Cannabis products are more popular than ever. Combined with a trend toward natural home remedies, cannabis tinctures have seen a big increase in popularity.
But what exactly is a cannabis tincture? How do these tinctures work? And how do take cannabis tinctures to get the best effect?
In this practical guide, we find out everything you need to know about cannabis tinctures and their benefits.
What Are Cannabis Tinctures?
A cannabis tincture is a type of herbal extract that is made with alcohol and key compounds from the cannabis plant.
While cannabis tinctures are cannabis-infused liquids, they are made from glycerin or alcohol. In comparison, cannabis oil is made with olive oil or another carrier oil as a base.
A cannabis tincture comes in a discreet dropper bottle. You can consume the liquid with your drink, food or under the tongue.
The biggest advantage of cannabis tinctures is that you can take consistent doses of cannabinoids. They are easy to swallow and work within 20 minutes.
Benefits Of Cannabis Tincture
Compared to edibles, weed or THC oil, cannabis tincture has a number of great advantages.
Easy To Dose
When you buy a cannabis tincture from a dispensary, then the tincture is usually in a small dropper bottle. This allows you to carefully control the dosage and amount of cannabis you are consuming.
You can find out how much cannabinoid is in each drop, so you can easily adjust your dose. Just by dispensing a couple of drops at a time, you can change how much cannabis you consume.
In comparison to smoking cannabis or consuming edibles, this is a much more precise and consistent way to have cannabis.
Easier To Find Your Minimum Dose
As cannabis tincture is incredibly easy to dose, first-time cannabis users will find it much easier to pin-point their minimum dosage.
The amount of cannabinoids depends on someone’s individual needs, so the tincture dose can vary. However, a more precise measure is a great way to find your personal minimum effective dose.
This means that you can identify exactly what amount of cannabis tincture is most effective for you.
This does not just reduce your cannabis tolerance but it also saves you a lot of money. Plus, you can choose a product that has the right potency for your needs.
We recommend starting with a low amount of 2.5mg of THC and then slowly increasing your measurement with one drop at a time.
Keep in mind that cannabis tincture takes at least 20 minutes to work, so it is a good idea to wait for at least an hour to 90 minutes between doses.
If you are taking two doses too close together, then you won’t get the best results.
Discrete Consumption
Cannabis tincture offers a discrete method to consume cannabinoids. A tincture doesn’t leave any trace, no smells or other debris.
In comparison, smoking weed produces smoke that can linger in a room or on clothes. Caping cannabis also creates vape clouds that are obvious.
On the other hand, a cannabis tincture bottle fits into every pocket and you can easily carry it with you wherever you go.
Plus, you don’t need any special device to use it. You can simply consume your liquid cannabis directly with a dropper or add it to your drinks.
Medical cannabis tincture can also be applied topically directly onto the skin. However, this doesn’t cause an intoxicating effect.
Medicinal Benefits
The herb Cannabis sativa has a variety of medicinal uses. It can provide pain relief, reduce cancer-related symptoms and help you manage diabetes.
Cannabis tincture also has neuroprotective properties that stimulate your mood and brain activity. This is why cannabis is often used for managing anxiety and depression.
Few Calories
Another fantastic advantage of cannabis tinctures compared to edibles is that it contains very few calories.
Edibles often have a lot of calories because they contain a large amount of butter and sugar.
In comparison, a cannabis tincture is low in calories and you don’t have to worry about your diet with each drop. In fact, cannabis tincture is even lower in fat than cannabis oil.
Acts Fast
Vaping and smoking marijuana doesn’t work as fast as taking a few drops of cannabis tincture or oil. In addition, the effects of the tincture also last much longer.
When you mix cannabis tincture with your drinks or food, then it acts within 60 to 90 minutes after ingestion.
While this is longer than smoking cannabis, you can also take the tincture sublingually which acts within 15 to 20 minutes.
As you hold the tincture under your tongue, the cannabinoids can enter your blood vessels directly making it more effective quicker.
If you use cannabis tincture as a locally applied medicine, then you can expect the effects to kick in within 15 minutes.
This is the time it takes for the cannabinoid to attach itself to receptors in the skin to help ease pain and inflammation.
Long Shelf Life
If you store your cannabis tincture properly, then it can have an extremely long shelf life. Cannabis tinctures can last almost indefinitely when they are sealed and kept away from oxygen, heat and the light.
If you expose your cannabis tincture to direct sunlight, oxygen and warm temperatures, then this can change the potency of the cannabinoid.
Just keep in mind that glycerin tinctures will degrade much faster than cannabis tinctures with an alcohol base. That’s why make sure that you check the “best by” date and storage instructions for your tincture.
The best way to store your cannabis tincture and other cannabinoid products is by keeping them in a sealed container in a cool and dark place.
The best method to extend the shelf life of your cannabis infusion is to store it in a refrigerator. You should also ensure that the tincture has a label with an expiration date.
How Much Cannabis Tincture Can You Take?
The right dose of cannabis tincture varies for everyone. It depends on your personal physiology, any conditions and symptoms you may have.
Plus, the correct cannabis tincture dosage also depends on how many servings each bottle contains and how many milligrams of THC your bottle has.
As you can dose cannabis liquid by drops, you can easily vary the THC tincture dosages. Beginners should start with a low dose of 1 mg to 2.5 mg.
This dose can create a heightened focus and improve your creativity. You may also experience mild relief of pain or inflammation. This is an ideal dose for first-time consumers.
People who are looking for stronger relief of pain symptoms can take a THC dosage of 2.5 mg to 15 mg. This will also have a moderate psychoactive effect together with some euphoria.
This medium dose is ideal for anyone who experiences persistent symptoms that don’t work with smaller dosages.
For cannabis users with a high THC tolerance, we recommend using 30 mg to 50 mg of cannabis tincture. This produces moderate to high psychoactive effects and it also offers strong symptom relief.
This amount of cannabis tincture is also suitable for anyone whose gastrointestinal system doesn’t typically absorb cannabinoids well.
The highest dosage of cannabis tincture is between 50 mg and 100 mg. This is suitable for anyone who wants to achieve higher psychoactive effects.
This dosage is also ideal for people who are managing severe health conditions.
Keep in mind that you need to give your body a few hours between doses for your body to adjust. This is especially important for cannabis beginners.
You can then increase the amount in small increments until you get the results you want.
In addition, a tincture is also a much more discrete way to consume cannabis. You can consume it directly or add it to your food.
Is Cannabis Tincture Better Than Cannabis Oil?
CBD tinctures and cannabis oil are very similar. They are both cannabis-infused liquids. The only difference between the two is the diluted medium they use.
THC tinctures are typically made with alcohol or glycerin, while cannabis-infused oil is made from olive oil or other carrier oils.
They are similar in potency and they have the same application advantages. This means that you can use both cannabis oil and the tincture in a similar way.
What Is The Best Ratio For Cannabis Tincture?
If you are new to cannabis tinctures, then you can try 30:1 ratio in your tincture. This means that the product is low in THC or only contains CBD which allows your body to get used to the cannabis effects.
Plus, it also gives you more flexibility in how and where you use it. A low-THC tincture doesn’t have overpowering psychoactive effects and you can use it to get a small high.
On the other hand, seasoned cannabis users may prefer a 1:1 THC to CBD ratio that gives you more psychoactive effects.
How To Take Cannabis Tincture
Cannabis tincture is so easy to use that you can take it anywhere and in almost any way you like. Here are three of the most popular methods to enjoy cannabis tincture.
Sublingually
Most consumers prefer to take cannabis-infused liquids directly under the tongue. Hold the tincture for half a minute under your tongue and allow it to absorb into your bloodstream. You can then swallow the liquid.
This is the most effective way to consume THC tincture and the effects appear much faster.
Ingestion
Add cannabis tincture to your coffee, tea, smoothie or your favorite meal. As the tincture doesn’t have a very strong flavor, it works in any type of food or drinks.
Just bear in mind that this is a slightly less effective way to medicate with cannabis as the tincture has to be processed through the metabolism. This makes it less potent and it also slows down its effects.
Topically
If you are medicating with cannabis tincture, then you can also apply it to your skin. It is ideal for acne, skin irritations and skin tissue injuries.
How Do You Get The Highest From Tincture?
The quickest way to get highest from cannabis tincture is placing it under your tongue. Leave the liquid there for 30 seconds and then swallow it.
This will allow the cannabis to be absorbed by your bloodstream and you will be able to feel the effects within 15 to 20 minutes.
The high from marijuana tincture is similar to smoking hash. You will experience a sense of euphoria and confusion, together with a slower reaction time and thinking.
You may also feel an imbalance and struggle to coordinate your body.
Does Cannabis Tincture Get You Drunk?
No, cannabis tincture doesn’t contain enough alcohol to make you drunk. While THC tincture uses high percentage alcohol, the doses are much too small to be intoxicating.
Cannabis tinctures aren’t designed to give you a high from the alcohol. The ethanol is just a base that is infused with cannabinoids.
How Long Do The Effects Of Cannabis Tincture Last?
The positive effects of your THC-infused tincture can last for up to three hours. However, this depends on the potency of the tincture and how you take it.
If you consume cannabis tincture sublingually, then you can feel the strongest effects for 15 minutes up to 45 minutes. Some may even feel high for 90 minutes.
If you use a high-THC tincture, then you can expect the effects to last for up to 3 hours. On the other hand, if you consume the tincture through your food, then it lasts between half an hour and 2 hours.
Final Thoughts
Cannabis tincture is a fantastic way to get your THC fix. It is quick, easy and convenient.
Plus, you can also take precise doses that allow you to adapt the tincture to your needs.
Hi, I’m Zack Finch and I work as a Budtender for a Health & Wellness center here, in sunny California. I have been using marijuana recreationally for around 6 years now, and have many a time enjoyed the benefit that weed has to offer.
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