The Best CBD for Any Purpose You Can Imagine

In my younger days, like many, I believed that the right combination of booze, weed, and Xanax could fix any ailment and enhance every creative activity. But now, as a universe-brained adult, I have come to recognize that while alcohol does help me fall asleep quicker and weed does empirically make sex better, they’re not as compatible with my new, supremely chilled-out lifestyle. Thus, I’ve often wondered how I can retain the joy and freedom of self-medication while also walking the path of wellness. Alas, friends, it is possible! The answer, at least for me, is CBD. 

As a premium member of the church of cannabidiol, I’ve found that there are a lot of great applications for CBD, including inflammation reduction, anxiety mitigation, and more. From rock stars to Harvard doctors, enthusiastic users of the non-psychotropic hemp-derived compound preach its potential. Although there is still much scientific research to be done about its effects and capabilities, and ongoing debate about how powerful (or not) it is, there's a reason CBD has grown exponentially in popularity for the past few years: For many users, it gets the job done.

Through trying a bunch of CBD products, I’ve come to have my own personal favorites for different applications. Still, CBD hits differently for everyone, so I’d recommend exploring the wide range of CBD products out there and tailoring them to your individual needs. From sleep-inducing serums to topical soreness solutions, I present to you my picks for the best CBD products in the game. 

Sleep aids are one of the biggest categories for CBD products, and because there's such a wide variety of reasons why people need them, they're going to be the most personal. I usually take a little bit of CBD oil shortly before bed, and I find it gives me that extra haze of relaxation without feeling like I’m going to bed stoned. I tend to sleep much better on CBD; I virtually never wake up in the night, sleeping straight on through ‘til that evil siren on my nightstand tells me it’s time for work. My current favorite CBD tincture is from Dad Grass, a company mostly known for its pre-rolled CBD and CBG joints (more on this later). Each bottle has 1,200 milligrams of CBD, meaning a full dropper offers a 40 milligram dose. Goodnight!

Man, I stay freakin’ out about so many things—right now, it’s my tax return. I do a lot to support my mental health, but sometimes I just want to take the edge off in the moment and live my life! For alleviating everyday anxiety, I love Verma Farms’ pineapple CBD oil. The brand is Hawaiian-inspired, and its chill, breezy pineapple flavor tastes like what I imagine kicking back in a hammock on a Maui beach would feel like. With 500-milligram and 1,000-milligram options, you can choose a strength that feels most appropriate for your level of stress. (Unfortunately, they don’t have a 50,000-milligram option for me. Maybe soon!).

There’s a wide world of CBD products for sexual purposes, including products that are formulated to relieve discomfort and help people relax in the bedroom. And, as many of us have experienced, sex is considerably better when your body and mind aren’t totally tense. The Dani Pepper CBD Lube and “O” Orgasm Enhancer are great tools to both boost relaxation and pleasure—in fact, the “O” is formulated to purportedly “naturally increase the length and intensity of your orgasm.” According to one happy customer, “the product does what it says. Bought this lube for my wife and I and she climaxed like I’ve never seen before!!”

From Foria, the Awaken + Lube Bundle features Awaken, the brand’s beloved arousal oil, and their all-natural oil-based lubricant. Just don’t forget to put on your favorite D’Angelo record before you get your night started. “These have changed the game for me! It really helps relax the area and makes sex more enjoyable” writes one reviewer of the 5-star rated kit.

Dear god, I’ve tried a lot of CBD topicals. I like ones that feel like high-end lotion and smell fresh and herbal (or like nothing at all), and also don’t leave an oily or flaky mess all over the area to which you’ve applied it. My most-used CBD topical is the TheraOne Revive CBD Body Balm Stick, because it's ultra-portable and residue-free, and really seems to help alleviate aching in my joints when I use it. Charlotte’s Web’s Arthritis Aches and Pain Relief Ointment is another one of my top choices, because it's potent (600 milligrams per tube) and has high camphor and menthol content for instant cooling and relief.

So your work environment is a little stressful. Far-fetched, I know! In grad school, my preferred option was to put Bailey’s into my coffee before heading to my hellish 8 a.m. course; now, if I need a little workday relief, CBD seltzers are the perfect thing. Not only are the cans pretty inconspicuous, but I tend to find that for me, CBD seltzers hit the perfect balance between remaining focused and alert and “feelin’ it.” With flavors including lemon basil and elderflower mint, TRIP drinks are like drinking a spritz at a cocktail bar, and are infused with a functional 15 milligrams of CBD in addition to components such as chamomile, cognition-boosting ginseng, and calming L-theanine.

So here’s where you might actually be going for a more traditional cannabis experience. Dad Grass, maker of the high-CBD joints and tinctures I mentioned earlier, also offers Mom Grass, joints that are high-CBG (cannabigerol). Derived from hemp, CBG is the “parent molecule,” or “mother”—get it?—of cannabis that links everything together. It’s stronger than CBD, but still isn’t psychoactive like the THC you ingest when blazing up your favorite strain of regular ol’ pot. (Look at it this way: If CBD is Morpheus, CBG is Neo—more powerful, but still friends and on the same team.) I love smoking half of one of these babies at the end of a stressful day, or if I’m feeling some physical pain, such as soreness from a workout, I find that it dissipates with each puff. When I enjoy Mom Grass, I really do feel like I’m skating that fine line between a slight buzz and being a little high. In any case, I lit one up the other day before starting The Matrix Resurrections on HBO and it totally ruled—I was released from the pod-like mental prison of modern life and got fully pulled into its total mindfuck of a first act. I can also confirm from recent research that Mom Grass enhances the storylines of Station Eleven, When Harry Met Sally…, and season four of Cobra Kai.

Upcoming Dead and Co. show? Check. Favorite ‘77 live show on cassette? Double check. A car or van to drive across the country to see them at Red Rocks, or whatever? Triple check! If you’re hitting the road and want to get a little vibed out on something that’s going to help you relax while you navigate as a passenger, I suggest enjoying a little bit of Lord Jones’ peppermint-flavored, broad-spectrum tincture to take the edge off—while still remaining sharp enough to get where you’re going. One dropper is a modest 10 milligrams, so it's easy to customize your experience by going light or heavy on dosage. And before you roll out, make sure someone remembers to get Sun Chips.

I recently read Miles Davis’ autobiography, which was amazing and full of unfiltered observations and opinions about the jazz world, hilarious and heartbreaking stories about colleagues, and, of course, plenty of enlightening information about his illustrious career. Miles Davis lived his life a quarter mile at a time, and you should, too, which is why I recommend mainlining (read: drinking like a regular person) Marz Brewing’s Tokyo Drift CBD cold brew, made with Bridgeport Coffee, while reading his book. You’ll be regaled with countless instances of Davis picking up and putting down heroin and coke, but I strongly suggest steering clear of those and sticking to these cans of jitter-free coffee.

Do you remember when you discovered clove cigarettes when you were a teenager? It was around the same time you found out about Bob Dylan and Charles Bukowski. (And then you graduated to American Spirits and got into Lana Del Rey.) After that, you discovered pipe tobacco, experimental jazz, and vermouth. Now, as you hurtle toward middle age, you’ve cut out the tobacco. Don’t fret: You can continue being “cool” by switching to Vance CBD cigarettes. Since they contain no tobacco or nicotine, my recommended use for these is pairing them with single-origin coffee, Steely Dan on vinyl, the newest Tao Lin novel, low-intervention wine, and playing Frisbee in the park.

May your 2022 be full of mellow, CBD-filled vibes.