You've just bought your first bottle of CBD oil, from a shop in Lausanne or a kiosk in Fribourg, and nothing is going as planned. You feel nothing – or you're dozing at your desk at 3 pm. It's almost never the product that's to blame. It's how it's used. Here are the five mistakes we see most often, week after week.
Confusing CBD and THC
It's the question we're asked most at the counter: "If I smoke this, will it go to my head?" No. CBD has no psychoactive effect – it's not THC – and in Switzerland the law requires our products to contain less than 1% THC. You won't get high. What you may feel is a sense of relaxation, often subtle and sometimes almost imperceptible at first.
Judging after a single try
Three drops one evening, a night that's no better, and the verdict comes: "it doesn't work." It's a timing problem more than a product problem. CBD often works gently and over time. We suggest trying a product for seven to ten days in a row, at a regular time, simply noting how you feel.
Starting without a dosing plan
A 20% oil, the urge to "see what happens", and ten drops at once. The problem is that too high a dose can leave you feeling heavy, while too low a dose simply does nothing – which leads you to wrongly conclude the product doesn't work. Better to start low and increase slowly: with a 10% oil, two drops morning and evening for two to three days, then adjust to how you feel. Asking for advice in the shop or from your pharmacist is part of the process – no question is ever one too many.
Buying from just anywhere
CBD is legal in Switzerland, but legal doesn't mean consistent in quality. A bag picked up at a petrol station or from a nameless website isn't worth the same as a product from certified Swiss or European cultivation, with a lab analysis accessible via QR code.
"We see customers who bought anywhere and come back disappointed, when the problem wasn't CBD itself but where the product came from," says Cyril Piaget, founder of Tiny Green. "An accessible lab analysis isn't marketing – it's the only way to know what you're really buying."
Choosing a product that doesn't match what you want
Wanting to unwind at the office and buying a flower to smoke, or wanting an evening ritual and leaving with a balm: format matters as much as dose. Sublingual oil remains the most versatile. Flowers give a faster, one-off effect. Herbal teas are gentle and suit the evening. Capsules allow precise daily dosing. The right reflex is to say what you're looking for when you buy, rather than guessing.
CBD can really fit into your routine, as long as it's used properly. No need to be an expert: choose the right product, start gently, stay consistent, buy local and match your choice to what you want. And if you're still unsure, the best option is to come and ask in the shop in Yverdon-les-Bains rather than guess on your own.
CBD is not a medicine. For adults (18+) only.
