Cannabis bath time can sooth the ills of this challenging world. As we focus on all the wonderful ways to enjoy weed, I want to take a few moments to celebrate a topical use often taken for granted: the cannabis bath. I live in an apartment with a bathtub that is over 100 years old (the place was built in 1918), and until recently the thought of using it for anything other than a place to hide dirty clothes didn’t occur to me. I also confess to a lifelong hatred of showers. They are noisy, bleak waterfalls of utility. Nothing good happens in them — no one has sex in the shower outside of 1990s movies starring Mickey Rourke or Michael Douglas. I haven’t put a lot of thought into my shower. It’s usually a quick splash of hot water trying to wake up or wash off my day. It's as Churchill once said about democracy: showers are the worst form of personal cleansing, except for all the alternatives. But something changed last year. Some of us became toilet paper hoarders, some bread bakers, others dancing conformist automatons on TikTok. Me, I started taking baths. I discovered bath salts, bombs, soaks and more in a serious bold new wellness direction for me. I gave in to it, and what was once a rare activity saved for visits to fancy hotels became an almost daily ritual.
Rub-A-Dub-Dub, CBD In My Tub
There is one thing that solidified my devotion to bath time. Bubbles; big, foamy, luxurious, sometimes overwhelming, always calming. The bubble bath is an equalizer for humankind; anyone with water and some good soap can create this wonder. I've tried many products, even some fancy ones in the “Gwyneth Paltrow” league of top shelf self care essentials. They are pretty and smell yummy, but I gotta say I make the best bubbles with simple bath wash (whatever my wife has handy works great) or my favorite liquid soap, some Epsom salts with a little essential oil, and a CBD or THC bath bomb. One wonderful option is Kush Queen. They have fun options for the connoisseur and the beginner.
And for all us canine obsessed weed folks, they even make doggy bath bombs! Many of the companies I like make both CBD and THC bath products. You can order CBD nationwide, but for THC soaks you'll have to seek out your local dispensary, or experiment with making your own oils. One important thing to note: THC and CBD bath bombs and soaks will not get you high. The cannabinoids will soak into your skin, and provide pain relief and relaxation with a topical effect, but you won't get stoned.
Bathe Your Way to Bliss
An argument I had always heard was that showers used vastly more water, but according to recent government research, the average bath uses anywhere from 20-30 gallons of water, while a shower can use up as much as a few gallons a min. So if you shower for 10mins or so, the water use is comparable. Having a newer eco-friendly showerhead helps reduce use and conserves energy, but in most baths vs. shower cases the water use is six of one and half a dozen of another. Even if it's the same amount of water use, it's a vastly different experience. Shower water cleans you, and perhaps briefly soothes you. Bath water isn't just cleaning you — it is a source of relief. Submerging your body in water can lower your blood pressure, and some studies say it burns calories. A bath also provides a respite, like a tiny pool. It is a great pleasure to sit in water and soak and get clean. When you add the bonus of pain and muscle relief, you're getting the most out of the 30 gallons of H2O in your tub. Baths take time, and they require some diligence with temperature, but they are worth the effort.
Water, Weed and Wellness
A CBD bath bomb feels better than a non-infused bomb. When I use a cannabis-laden bath bomb, after my bath I feel like I just had a massage.With an uninfused bath bomb you just feel clean and relaxed and happy. In my bath, CBD and THC win! Something magical happens with cannabis products in warm water, as terpenes mingle in your system. It's alchemy at work, with a biochemical joyous effect. A relaxing act becomes a festival of wellness and self care. I love myself, I deserve my weed baths — and I hope you find your own very special bliss in a bathtub, as I did.