Welcome to CBD With Bre, a blog series where I, as a self-proclaimed CBD noob, recount my experiences getting into the world of CBD. While I have a fair amount of knowledge on the research and science side of things, as I’m learning, it’s quite different when applied off the page.

The release of our softgels was something I had been anticipating for a long time now. My first experience with cannabis was actually in capsule form – some kind of local thing someone was selling out of the computer shop I worked in at the time (the legality of this is a bit dubious, but what can you do?) Either way, I had a really good experience with them and I’ve been chasing that high ever since. This was years ago though, and I really wanted to see how our softgels would compare.

Of course, just as a quick disclaimer, this post is for informational purposes only and not meant to endorse any particular company or product. It’s just here to reflect and discuss my personal experiences in hopes that they provide others with some deeper insight and understanding of CBD.

The Experiment

So I got my hands on a pack of the softgels. Generally, like I mentioned in other CBD with Bre posts, I usually enjoy CBD for a few main reasons: to help me focus, reduce anxiety, and help me sleep. So I took one of these badboys in the evening – far enough away from bedtime that I still had a few hours to work on some fun art stuff, but close enough that they’d still be able to help me sleep.

One of the big considerations with this experiment was dose. I know higher doses of CBD tend to make me feel a bit drowsy the next day, and 50mgs is a bit more than what I normally take. Also, I had been hearing tales of people getting high because of the THC levels, and as a notorious lightweight, I was interested to see how I would be impacted.

In general, there were a few things I set out to assess:

• How would the dose and THC levels impact me?
• Are these something I can incorporate into my routine (since vaping isn’t easy at work and I don’t really like the taste of oils).
• Do these make me really groggy the next day?
• How does the overall experience compare to the oil or vape?

To test these questions out, I originally decided to take one of the softgels in the evening before playing my weekly Dungeons and Dragons game. Only problem? They’re too good. I’ve been taking them for like two weeks straight now, and I think they’re my favourite thing Lofi has come out with by far.

My Observations

Like all CBD with Bre posts, I’ve summed up my main observations in a list here:

• The dose is great. The first time I took them I was a little groggy the next day, but that could be for a lot of reasons. I haven’t really had a problem with them since.
• The extra THC actually really adds to the experience, in my opinion. I can feel it. I don’t feel high or anything like that, but compared to the CBD oil I tried before, the softgels definitely feel like an extra something. In general, I don’t like how being high interrupts my focus or productivity. With the softgels, however, I feel like I got the focus effects of the CBD with the extra anti-anxiety and feel good effects of the THC without losing that focus.
• All this said, obviously different people will experience things differently. I don’t want to suggest that this is the right dose for you, especially if you’re newer to THC or have sensitivities to it. I just felt like I really vibed with it.
• Lately I’ve been feeling really off – out of a routine, really stressy and anxious going into my last semester, and I struggle on and off with depressive episodes. On the nights that I’ve taken the softgels, I notice such a vast improvement. My body feels better – less headachy or groggy. My anxiety goes away, I’m focused on whatever I’m doing, and whatever it is – I feel pleasant about it. I feel like I’m a lot more present and in-the-moment verses being anxious about anything.
• I tend to respond really well to CBD anyways, so this isn’t surprising. But it’s the first time I’ve really experienced THC being super beneficial to the over all effects. Also, the accessibility and ease of the capsule format is definitely my personal preference.
• The problem I have with oils is that they feel like they take a commitment. I have to be very intentional. I loved vaping, but now that I have a cat who won’t get off my lap, I wasn’t sure how healthy that would be for her (I vaped a lot). And I always found the taste of CBD oil to be a bit of a deterrent. Softgels are such an easy, accessible alternative for me. I don’t have to think about it, don’t have to worry – they’re so easily incorporated into my evening routine.
• It’s for all of these reasons that the softgels have pretty much become my daily go to. I’ve also started pairing them with weed gummies – not enough THC to interrupt my routine, but enough to sleep really, really well.

TL;DR

I know softgels aren’t always seen as the most exciting product in the world, especially compared to things like flower or carts. However, due to the ease of use, the dose, and the additional THC, I’m really vibing with these. While I couldn’t necessarily recommend these to everyone, especially beginners, the softgels have really solidified their place in my routine.