Last updated July 26, 2020

CBD can be taken in several different ways. The three most common ones are CBD oil drops from a tincture (taken ‘sublingual’), vaping (by using a CBD pen or another vape device) and edibles (such as gummies and pills). But which of these three is the best way to take CBD? This article compares all the pros and cons of these methods (CBD tinctures vs vape vs edibles), to help you decide which one suits you best!

Below we compared the three consumption methods on several aspects by using a point system. For each aspect, the ‘winner’ gets 2 points, the second-best gets 1 point and the ‘worst’ one gets 0 points. When two methods are equally good they both will get 1 point.

Bioavailability: CBD Tincture vs Vape vs Edibles

Let’s start this CBD tincture vs vape vs edibles comparison by looking at the ‘bioavailability of each consumption method. The ‘bioavailability’ is the amount of CBD that can be absorbed successfully by your body. So; a low bioavailability means that only little milligrams of the CBD you’ve taken are used, and a high bioavailability means that a lot of the consumed CBD is used. So obviously we want an as high as possible bioavailability, because this means the CBD will be more potent.

• Sublingual tincture drops have a bioavailability of 25 to 35%.
• Edible CBD products have a bioavailability of around 15%.
• Vaping CBD offers a bioavailability of 40 to 55%.

So; although sublingual CBD oil has a decent bioavailability compared to edibles, the winner on this aspect is definitely vaping. This is because the CBD enters your bloodstream immediately when you vape. For the other two methods, the CBD has to travel a longer route through your body, and therefore will be broken down more. This means that vaping CBD starts off with 2 points, tinctures with 1 point and edibles with 0 points.

How Long To Feel Effects?: CBD Tincture vs Vape vs Edibles

Besides the bioavailability, the consumption method also affects the time it takes before the CBD starts working.
• Sublingual CBD oil drops will take 20 to 40 minutes before you can feel the effects.

• Edibles will take about an hour to start working.
• Vaping CBD will only take a few minutes to feel the effects.

Again, vaping CBD wins on this aspect. Since CBD enters your body in a more effective way when vaping (as explained above), you will also feel the effects the quickest. CBD edibles will have to travel the longest route through your body (all the way through your stomach), and therefore takes the longest time to start working. This will again give vaping +2 points, CBD drops +1 point and edibles +0 points.

How Long The Effects Last: CBD Tincture vs Vape vs Edibles

Another aspect that sets the three consumption methods apart, is how long the CBD effects last.

• Sublingual CBD drops will last for about 4 to 6 hours.
• Edibles will last for 6 to 8 hours.
• Vaping CBD will last for only 2 to 4 hours.

So; although a quick absorption rate can be useful, it clearly also has a downside. The effects of sublingual CBD will last double the time compared to vaping CBD. Edibles will last even longer, making them the winner of this aspect. This means that edibles get +2 points, CBD oil gets +1 point and CBD vapes get +0 points.

Cheapest way to use CBD: Tincture vs Vape vs Edibles

Not unimportant either is the long-term costs of the CBD method.

• CBD oil drops are generally the cheapest in the long run.
• Edibles are considered the most expensive long term.
• Vaping falls in between.

The main aspects when it comes to the costs, are the concentration of CBD and how long it generally takes to finish the product. When comparing the three product types at the same price, CBD tinctures usually contain the most milligrams of CBD. The mg content in edibles is generally the lowest. A bottle of CBD oil will also take the longest the finish generally, followed by vape products. A bottle of CBD pills or gummies usually contains the least amount of servings. So; CBD drops will get +2 points, vape +1 point and edibles +0 points.

Portability: CBD Pen vs Tincture vs Edibles

Each product type has a different portability.

• CBD tinctures have the worst portability.
• CBD edibles have the best portability.
• CBD vape products fall in between.

Edibles are considered the easiest to carry with you to use on the go. Just put some pills or gummies in your pocket and you’re good to go. Vaporizers (such as pens) are also pretty easy to carry, but obviously take up more space. CBD tinctures are the worst the carry with you. This is because the bottles can leak quite easily. You obviously don’t want to spill CBD oil all over your stuff. This means +2 points for CBD edibles, +1 point for vape and +0 for tinctures.

Convenience: CBD pen vs Tincture vs Edibles

Let’s take a look at how convenient each method is.

• CBD edibles are considered the easiest to use.
• CBD vape products are generally the hardest to use.
• CBD oil tinctures fall in between.

Obviously it’s very easy to eat a CBD gummy or to swallow a pill. Putting some drops under your tongue isn’t that hard either, but is a little bit less convenient. Vape products are generally the hardest to use. Although inhaling isn’t very hard, some vape devices requite maintenance. Most vaporizers are also a little harder to operate than a tincture. So for this aspect; edibles will get +2 points, CBD drops +1 point and vaping gets +0 points.

Dosing: CBD Pen vs Drops vs Pills

When it comes to CBD, dosing is a really important aspect. You don’t want to take way more or less CBD than necessary.

• CBD tinctures are the easiest to dose.
• CBD vape products are the second easiest to dose.
• CBD edibles are the hardest to dose.

CBD tinctures offer a very precise way to dose CBD. You can administer the CBD oil drop by drop. For vaping it usually comes down to ‘puff’s’ (or the amount of vape juice you’re using). This is also pretty easy, but still a bit harder. 1 puff can for example be longer than another puff. Edibles are the hardest when it comes to taking a precise dose. Capsules contain a standard amount of CBD, which has to be swallowed at once. Although you can break a CBD gummy in 2 or 3 pieces to take half or a third of the total mg, it will be by far not as precise compared to CBD oil drops or puffs. This means that tinctures will get +2, vape products +1 and CBD edibles +0 points.

Taste/Flavor: CBD Pen or Drops or Edibles

Another important aspect for some people is the taste.

• CBD edibles generally taste the best.
• CBD oil drops generally taste the worst.
• Vaping CBD falls in between.

Although a lot of CBD drops have flavors nowadays, most people still dislike the taste. This is because CBD oil tastes a bit “grassy”. CBD gummies taste just like regular candy, and most CBD pills don’t have any taste at all (which can be a pro). When it comes to CBD vape products, there are a lot of different flavors available. Vaping CBD generally tastes better than sublingual CBD drops, but still not everyone likes the taste of vaping. Therefore, edibles will get +2, vape +1 and CBD tinctures +0 points.

Health & Safety: CBD Tincture vs Vape vs Edibles

Let’s move on to the final but definitely not the least important aspect of this CBD tincture vs vape vs edibles comparison; health/safety.

• Vaping is considered the least healthy method out of the three.
• CBD tincture drops and edibles are considered the healthiest consumption methods (on an equal level).

CBD tinctures are made with minimal processing. They usually only contain a carrier oil plus hemp-extract (and sometimes a little flavoring). This means that tinctures have minimal substance added, they’re very natural. The same goes for CBD pills. Although CBD gummies can contain some sugar, this generally won’t make a big deal when it comes to health/safety. For vaping on the other hand, it’s a bit more complicated:
Although vaping is considered a much healthier/safer option than smoking, inhaling something is never 100% good for your lungs. Therefore, vaping can possibly cause some lung or throat irritations. Next to that; there are certain substances added to CBD vape products, in order to be able to vape them. A lot of brands use “propylene glycol” or “polyethylene glycol” (‘PG’) for this. These substances can potentially become toxic when heated. Obviously CBD tinctures and edibles don’t have these kinds of substances added, as they don’t need to be inhaled. This makes them a healthier/safer option than vaping.
Luckily there are also a few CBD brands on the market that don’t use PG in their vape products, but use healthier/safer solutions instead. This brand is one of these brands that offer vape products without the potentially harmful ‘PG’ substances. That’s why we always recommend using products of that brand when it comes to vaping. So; CBD tinctures and edibles will both get +1 point on this aspect, and vaping obviously +0.

Conclusion: The Best Way To Take CBD is…

As you can see, the final score is really close. All three methods have their own unique pros and cons. Some people may value certain pros/cons over others. So; although CBD tinctures are the winner of this comparison, some people may still prefer vaping or CBD edibles.
The great thing about having several ways to use CBD, is that you can combine them instead of choosing just one method! This is what we from CBD Oil Articles like to do as well; Right before we leave our house in the morning, we take some CBD drops. While at work, we use CBD edibles (due to their convenience). For late-night chilling at home, we occasionally use CBD vapes. So; the conclusion is that the best way to use CBD is by combining the different methods, so you can use each one when it is at its best. Nevertheless, if we really had to pick one favorite overall method, we would go for CBD tinctures. Let us know in the comment section below what your favorite method to use CBD is!
When it comes to tinctures and pills, this brand is our favorite one (as explained in this review). For vaping and gummies we recommend this brand (as explained in this review).
If you seek more information about CBD, we highly recommend checking the other articles on our website as well (such as our CBD beginner’s guide). if you specifically want to get into vaping, we recommend our CBD vape guide.

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