Tinctures typically come in 1 fl oz bottles with droppers that allow for precise dosing. This is the most popular way to consume cannabis as it avoids smoking which can exacerbate some conditions like asthma.
Tinctures have a variety of cannabinoid ratios and strengths to choose from. Some are designed to promote sleep while others provide pain relief and euphoria.
Dosage
Tinctures are easy to use and provide a precise dose of cannabis that can be controlled with an eyedropper. This helps to avoid an overdose, which can be a problem with some edibles and is especially dangerous in children.
They are also convenient, since they don’t require any cooking or smoking. They’re often packaged in glass bottles with dropper tops, so they resemble other medical or pharmaceutical products and are discreet.
Another advantage of tinctures is that they take effect more quickly than edibles. It usually takes up to 15 minutes for the effects of a tincture to kick in, which is much faster than when you smoke or vape. They also offer longer-lasting effects than smoked or vaped cannabis. However, the exact length of time will depend on a variety of factors, including your physiology and tolerance level.
Storage
Tinctures are a type of cannabis product that has a long shelf life due to the alcohol-based extraction process. It’s important to find a dark and cool place for your tinctures at home, especially if you use them often.
Traditionally, herbal tinctures were made by soaking plant material in high-proof alcohol to extract the therapeutic properties and create a liquid solution that could be taken orally. Today, most tinctures are manufactured by mixing a cannabinoid extract with a carrier oil to achieve the same results without the added alcohol.
When making your own tinctures, it’s important to use a food-grade alcohol like Everclear or another grain alcohol. This helps ensure the cannabinoids and terpenes dissolve into the base liquid. Aside from a few exceptions, most tinctures are made with THC, CBD or a combination of both, so you can easily experiment with different ratios to help achieve your desired effects. When purchasing a tincture, it’s also helpful to look for accurate dosing information on the packaging.
Preparation
The tincture is an ancient herbal medicine and one of the most common ways to consume cannabis before there were pharmaceuticals. Tinctures can be taken sublingually, added to drinks or food and are especially effective for treating pain, improving sleep and relieving anxiety.
They’re easy to make at home and a great option for people who want an alternative to smoking or vaping. You simply need to grind up your plant matter, decarboxylate it (heat it until the THC is active) and soak it in food-grade alcohol. Then you can use a dropper to add your desired amount of tincture to food or drink as needed.
There are many different ratios available, so you can choose a specific strain or mix of terpenes to achieve a particular outcome. A good THC oil tincture will have the right balance of THC and CBD to provide relief and enhance your overall wellness. You can even find a tincture with additional supportive terpenes to help you get a good night’s sleep or reduce stress.
Flavor
Tinctures are available in a wide variety of cannabinoid ratios and strengths. Some are made with industrial hemp (with less than 0.3% THC) and are federally legal, while others contain THC and can produce psychoactive effects.
Precise Dosing: Tinctures come with droppers that make it easy to accurately measure a dose and avoid taking too much. Unlike edibles and flowers that can have inconsistent dosing, tinctures provide precise, consistent results.
Alcohol or Oil Tincture?
Traditional tinctures are made with alcohol because it dissolves the plant material and cuts through lipids, allowing the terpenes and cannabinoids to be more readily absorbed into the bloodstream. However, there are also cannabis tinctures that are made with oil instead of alcohol. These tend to have a more pleasant flavor and a longer shelf life. These are commonly referred to as oil tinctures. Alcohol-based tinctures can have a strong or bitter taste that may require flavor additives to mask. They are usually stored in dark, dropper-topped bottles for sublingual absorption.
