Making and Dosing Your Own Cannabis Tincture
Cannabis has been widely used for medicinal and recreational purposes since the beginning of time. While many take it to subdue pain and as a therapeutic drug for various ailments, others take it for the psychoactive feeling it gives.Apart from smoking, vaping, and edibles, another way cannabis can be used is through tinctures. Both new and regular cannabis users find this to be an appealing smoke-free way to ingest the plant.
What is Cannabis Tincture?
Tinctures are extracts made by soaking leaves, roots, or herbs in a solvent for a period of time. The extract or liquid obtained from this soaking process contains the herb's active compounds and can be used for medicinal and other purposes.Cannabis tinctures are obtained by extracting the active compounds present in cannabis by soaking it, usually in alcohol, for some time. Cannabis contains compounds known as cannabinoids, the more abundant ones being tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). While THC possesses psychoactive effects and causes a "high," CBD offers a similar medicinal effect without the high.These active compounds are extracted from cannabis after soaking it in alcohol to get a tincture. To make sure all the compounds stay active and potent, you'll first need to decarboxylate the cannabis before soaking it in the alcohol solvent.You should consider what effects you want from your tinctures to determine the type of cannabis to use. THC tinctures can be primarily sourced from marijuana, while CBD tinctures are normally sourced from hemp. However, cannabis tinctures can contain both compounds to be used together.Cannabis tinctures are usually stored in glass bottles with droppers, which help regulate and control the dosage, making this a very good method of consuming cannabis. Cannabis tinctures can be added to food, taken orally, or used sublingually. Sublingual usage involves placing drops of the tincture under the tongue. This method makes the tincture very effective within a few minutes (as opposed to 1-2 hours that it takes for edibles to work) because the cannabinoids are transported directly to the bloodstream through the nerves under the tongue.
How to Make Your Own Cannabis Tincture
You can make your own cannabis tinctures at home with little hassle to use as desired for different needs. You can add it to your food and drinks or take it orally or sublingually.Making cannabis tincture at home will require:
- A baking sheet
- A glass jar
- A glass tincture bottle
- A funnel
- A strainer
- Cannabis
- High-proof alcohol
If all these are ready, you can make your cannabis tincture in these few simple steps
- Decarb the Cannabis: Because the cannabis tincture is to be ingested, you will have to decarboxylate the cannabis first in order for the compounds to be active and potent. You can decarb by breaking the cannabis in bits and placing it in a 230°F preheated oven. Leave it in there for about 30 minutes, and then take it out.
- Mix with Alcohol: Once the cannabis has cooled, transfer it to a glass jar and pour in your alcohol. Make sure to pour just enough that the decarbed cannabis is completely submerged in the alcohol. Seal the jar tightly and store it in a cool and dry place for about three weeks. Shake the jar once weekly during this 21-day wait.
- Strain and Use: At the end of the three weeks, the cannabinoids must have dissolved properly in the alcohol. You can now strain the mixture with a strainer or a coffee filter through a funnel and into the tincture bottle.
These three simple steps are all it takes to make your own cannabis tincture right in your kitchen. However, there are faster ways to do it. If you want your tincture faster, shake the decarbed cannabis in alcohol and proceed to strain and use without waiting for three weeks. But this will reduce the tincture's potency because the compounds will not have properly dissolved in the alcohol.
How to Properly Dose Cannabis Tinctures
There is no specific dosage for using the tincture. It all depends on what your body can take, what active compounds are present in the cannabis, and what purposes you need the tincture for. However, the tincture bottles with droppers make it easier for you to properly dose the mixture when using.It is advisable that you take a little drop of the mixture and wait for about 15 minutes to see the effect it will have on you, especially if you're a first-timer in using tinctures or if you're unsure about your tolerance levels. Your reaction to the effect of the tincture will enable you to decide if you need more or less of the mixture.
Enjoy Your Tincture!
Cannabis tinctures provide a simpler option for cannabis enthusiasts. Who would like to use the plant in other ways besides smoking. It offers a more discreet way of using cannabis and enjoying its benefits and effects without exuding the aroma of smoking it. Tinctures also help you regulate your cannabis intake and its effect because of the dropper that helps for precise dosing.