A cannabis tincture is a cannabis concentrate that contains CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids that have therapeutic and medicinal effects for our bodies that are made with alcohol or glycerin. In short, a cannabis tincture is a medicine. This article will let you know the easy way of making a homemade cannabis tincture.
These tinctures are made usually from alcohol, but other cannabis tinctures are made with glycerin for the reason of avoiding the unpleasant effects of high-proof alcohol.
Tinctures are the primary source of medicinal marijuana in the U.S long ago up until it was prohibited federally. Cannabis tinctures have been around for centuries.
Presently, homemade cannabis tinctures are making a comeback as the world recognizes cannabis as an essential part of people’s daily lives. Not just in the U.S. but also other countries for medical, spiritual, and recreational purposes.
Tinctures: A Short History
Many people say that tinctures were made at the same time as distilled alcohol. Studies find that, as early as 1000AD, ancient Egyptian people were using cannabis tinctures. Ancient Egyptians relied on cordial-tinctures and tinctures as their primary medicine for their everyday life.
Most cordial-tinctures are for pediatric use and are made of low-proof alcohol.
There are records like Al-Qanoon fil Al-Tibb or “The Canon of Medicine”, a book about medicine published in 1025. It has documents about the form of medicine the ancient people used, including the use of tinctures. This excellent book is a collection of medical practices from China, Persia, and Galen. This book is still studied by Indian people to explore Yunani Medicine.
The whole of Europe accepted Kitab Al-Qanoon fil Al-Tibb as their standard medical textbook from the 12th to 18th centuries. In the 15th century, tinctures became popular in Europe. However, there are claims from the Scottish and Irish people that they have created tinctures in the early years of the 14th century.
We all know that in Anglocentric and Victorian, tinctures commonly used as their form of medicine up until the 1920s. Cannabis tinctures were available in every drugstore before the 1920s in the U.S and even after the prohibition. There were still tinctures sold over the counter.
Today, cannabis is now recognized by the world for its medicinal benefits, and cannabis tinctures are now again taking the spotlight for their healing effects.
The Benefits of Marijuana Tincture
Since ancient times, people have been using tincture as their primary form of medicine due to its therapeutic and medicinal effects.
Just to give you an idea about how wonderful tincture is, the following are THE advantages of cannabis tinctures, whether you use them medically or recreationally.
- Faster effects
- You can control your dose easily
- Cannabis tinctures are discreet (no smell)
- Cannabis tinctures are safe for consuming
- Cannabis tinctures last longer.
Tinctures are Natural
Many weed lovers love their cannabis tinctures, and they prefer to consume their weed through these. Ethanol readily dissolves plant matter without interfering with the plant’s naturally-occurring compounds. This way, all the nutritious compounds in the plant steep into the alcohol unchanged. Furthermore, all the compounds in the tincture are 100% natural, which makes it easy for the body to absorb.
Tinctures are Healthier
If you consider the cannabinoid delivery methods you use such as vaping or smoking, then tinctures are far safer than the two. Smoking cannabis puts your health at risk by making you inhale dangerous chemicals produced during combustion. Vaping is sometimes fatal due to chemical ingestion.
Tinctures are nothing like them and are the healthiest way of consuming cannabis, especially in treating children.
Tinctures are Highly Absorbable
Consuming tinctures by dropping the dose under your tongue is the fastest way to gain the medical effects of cannabis tinctures. It usually only takes about 10 to 15 minutes to feel the effects.
Remember to wait about 30 to 60 seconds to let it sit in your tongue before swallowing.
Tinctures Can Last Forever
Out of all the marijuana products, tincture has the most extended life on the shelves. Because ethanol can preserve the cannabinoids so well that it can last a couple of years especially if stored properly.
Tinctures are Portable and Discreet
- Psychosis
- Cancer cell growth
- Seizures
- Bone degeneration
- Chronic pain
- Inflammation
- Muscle spasms
- Artery blockage
- Nausea and vomiting
- Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Bacterial growth
- Low appetite
- Convulsions
- Psoriasis
Edibles and Topicals
Cannabis tincture can be made for ingestion or your skin. Tinctures differ in how they were made. If you made your tincture with any suitable material, then you can ingest your tincture. If you are making your tincture with non-food grade material, like isopropyl alcohol, it will be considered as topical and may be used for your skin. Ingesting isopropyl alcohol is a bad idea.
Alcohol and Glycerin
Glycerin can bond with THC, but not as well as alcohol.
Alcohol
Alcohol bonds well with THC. Any kind of alcohol that will be used in making tinctures should be high-proof. But unlike glycerin, it is not easy to find high-proof juice.
Glycerin
Glycerin is a solution that is made from plants, and this is an excellent alternative to alcohol if you don’t like being intoxicated with the effects of alcohol. However, glycerin does not bond well with THC.
Some Types of Alcohol for Cannabis Tincture Making
Everclear – If you can get your hands on an Everclear, you can make high-quality tincture with it as it is so pure and edible.
Spirytus – In some areas, you can get the super-strong Spirytus, Polish Alcohol. This alcohol is more potent than your Bacardi 151 rum and is a perfect substitute for Everclear.
Bacardi 151 Rum – It can be an excellent alternative to Everclear, but not as strong as Everclear when it comes to THC bonding.
Methods of Making Cannabis Tincture at Home
The Original “Green Dragon” Tincture
This method of tincture making dates back in the 1800s and is the standard way of making homemade cannabis tincture. This method uses a 100-proof Pure Grain Alcohol with Everclear.
Because of the alcohol content in doing these methods, the THC binds with the alcohol quickly. You can usually taste the strong liquor in tinctures made with this method.
Some use honey or agave to sweeten the tincture a bit; others mix their tinctures with their drinks or meals to lessen the taste of alcohol.
Using Alcohol
This method is the same as mentioned above. However, instead of the usually 100-proof alcohols, we only use 50 to 80-proof drinks. With this, the alcohol taste in your tincture would be mild.
Because Everclear is illegal in some states, this kind of tincture-making is their option. Remember only to use high-quality organic alcohol for better quality.
Using Vegetable Glycerin
This method is for those who don’t want to taste or feel the intoxicating effects of alcohol. This method uses vegetable glycerin instead of alcohol, not as sharp as the two methods mentioned above, on the other hand, these kinds of tinctures taste pleasant.
The only problem for this method is finding vegetable glycerin that is safe and organic. Just find trustworthy natural glycerin products.
Home Cannabis Tincture Making
Making homemade cannabis tincture becomes easy as it gets.
To keep it simple, an ounce of marijuana buds equals 750ml of alcohol (3 ounces of liquor for an eighth of weed.
This recipe is excellent for microdosing as it produces a mild effect for a more potent tincture. You can reduce your alcohol amount by a third; repeat this until you reach the desired result.
Materials:
- Mason Jar
- Coffee filter
- Alcohol or glycerin
- Tincture bottles
Steps:
- Decarboxylate your weed. (use any type of decarboxylation methods)
- Mix your weed and alcohol or glycerin in the mason jar.
- Let it sit for a couple of weeks while shaking it once a day.
- After sitting for a few weeks, you can now strain your concentrate in your coffee filter.
- Put it in your tincture bottle and store properly and enjoy it.
Conclusion
Cannabis tincture has been around since long ago and yet, it is still being made today and is still gaining a lot of fame.
The alcohol has a stronger bond than your glycerin; however, you can use glycerin if you don’t like juice.
With proper storage, tinctures can last for a couple of years and are known to have the most extended shelf life among all cannabis products.
It is so compact and discreet that you can consume it anytime, anywhere.
Cannabis tinctures are among the healthiest ways of consuming cannabis and have proven since the time of ancient Egyptians.