How do cannabis sublingual strips work?

As cannabis legalization advances worldwide, the industry for plant-derived products is rapidly diversifying. The search for new and improved technologies for edibles aims to cater to a broad spectrum of consumers.

Thus, we can easily find products infused with flowers, trim, or hemp seed oil, containing various cannabinoids, designed for different uses and administration methods such as oral or sublingual routes. Sublingual strips act quickly, are discreet, portable, and come in different varieties and potencies.

What Are Sublingual Strips?

In countries with regulated markets, besides oils and tinctures, there are other types of sublingual products like “strips,” also known as oral thin films. Strips are small squares of edible “paper” that dissolve upon contact with water or saliva. As they dissolve, they release cannabinoids, which are then absorbed by the mouth’s mucous membranes.

They are very similar to over-the-counter menthol strips used for bad breath. Several brands already market these products, even offering different cannabinoid combinations for specific uses.

How Exactly Do Sublinguals Work?

Sublingual products work through oral administration by placing the desired dose under the tongue or directly on it. The particles then interact with the oral mucous membranes and dissolve immediately upon contact with saliva.

If they contain cannabinoids, these compounds enter the circulatory system because they are absorbed directly by the sublingual artery and travel unfiltered to the brain. The journey from the tongue to the brain is quite short.

Additionally, sublingual absorption bypasses the conventional route of regular edibles, which pass through the stomach, liver, and lungs before reaching the bloodstream. It’s important to note that the digestive system also eliminates some cannabinoids during processing.

Another reason cannabis sublinguals may be a better option than other edibles is that they allow for greater absorption of the whole plant’s compounds. In terms of bioavailability, sublingual absorption is around 75%, smoking or vaping is about 30%, and traditional edibles vary at around 12%. The fast onset of effects is also why some people choose to incorporate cannabis sublinguals into their daily routine.