the Patient Care Collective in Berkeley is striving to carry one high CBD strain in bud form at all times, and this month we found they were living up to that commitment, at a bargain price!
Upcoming Talks
After the past three years, when most of my speaking engagements took place in San Francisco, I will be speaking in the East Bay for the next six months, starting with my home town of Berkeley!
Join me Tuesday, February 26 at the North Berkeley Public Library for a Cannabis and Aging presentation, with time set aside for your questions. Hope to see you there.
Cannabis & Aging
February 26, 2019 – 6:00pm-7:00pm
North Berkeley Public Library,
1170 The Alameda, Berkeley, CA 94707
Dr. Laurie Vollen, founder of Naturally Healing MD, will share her clinical experience of 18 years on the benefits of using medical cannabis to treat three common conditions of aging: Insomnia, Depression & Anxiety.
Dr. Vollen will present case studies of clients who benefited from medical marijuana as an alternative to standard prescription pills like painkillers, anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications. Dr. Vollen will respond to questions from the audience following her presentation.
Laurie Vollen, MD, practices exclusively cannabis medicine at her office in Albany, offering guidance, treatment plans, product recommendations and dosing for a wide range of medical conditions.
For the full Winter-Spring 2019 Roster of events in the East Bay, go to: https://www.naturallyhealingmd.com/speaking-events/