Why a Cannabis Lozenge?
I talk to a lot of people regarding their cannabis usage and one thing that comes up over and over again is convenience of use and discretion. Let’s face it, carrying around cannabis flower is not always convenient and it is never what I might call discreet. In addition, many people look to find cannabis products that might carry the benefits of smoking, but they would prefer not to smoke at all. It seems this is especially true of those that may be new to cannabis as well as the senior community. For these reasons, the cannabis marketplace has been exploding with a wide variety of new products that explore a plethora of delivery mediums. One product which recently came to my attention is a cannabis lozenge by Strovia.
Strovia solely focuses on the creation of lozenges and offers 11 different products with four different ratios: THC rich, CBD rich, Balanced 1:1 and “Just CBD”. When the cannabinoids CBD and THC are combined, patients benefit from the synergistic healing action of THC and CBD. There is also a variety of potency anywhere from 2mg - 32mg, which provides enough variety for the varying needs of patients. Doug of Strovia commented on dosing saying, “In plant-based medicine, each person responds differently to identical doses. Some people achieve a substantial benefit from a micro dose. However, they may encounter that same benefit at the low, standard or high potency doses.”
The lozenges combine familiar flavors such as echinacea, ginger and lemongrass, apple, mango, honey and even pomegranate. Strovia also touts their lozenges to be “infused with premium cannabis, cleanly extracted, lab tested and third party verified for both dose accuracy and purity.”
Delivery Method Matters
If your familiar with cannabis, you may know that different methods of administration yield different results. Lozenges are interesting in that the membrane of the mouth allows for the infusion of cannabis directly into the bloodstream, and quickly. This is different than a swallowed edible, in that the cannabis is metabolized by the liver and may be more susceptible to stomach acids and other digestive enzymes that can decrease the potency of the THC and CBD.
Doug from Strovia explained that “absorption through the oral mucosa is simply the most effective delivery method for reaching the endocannabinoid system. But more than that, lozenges are easier to administer to pediatric and geriatric patients as well as patients who have difficulty swallowing or holding down food down.”
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Strovia was interesting enough to us at HelloMD that we decided to do a road test with a few members of our staff. Our staff selected flavors, ratios and potency that appealed to them and below you can read what they had to say. If you would like to purchase Strovia, the lozenges are available for delivery throughout California through True Farma.
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HelloMD Strovia Reviews
Bart - HelloMD Staff, Strovia Lemon Honey Echinacea, 20mg THC Rich & 10mg THC Rich
“The first 20mg I took was at a holiday party and it provided just the right amount of "background music" that kept me engaged in conversation, entertained, but not too intoxicated to function. I felt relaxed and social. At the same time and my appetite was stimulated enough to enjoy the dinner and I found the lozenge to be delicious with just enough of sweet from the honey.
The second time I took the 10mg dose and it was after a particularly long day of work and I found it was just enough to take the edge off. In this instance it was like the background music was turned down to a whisper. This product is wonderful if you need to relax, especially for someone like me where I spend the majority of my time talking on the phone. I also found the soothing effects of the honey on my throat after a day of speaking, which is a wonderful effect of this lozenge.”
Veronica - HelloMD Staff, Strovia Pomegranate Antioxidant, THC Rich Strovia - 5:1 THC: CBD
One day last week after work, I decided to open up my new Strovia lozenge and it immediately reminded me of a jolly rancher. I popped it in my mouth and a lovely, strong flavor of pomegranate was what was immediately evident. After a few more minutes I detected a mild cannabis taste, which is fine for me. However, there was a cannabis after taste, particularly on the roof of my mouth, but a glass of water made it imperceptible.
The effects of the Strovia kicked in pretty quickly. What I immediately noticed was that I had less pain in my right knee, and I was able to perform deep squats and return to standing without struggle. My stress levels were reduced and my mood improved throughout the evening, and I was able to fall asleep right away. I enjoyed a restful night’s sleep without interruption, and woke up feeling refreshed.”
Chris - HelloMD Staff, Strovia Lemon Honey Echinacea, 20mg THC Rich
“The Honey Lemon Echinacea lozenge is a nice switch from the traditional edible. The lozenge delivery is reminiscent of a Ricola, both in taste and overall experience, which I found incredibly pleasant. The onset of the 20 mg of THC was fast, but not in an overwhelming way. As a high tolerance user, I found the the high to be immediate but sustained over the course of several hours, which is unusual for me with this dosage, which I consider on the lower side. The lozenge itself is pretty big, so if you’re not a fan of hard candy, you may want to drop it in a cup of tea to dissolve as an alternative.”
Ryan - HelloMD Staff, Strovia Pomegranate Antioxidant, 10mg CBD Rich
"I decided to try the Strovia at my work desk to see the impact of a CBD edible on my workflow. Anxiety can add a lot of noise to your thought processes and CBD clears this up for me. As a result, I am able to focus much better at the tasks at hand, in combination with fostering a relaxed and well adjusted mood.
The lozenge dissolved slowly and the effects also came on so slowly. I barely noticed a change in my own affect, a hallmark of a great CBD edible. I found that the rest of the day very went well for me, conversations came much more smoothly and I was able to focus on what I wanted to when I wanted to. I am looking forward to buying my own Strovia and repeating the experience. I hate to be a fanboy, but I really really enjoyed trying the Strovia 10mg CBD lozenge."
If you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our Cannabis 101 post. HelloMD can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.