Weed tinctures have become an increasingly popular way to harness the therapeutic potential of cannabis. Tinctures are cannabis extracts that come in liquid form and are taken orally, usually sublingually (under the tongue) or mixed into drinks and foods. As an alternative to smoking or vaporizing flower, tinctures offer a variety of unique health advantages.
But what are weed tincture health benefits? We’ll explore the benefits of weed tinctures so you can unlock the full therapeutic potential of cannabis.
Contents
What are Weed Tinctures?
A weed tincture is a liquid cannabis extract consisting of cannabinoids like THC and CBD as well as beneficial plant compounds called terpenes. The cannabinoids and terpenes are extracted from cannabis buds using alcohol, oils, or glycerin.
Although alcohol may be used in the initial extraction process, most commercially available tinctures have the alcohol removed by the producer before sale. Weed tinctures will not cause intoxication from alcohol content.
How to Use Weed Tinctures
The dropper bottle design makes weed tinctures very simple to use. The measurements marked on the dropper allow you to precisely control the dosage. Most tincture products state the total cannabinoid content for the entire bottle, enabling you to easily calculate your dosage.
You can choose to either ingest the tincture orally by placing drops under your tongue, adding drops to drinks and foods, or even apply it topically by massaging into the skin.
Sublingual use offers the fastest effects, as the cannabinoids are absorbed directly into the bloodstream through membranes under the tongue. You’ll start to feel the impacts in 15-30 minutes. Taking tincture orally sees effects set in within 60-90 minutes.
Key of Using Weed Tinctures Health Benefits
Now that you understand the basics of what weed tinctures are and how to consume them, let’s dig into some of the top wellness advantages these products can provide:
Precise and Consistent Dosing
The ability to carefully control the dosage with the dropper makes it easy to find your personal minimum effective dose (MED). This is the smallest amount you need to get the desired effects. Finding your MED helps prevent overconsumption while ensuring you get the relief you need.
Versatility and Discretion
Weed tinctures offer various options for use at home or on-the-go:
- Sublingual dosing is fast, effective and easy to do discreetly as needed
- Mix into drinks and smoothies for antioxidants and relaxation
- Add drops to meals and recipes for appetizing effects
- Massage into skin for targeted topical relief
There’s no smoke or strong smells, allowing for low-key medicating. The small bottle is easy to transport wherever you go.
Faster Acting and Extended Effects
While not as instant as smoking or vaping flower, a weed tincture still produces effects much faster than traditional cannabis edibles, starting in as little as 15 minutes. What’s more, the effects tend to last for an extended period – up to 8 hours compared to just 1-3 hours for smoking. This makes tinctures an excellent option for all-day coverage.
Fewer Negative Impacts
Lung health is a top priority and reason for many to move to non-inhalation consumption methods. Weed tinctures contain no smoke and no lung-irritating vapor. There’s also no strong odor or second-hand impacts on others. For those monitoring sugar and calories, tinctures offer a low-cal, low-sugar form of cannabis medicine.
Common Medical Uses and Effects of Weed Tinctures
The possible therapeutic properties will vary based on the specific cannabinoid make-up, but some of the most common medical applications of weed tinctures include:
Chronic Pain Relief
Both THC and CBD have demonstrated the ability to block pain signals’ transmission to the brain, reducing discomfort from nerve and inflammatory pain. By interacting with CB1 and CB2 receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system, they can offer an alternative to addictive pharmaceuticals.
Reduced Anxiety and Better Sleep
THC attaches to CB1 receptors which are concentrated in the brain and central nervous system. In proper microdoses, it can calm excessive worry while quelling panic and anxious thoughts. It also helps regulate the sleep/wake cycle, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.
Enhanced Appetite
The munchies are a well known side-effect of marijuana due to THC’s influence on appetite control centers of the brain. Low appetite and eating difficulties are common issues for those undergoing chemotherapy and other intense medical treatments. THC tincture can provide hunger stimulation when needed most.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects
CBD interacts with CB2 receptors of the immune system to block release of pro-inflammatory proteins. This helps explain its apparent ability to alleviate pain and reduce swelling associated with injuries and conditions like arthritis.
Anti-Tumor Responses
Exciting preclinical research indicates THC and CBD may slow or prevent tumor growth through various cellular pathways. While human trials are still needed, test tube and animal models demonstrate promising anti-cancer activity deserving of further study.
Factors to Consider When Selecting a Weed Tincture
With so many weed tinctures hitting dispensary shelves, it can get overwhelming to decide what’s right for your wellness goals. Here are some key considerations as you evaluate products:
1. Cannabinoid profile – Do you want a pure THC tincture for psychoactive effects? Or a balanced THC/CBD blend? There are even CBD-dominant tinctures for therapeutic benefits without the high feeling. Read labels closely to understand what’s inside.
2. Potency – Match the potency level to your tolerance and experience level. Total cannabinoid content can range anywhere from 100mg per bottle to over 1000mg for very concentrated options. Start low until you know how a product affects you.
3. Added herbs – Some producers infuse complementary herbs like lavender, ginger, turmeric or passionflower for additional therapeutic effects. This allows you to customize based on desired benefits.
4. Type of oil – Glycerin, plant oils like coconut or olive oil, and ethanol alcohol are all common tincture bases, impacting viscosity, bioavailability, and duration of effects. Make sure you understand how the carrier oil used affects overall properties.
5. Lab testing – Reputable producers submit their finished tinctures to independent certified labs to validate quality, purity and potency. The COA reports confirming third-party testing should be available for review.
Best Practices for Safely Using Weed Tinctures
While generally well tolerated, especially compared to smoking, there are some best practices to follow when initially trying weed tinctures:
- Start with very small doses of 2-5mg THC or CBD and wait 2 hours to gauge effects before increasing your dosage if needed.
- Have CBD oil on hand to counterbalance any undesirable side effects if you accidentally take too much THC.
- Avoid combining tinctures with other intoxicants, particularly alcohol or sedative medications, until you understand how it affects you.
- Be cautious mixing tinctures with blood thinners or immunosuppressant drugs before checking with your doctor about any interactions.
- As with any cannabis product, abstain from operating vehicles or machinery until you are familiar with how a tincture impacts your mental clarity and physical coordination.
- Always keep tinctures securely sealed and properly stored out of reach of children and pets.
Experience the Dynamic Health Benefits of Weed Tinctures
Weed tinctures open up a versatile new way to incorporate cannabis’ extensive therapeutic potential into your health and wellness regimen. With their precision dosing, discreet use, rapid effects and extended duration, tinctures offer advantages that other consumption methods lack. They provide an effective botanical approach to common issues like chronic pain, poor sleep, low appetite, inflammation and more.
Now that you better understand what sets weed tinctures apart and how to shop for quality products catered to your needs, it’s easy to see why they deserve a spot in every cannabis consumer’s toolkit. Reach out to the knowledgeable staff at your local dispensary to further explore everything weed tinctures have to offer your mind and body.
FAQS
How long does a high last from a tincture?
The duration of a weed tincture high can last anywhere from 4 to 8 hours depending on the dose taken, your individual body chemistry, and whether it is consumed sublingually or mixed with food and drinks. Sublingual administration leads to faster absorption and slightly shorter duration. No matter how you take it, effects from a tincture generally last significantly longer than smoking or vaping flower.
Is tincture better than edible?
Tinctures offer several advantages over traditional cannabis edibles:
– Faster onset time of 15-30 minutes rather than 1-3 hours for edibles
– Easier to control dosage with a dropper
– More versatile usage methods beyond just swallowing
– Lower calories and sugar for those watching their diet
However, edibles come in more flavor options. So while tinctures may work faster with better dose control, sometimes you just crave a tasty infused treat!
Is it better to vape or tincture weed?
For managing medical issues, tinctures provide therapeutic phytochemicals without any lung-irritating smoke and vapor. This gives them an advantage over vaping and smoking. Tinctures also enable precise, consistent dosing which can be difficult when vaping flower.
However, vaping kicks in almost instantly whereas tinctures take 15-30 minutes to work. Vaping produces thicker vapor clouds compared to no visible cues from tinctures. So while tinctures excel for health, vaping tends to provide a more potent experience for recreational users.
What are the benefits of 1:1 tinctures?
A 1:1 THC to CBD cannabis tincture provides balanced psychoactive and therapeutic effects by combining both major cannabinoids. Key benefits include:
– Mild high coupled with relaxation and pain relief
– Addresses issues like inflammation, anxiety, and insomnia
– Ideal for new consumers with lower tolerance
– Versatile usage methods to mix with foods/drinks or take sublingually
– Consistent dosing convenience with a dropper
The equal THC and CBD composition makes these tinctures unique. You get the medical advantages of CBD combined seamlessly with THC’s euphoric sensations.