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When you visit a cannabis dispensary for the first time, you may be surprised at the array of cannabis products available. Not only will you find cannabis in the most familiar form as cured flower, but you will also find cannabis tinctures. What is a cannabis tincture, how do you use a tincture, and why would you? Here is a quick crash course on cannabis tinctures to answer all those questions and more.
What is a cannabis tincture?
Cannabis tinctures are liquid, cannabis-infused products. The products are made by using a solvent like alcohol to pull the terpenes and cannabinoids like CBD and THC from the plant. The final product is essentially alcohol that is infused with the pertinent components of the cannabis plant. Unlike THC oils or CBD oils, the extracted cannabinoids are not suspended in a carrier oil after they are extracted through other processes.
What about CBD tinctures?
CBD tinctures derived from hemp come in so many forms today, and they are exceptionally popular because of their therapeutic value and legality. These tinctures are not intended for their intoxicating effects; instead, people use them for their therapeutic value. Cannabidiol has been shown to offer a host of interesting properties, such as offering support for better sleep, anxiety, and even pain.
How are CBD tinctures made?
CBD tinctures are made in a few different ways. Traditionally, a “tincture” is a liquid product that is made by soaking a natural element in alcohol to dissolve the plant matter and extract the valuable agents within. However, in terms of modern-day CBD tinctures, most are made by mixing a cannabinoid extract with a carrier oil.
The method of extraction may involve solvents, supercritical CO2 processes, or even some level of distillation. Each type of extraction has its own benefits. For example, supercritical CO2 extraction yields a clean product free of residual solvents with terpenes and other more delicate cannabinoids intact.
Different types of CBD Tinctures
There are three primary types of CBD tinctures, including:
- CBD isolate tincture – Contains only the CBD cannabinoid and a carrier oil.
- Broad-spectrum CBD tinctures – Contains cannabinoids and terpenes in hemp, but no THC.
- Full-spectrum CBD tinctures – Contains the full spectrum of cannabinoids and terpenes in hemp, including fractional amounts of THC.
CBD tinctures can also vary in other ways, such as potency levels, carrier oils used, and extraction processes.
What’s the difference between CBD vs THC Tinctures?
In short, CBD tinctures are usually derived from hemp and not derived from marijuana, while a THC tincture is derived from marijuana. Keep in mind that both CBD and THC are cannabinoids that can be found in all types of plants from the cannabis family, including marijuana and hemp. However, hemp tends to have the highest concentrations of CBD, but marijuana tends to have a higher level of THC.
You will also find that tinctures often have both CBD and THC. For example, a full-spectrum CBD tincture derived from hemp may have fractional amounts of THC (must be less than 0.3 percent by law). Likewise, a THC tincture will likely have some concentration of CBD, which is usually much lower than the concentration of CBD.
Whether you choose a CBD tincture, a THC tincture, or some form of CBD/THC tincture with similar parts of both cannabinoids, will depend on why you are taking the tincture. Usually, people prefer CBD tinctures for specific therapeutic properties without intoxicating effects. On the other hand, someone may prefer a high-THC tincture for the euphoric effects.
Why use tinctures?
Every person enjoys cannabis in their own unique ways, but for those who do prefer tinctures, most have specific perks they will point out. Further, there are a few distinct benefits of tinctures over certain cannabis products, whether that is raw flower or edibles. Let’s take a closer look at a few of those advantages.
Tinctures Offer Convenience
For smoking cannabis, you need several items. For example, you may need a grinder, a pipe, and a lighter. Tinctures, on the other hand, give you everything you need to consume your cannabis in one bottle. Not rolling papers, no torch, and no accessories are needed. In fact, you can even make a THC tincture yourself!
Tinctures Are More Discreet
Tinctures offer a level of discreetness that you can’t get from smoking, even though many people do prefer to smoke cannabis. Tinctures do not have a recognizable odor with use, and you can simply take your tincture dose whenever you want without anyone really knowing what you are doing. As a side note, because tinctures are simply taken orally, people who may prefer not to smoke cannabis for health or respiratory reasons are happier with tinctures.
Tinctures Offer More Precise Dosing
If you smoke cannabis or consume some types of cannabis concentrates, it can be difficult to know exactly how much CBD or THC you may be getting. With tinctures, the cannabinoids are suspended in a carrier substance. Therefore, you can get a good idea of how many milligrams you are getting. For example, The Feel Collection: Feel Energized, Sativa Tincture has 90.72mg of THC per bottle. Knowing that, you can easily determine roughly how much THC would be in a dropper.
Tinctures May Deliver Quicker Effects
Tinctures, when taken sublingually, can deliver faster effects than other forms of cannabis products. For instance, an edible takes a while to deliver effects simply because the product has to be processed through your digestive system before getting into your bloodstream.
How to use cannabis tinctures for the best experience
You probably have a host of questions if you are a newcomer to cannabis tinctures. You may be asking, “How much cannabis tincture should I take?” and “When should I take a tincture?” While these are only natural questions to have, there is no one answer for every individual. You will actually have the best experience by customizing how you use the tincture depending on:
- Your own personal experience with different tincture doses
- Why you are taking the cannabis tincture
- Whether you are taking a CBD or THC tincture
The general rule is to start out with a low dose and adjust as needed to achieve the desired effects. Most people prefer to take tinctures by placing their dose under the tongue and waiting around 20 to 30 seconds before swallowing. This allows the cannabinoids to get into the bloodstream quicker; usually within 10 to 15 minutes.
Alternately, simply swallowing the tincture is fine as well, just keep in mind the effects can take a little longer to kick in (possibly up to an hour or more). As a side note, tinctures are perfect for adding to your own homemade edibles as well and can be mixed with food if you want.
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One thing is for certain, tinctures can open up an entirely new way to use and enjoy cannabis. With that being said, however, to get the most from your experience with any tincture, be sure you are getting your product from a trusted source.
At Silver Therapeutics, we offer a broad range of carefully selected inventory, including high-quality CBD, Sativa, and Hybrid cannabis tinctures. Check out our menu or stop by and talk to one of our cannabis consultants at one of our cannabis dispensaries in MA.
