How It’s Made, Benefits & Different Ways To Use this Versatile Form of Oil-Based Medical Marijuana
This article reprinted courtesy of Duber Medical. To get your Ohio medical marijuana card, go to DuberMedical.com. Get $10 off when you use discount code “MedicateOH”.
When it comes to administering medical cannabis, there are a lot of options. New forms of administration for cannabis are popping up every day. Beyond smoking or vaporizing flower, medical marijuana patients may also purchase a wide variety of edibles, concentrates, transdermal patches and lotions, and tinctures. Medical marijuana tinctures are one significant way that many patients have found relief from their conditions.
What is a Medical Marijuana Tincture?
One of the oldest methods of concentrating plant compounds in medicine, tinctures are made by using alcohol as a solvent to extract the cannabis flower into an infused oil that can be taken sublingually or mixed into a beverage.
Tinctures can be taken on their own or added to a wide variety of food and drinks. Tinctures pull both water and oil-soluble substances from the cannabis plant, so they have a lot of versatile uses. Many patients prefer tinctures because they can provide a discreet way to consume cannabis, without the strong odor caused by vaping it. Below are some of the ways tinctures can be used:
Sublingually
To take cannabis sublingually, place it under your tongue and hold it there for 15 seconds. The cannabinoids are absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the sublingual artery in the lining of the mouth. Many patients prefer taking tinctures sublingually because it provides a quick shot of medicine rapidly. Sublingual application allows for a quick onset within 15-30 minutes, with peak effect around 90 minutes. Many patients find the short activation time of tinctures can help with breakthrough pain.
Ingesting as an Edible
Tinctures can be added to food or beverages. During this process, THC is converted to 11-hydroxy-THC, classifying it as an edible. Using a tincture as an edible will provide delayed onset effects about two hours longer than sublingual application. This may be a good way to use a tincture if you’re looking for longer-lasting pain relief.
Topically
Tinctures can also be used topically in the forms of patches, lotions, or creams. One of the best topical applications for alcohol-based tinctures are those that have a drying, astringent effect.
Benefits of Cannabis Tinctures
Tinctures are nano-emulsified cannabinoids for faster, more complete, and more reliable absorption and increased bioavailability. One of the key benefits to tinctures is accurate dosing. By using a dropper to dispense a single drop at a time, tinctures allow you to titrate precisely the right dose. Flower and edibles are generally harder to judge the effects because they can’t be administered in the same drop-by-drop nature.
Tinctures can also help patients learn what their minimum effective dose is. Learning what the smallest amount of cannabis that is effective for managing a condition can not only save money at the dispensary, but can keep the cannabis tolerance low so that the medicine is effective each time it is used, A general rule of thumb is for patients to begin with 2.5-5mg of THC, then titrate up drop by drop until you reach your Minimum Effective Dose (MED), waiting at least 60 minutes between doses.
Dietary Needs
Cannabis edibles can often be high in sugar, fat, or gluten. For those with particular dietary needs or are calorie conscious, tinctures can be a great solution. Tinctures made with 140 proof alcohol have only about 7 calories/ml, whereas most edibles at the dispensary are 100-200 calories.
Tincture Products to consider for Ohio patients
Whether you’re looking for a discreet, efficient method of dosing cannabis or an easy way to determine your minimum effective dose, this is a great time to try tinctures. Here are a few that are available in Ohio’s medical marijuana program:
BeneLeaves Mango Lime and Orange Vanilla Tincture
Formulated with nano-emulsified cannabinoids for increased water-solubility, BeneLeaves tincture can be used under the tongue or mixed with a beverage for quick onset and complete absorption.
Grow Ohio Butterfly Effect Tincture
These tinctures are sold in 30-ml bottles in two different strengths: 220 mg THC with 20 mg CBD and 440 mg THC with 40 mg CBD. The Butterfly Effect Tincture is formulated as a full spectrum hybrid blend of CO2 extracted oil. Cannabis-derived terpenes are blended in for natural flavor for the consistent patient experience and the full entourage effect.
Firelands Scientific Cannabis Tincture
Crafted from sun-grown cannabis without artificial flavors, Firelands Scientific’s Cannabis Tincture is offered in three cannabinoid formulations (each in three different flavors) to better serve patients’ diverse medical needs and taste preferences.
To learn more about different products and strains that are offered in Ohio’s medical marijuana program, check out our MedicateOH reviews page.
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Editor’s Note: Medicate OH reminds patients that your experience with any medical marijuana product may differ from our reviewer’s based on your condition, dietary restrictions, or various other reasons. These reviews are only a reflection of one patient’s experience and are not meant as guidance to treat any condition.
Many new medical marijuana patients are encouraged to try new strains, forms, and varieties of marijuana to judge their effects until they find a consistent product that manages their condition reliably. This can be a frustrating and expensive process. We provide these reviews to help patients make decisions. We urge everyone to only use cannabis products in accordance with your medical marijuana doctor’s recommendation.
MedicateOH provides insight about legal medical marijuana products available in Ohio to help patients new to cannabis develop a plan for improving their health with this newly-available medicine. Please help us reach more patients by making a donation to support our mission.
