A tincture is a solution of extracted cannabinoids dissolved in either alcohol, coconut oil or glycerin.

People use tinctures over other methods to medicate for many reasons. It cuts down on calories. Three drops has less calories than say, a cookie. Tinctures are also healthier than smoking. It is also a faster way to reach higher levels of THC or CBD than what might be possible just smoking the herb. Tinctures are favored for those who are new to cannabis.

Because tinctures are so potent, please know your limits and your dose before deciding to drive or use heavy machinery.

Out of all the different bases to use for your tincture, Alcohol is the most popular to use. Alcohol can make the usual marijuana smell go away during the imbuing process. People also use alcohol because it’s the most gentle on the flower during the process and keeps the terpenes intact. Not just any type of alcohol used is safe for ingestion. For example, Isopropyl alcohol has many chemicals that can be toxic to the body. To spare you of any headaches (or trips to the hospital), just stick with grain alcohol. As for the plant itself, you can use the bud and sugar leaves from the plant in your tincture. Concentrates can be used as well, but it is more expensive than just using the plant.

Now for the fun part, making the tincture.

Grind up your product so the alcohol has more surface area to work with. The more surface area you make, the more goods are transferred to the solvent. Next, take your ground up plant and mix it with your alcohol. Place it on low heat for several hours while stirring occasionally to make sure the terpenes are dissolved. The concoction will get darker. Take care not to overheat the mixture.

You will know if the mixture is done if it turns an intense green color. Once it is, strain it of the excess plant matter. It can be stored in separate bottles for later. Keep UV Rays from getting to the mixture when storing in a cool place. This is a very concentrated liquid, so it will not take much for it to take effect. One or two drops using small droppers is usually sufficient.

The fastest way to have the tincture be absorbed into the bloodstream is to place a drop or two underneath the tongue. There are hundreds of tiny capillaries under the tongue that can absorb the tincture. The digestive tract can absorb the tincture as well, but it takes longer to do the job and have less capillaries than the tongue. Though this slower method is preferred for those who want a more gradual release of its effects.

There are a couple different ways to use tincture.

If you do decide to ingest the tincture, methods for doing so include dissolving the drop in coffee or mixing it with other foods. It all depends on what works for each individual, as well as how much is required to treat their ailment. If you are not sure on how much works best for you, we suggest taking a single mL of tincture and wait one hour. An hour is the usual time it takes for the tincture to be absorbed into the bloodstream and feel its effects. Always wait one to a few hours before deciding to up the dose if you decide one mL isn’t enough. Thanks for reading.

Adam Rhodes

An adventure seeking nerd, nothing too serious but people seem to like him, Adam is also the creator and writer for The Strain Domain