How to Make Cannabis Tincture In 5 Steps
Are you a new cannabis user, or have you been inhaling pot for a while and looking for an alternative method of ingesting weed? You may have heard of consuming marijuana sublingually but wondering how to make cannabis tincture.
Marijuana tinctures are one of a few methods of consuming weed. The way you choose to ingest pot affects how your body absorbs and reacts to it. Smoking or inhaling weed has almost instantaneous effects, whereas tinctures take a little longer but have longer-lasting effects.
As you continue reading, you’ll learn more about this method as we look at what weed tinctures are, how it works, and how to make marijuana tincture.
What is cannabis tincture, and how does it work?
Tinctures, also known as ‘green dragon,’ aren’t only marijuana-related. It’s a process that many have commonly used to extract useful properties from a range of herbs.
Making weed tinctures entails soaking the marijuana in alcohol to withdraw the compounds such as THC, CBD, and terpenes. Then it’s consumed sublingually (placed under the tongue), where it’s absorbed.
You can use it to infuse edibles or beverages and as a topical in creams and oils. Marijuana tinctures are a great way to consume weed discreetly. It’s also a safe option for your lungs if you have a respiratory condition or don’t like smoking.
Cannabis tincture benefits
Besides being a convenient method of consuming THC or CBD, cannabis tincture also has other benefits.
- Convenient dosage method – weed tinctures are usually stored and sold in a bottle with a dropper. Administering the tincture is easy to control as you consume it drop by drop.
The user can assess the effects of a drop better than when consuming an edible or a concentrate.
- Effects set in faster – once you consume cannabis tinctures sublingually, it gets absorbed into your blood via the arteries under your tongue. You’ll feel the effects within 10 to 15 minutes after absorption.
When you compare this to ingesting edibles, the effects can take up to an hour or two to set in.
- Discretion – another one of cannabis tinctures’ benefits is you can consume it without anyone’s knowledge. You can keep it in your pocket or handbag and ingest it without the familiar odor that comes from smoking pot.
- Fewer calories – if you worry about the number of calories you consume, then marijuana tinctures are a better alternative to edibles. The calorie count in baked goods or sweets like gummies is much higher.
Cannabis tinctures steeped in 140 proof alcohol contain approximately seven calories/ml compared to certain edibles, with between 100 to 200 calories.
- Extended expiration date – weed tinctures have a longer shelf life and, if stored in a tightly sealed container in dark and cool conditions, can last for years.
It does, however, separate during storage, so it needs a good shake before you consume it.
How to dose marijuana tinctures
As mentioned before, administering a dose of cannabis tinctures is much easier than other forms of consumption. Yet, certain factors influence the amount you consume.
Your body weight, tolerance level for CBD and THC, and the condition you wish to treat are a few factors.
The ideal way to select the right weed tinctures dosage is to start with a low quantity. This could be a drop, or if you’re using a measured dropper, it could be the 0.25ml mark.
Once you’ve assessed the effect of this dose, you can either increase or decrease it the next day. You can adjust the dosage every day until you’ve reached an appropriate amount for the effects you want. This process is known as “start low, and go slow.”
How to use cannabis tincture
You can use cannabis tinctures in several ways. How you consume them affects how your body absorbs them.
- Sublingually – this is one of the fastest absorption methods. After consumption, the marijuana tinctures enter your bloodstream through your mouth’s lining under your tongue. You’ll feel the effects of the weed within 15 minutes.
- Ingesting – you can also consume cannabis tinctures by infusing them in your food or beverages. This method takes longer for the body to absorb as it needs to make its way through the digestive system and liver before entering the bloodstream.
It can take up to two hours to experience the effects, but it lasts much longer than sublingual consumption.
- Topicals – compared to your usual cannabis-infused topicals, marijuana tinctures have more cannabinoids and make a better product. You can use it for skin care, pain, inflammation, and other conditions.
- Other – you can also put weed tinctures in your e-cigarettes or vape pen.
What do you use to make a tincture?
When making tinctures, you use alcohol or vinegar to extract active ingredients from plants, barks, roots, or leaves to make a herb concentrate. Some may even use glycerine or oil to make their weed tinctures.
However, using any other substance other than alcohol is referred to as an infusion. High-strength, food-grade alcohol is best for making marijuana tincture.
You can add other ingredients to enhance the flavor or disguise the taste of alcohol; if you so wish. Cannabis tinctures are a more versatile way of consuming marijuana compared to CBD oil.
How to make cannabis tincture
A homemade cannabis tincture recipe only requires a few ingredients and not many supplies. It’s a slow process that you shouldn’t rush. The longer you allow the mixture to soak, the more potent it becomes.
Before the extraction process, you need to decarboxylate the weed. Decarbing removes the carboxyl group from the compounds and converts THCA to THC and CBDA to CBD, and amplifies their healing properties.
CBD becomes potent, and THC becomes psychoactive. This conversion of the cannabinoids occurs when you apply heat to the buds. The most effective way of doing this is baking your raw weed in an oven at 220–235°F for 30–45 minutes.
Once your cannabis is decarboxylated, you can start making marijuana tincture. Below are a few different techniques.
Cannabis tincture recipe with alcohol
Ingredients
- A one-eighth ounce of cannabis
- Three fluid ounces of food-grade alcohol (190 proof)
Supplies
- Mason jar with lid
- Coffee filter or cheesecloth
- Two-ounce bottle with a glass dropper
Instructions
- Place the cannabis in the jar.
- Cover the cannabis with alcohol and seal the jar with the lid.
- Store it in a cool, dark area for approximately three weeks.
- Shake the jar two or three times a day.
- Using the coffee filter or the cheesecloth, strain the mixture into the bottle.
Continue storing your tincture weed in a cool, dark place or a refrigerator.
Cannabis tincture recipe with glycerin
If you don’t want to use alcohol in your tincture and are interested in how to make marijuana tincture with glycerin, then have a look at the following cannabis tincture recipe:
Ingredients
- One ounce of cannabis
- Eight-ounce bottle of glycerin
Supplies
- Mason jar
- Cheesecloth
- Grinder
- Bottle with glass dropper
Instructions
- Grind the cannabis and place it in the mason jar.
- Fill the mason jar with glycerin and seal it with the lid.
- Place the jar in an area with lots of natural light, like a window sill.
- Leave it for four to five weeks, shaking it daily.
- Using the cheesecloth, strain the mixture into the bottle with a glass dropper. Store the weed tinctures in the refrigerator.
Glycerin is safe to consume and has a sweet taste. You won’t be able to store it as long as the alcohol-infused cannabis tinctures—only a maximum of two months.
How to make CBD tincture
CBD is one of many cannabinoids found in weed. When you’re making CBD tincture, you can either use hemp flowers or cannabis with low THC.
Hemp’s federally legal, unlike cannabis, and has the highest concentration of CBD with no more than 0.3% THC. This means that you can benefit from all the healing properties of CBD without experiencing the psychoactive feeling of THC.
After choosing your hemp flower or cannabis, decarb it and follow the cannabis tincture recipe with alcohol or glycerin.
This tincture can bring relief to anxiety sufferers and help treat pain and inflammation.
How to make THC tincture
If you prefer a tincture with a higher THC content, you’ll need to use marijuana. Weed generally has more THC than CBD and allows you to experience the feeling of euphoria.
Choose a strain of marijuana that has much higher levels of THC. This compound also has many medicinal benefits, including pain relief, nausea reduction, and increased appetite, among others. The recipe to make THC tincture is the same as the cannabis tincture recipe.
What strain should you use to make cannabis tinctures?
Selecting a strain to make cannabis tinctures depends on why you’re using it in the first place. If it’s for recreational purposes, you might enjoy making THC tincture.
Whether you want to grow your own cannabis or get some bud from your local dispensary, these are our top strains for making weed tinctures:
Shishkaberry feminized
Shiskaberry feminized is high in THC with a sweet berry scent and a similar delicious flavor. If you’re not looking to experience a high, avoid this strain.
It’s guaranteed to take you on a memorable journey—something you’ll enjoy sharing with a friend. You can’t go wrong when using it for making a THC tincture and adding it to drinks at a social gathering. Once the euphoria subsides, your guests might resort to the couch.
You can use this strain if you’re struggling with insomnia, anxiety, and depression.
Melting Pot feminized
This strain is another one with high THC levels reaching 25%. Melting Pot feminized leaves you feeling energized and gives you the boost needed to tackle important tasks.
Marijuana tinctures made with this strain are highly recommended for those in need of a stress reliever or to alleviate the feeling of anxiety.
CBD Cheese autoflower
If you want all the benefits of CBD and don’t mind a low-key feeling of euphoria, then CBD Cheese autoflower will suit you. It has a high level of CBD and a low THC content, but enough to give you a lift.
It’s a welcome CBD tincture with THC that you can add to a cup of tea at the end of a stressful day. It helps relieve stress and ease your muscle spasms.
CBD Fruit (1:14) feminized
If you’re seeking something therapeutic that can relieve stress while combating pain and inflammation, this fruity sensation’s for you. CBD Fruit (1:14) feminized is very low in THC, so perfect for those who don’t want any psychoactive effects.
This strain is perfect for making CBD tinctures to use for medicinal purposes.
FAQs
If you still have a few unanswered questions, then have a look at the following FAQs.
What happens if you smoke tincture?
Smoking tincture isn’t a safe option because of the various ingredients present. When consuming marijuana tinctures, it has the same effects as if you would smoke weed, so there’s no need to try and smoke it. Many individuals resort to using weed tinctures because they’re choosing not to smoke pot.
How do you decarb tincture?
You can’t decarb tincture. When it comes to decarbing, you’ll need to decarboxylate the weed before using it to make cannabis tinctures. You have to apply heat to the weed during this process. The best way to do this is by breaking the bud into small pieces and placing it in an oven with the indications mentioned above.
Do tinctures make you feel high?
If you choose a strain of weed that ’s high in THC to make your tinctures, then you’re bound to experience a high. The more elevated the THC content is, the higher your feeling of euphoria will be. Using alcohol to make THC tincture can also add to the ‘high’ feeling.
Can tinctures be vaped?
Vaping cannabis tinctures can be dangerous. There are various ingredients in the tinctures that aren’t safe for inhaling, even if they have natural carriers like hemp seed oil. It’s best to use specially designed oils or concentrates for vape pens or vaporizers.
Create your own infusion
Making your own marijuana tincture isn’t something new. Tinctures have been around for decades, and for cannabis users, it’s given them an alternative way of consuming weed without others knowing.
Not only is it a discreet way of ingesting pot, but you can also add it to your food and beverages in an easy dosage. Whether you’re a medical weed user or a recreational user, you can choose to make cannabis tinctures high in CBD or THC.
Whatever you opt for, Homegrown Cannabis Co. is here to offer you any assistance you may need. We can help you find the strain of cannabis best suited for your needs or give you tips to raise the best crop you can. We look forward to hearing from you!
About the author: Derek LaRose
Also known as Kronic from The Cannabis Kronicles, Derek LaRose is a young ambitious cultivator and a staple educator for indoor cultivation.