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Everything You Need to Know About Cannabis Tinctures
Tinctures are an excellent format for getting your daily dose of cannabis therapy because they are versatile and allow ultimate dosing accuracy. Hold a dropperful under your tongue for quick results, or take them like an edible for longer-lasting effects.
Unfortunately, THC-dominant tinctures are not yet a robust part of the medical marijuana market in Missouri. However, people who have a condition that qualifies for treatment with cannabis can take advantage of a couple of solid options for tinctures that are easy to incorporate seamlessly into your routine.
Let’s first clarify what a tincture is, then we’ll take a look at your choices for tinctures in Missouri, before we answer some of the most common questions. By the time you are done reading this post, you’ll feel like a pro!
What is a Tincture?
Producers in the cannabis market use the word “tincture” as a bit of a catch-all for just about any format that comes in a bottle with a dropper. Taking this into consideration, there are two primary methods for making tinctures, and they each facilitate a different up-front experience. However, their overall effects are pretty similar, and any differences are highly subjective.
Traditional Tinctures: Alcohol-Extraction
Tinctures have traditionally been made by using an alcohol solvent to extract the cannabinoids from cured, decarboxylated cannabis. Making tinctures at home can be as simple as putting your buds into a mason jar with some Everclear, then giving them a good shake every once in a while.
When you’re making your own tinctures this way, the hardest part is waiting. It can take around three months or so to get a good, potent tincture in this manner. You can use heat to speed up the process, but we recommend leaving that to commercial facilities because the vapors from high-proof alcohol are extremely flammable. Heating the alcohol—especially over an open flame—could cause an explosion.
Alcohol-extracted tinctures have a strong bitter flavor that may burn if you take your dose sublingually. Some people say that these kinds of tinctures absorb and begin to take effect faster than tinctures in oil.
Tinctures Suspended in a Carrier Oil
Cannabis processors extract the cannabinoids in their tinctures using a variety of methods (some with solvents, some without), and many suspend the finished extract in a carrier oil that makes the active ingredients more bioavailable.
This results in what many consider a more pleasant experience. Most companies use coconut oil (also known as MCT oil) as the base, but some may use olive, grapeseed, or hempseed oil. The type of oil may affect the bioavailability of the cannabinoids in your tincture, but the chosen medium ultimately comes down to cost and preference.
How to Take Cannabis Tinctures
One of the great things about cannabis tinctures is that they are versatile. You can vary the ways you take them depending on your needs, preferences, and your mood.
Swallowing Tinctures
The simplest way to take your tincture is to squeeze a dropperful into your mouth and swallow. This will result in more of an edible-type effect, because your body processes the THC and CBD through your digestive system.
Adding Tinctures to Your Favorite Recipe
Some people love to add tinctures to their favorite recipes or even their morning coffee. Taking your tinctures this way may be more pleasant than other methods, particularly for alcohol-based products. Just squeeze a dropperful into your food and drinks before you consume, and you’re good to go!
Taking Tinctures Sublingually
Taking a tincture sublingually involves squeezing a dropperful under your tongue and holding it there until it absorbs (about 60 seconds). This method allows the active compounds in your tincture to absorb directly into your bloodstream rather than processing through your digestive system.
What Does Taking A Tincture Feel Like?
Tinctures are felt more in the body, rather than creating a “heady” effect. They are great for helping you relax, and a high-quality tincture leads to a clean effect that does not feel “sloppy.”
The problem with telling someone what they will feel like when they take a tincture is that everyone’s body is different. Your metabolism, your genetics, your hormonal cycle, and your diet are all major determinants of what you experience.
Other factors that influence your experience:
THC content
CBD content
What you ate before you took your dose
What you eat after
Your mood when you take your dose
Level of physical activity
How Long Does it Take to Feel the Effects of Tinctures?
The length of time it takes to feel the effects of a tincture will depend on how you take it. We recommend waiting until you have several hours free before you start any new cannabis product. Once you know what it feels like, check out our guide to taking medical marijuana when you have things to do in order to tackle your to-do list while feeling your best.
Swallowing or Mixing Tinctures Into Your Food
When you take a tincture this way, it’s like taking an edible. This generally takes between 30 minutes and 2 hours to take full effect. We recommend waiting the full two hours before taking more if you are new to tinctures. That way you don’t accidentally get too “high.”
Taking Tinctures Sublingually
Taking tinctures sublingually means that the active ingredients don’t have to be processed through your digestive system before they take effect. They are introduced directly into your bloodstream, and you will likely start feeling it within the first 20 to 30 minutes.
However, we do still recommend waiting at least an hour before taking any more when you use this method.
How Long Do the Effects of Tinctures Last?
The length of time your tincture dose lasts will also depend on the method you use, but it also depends on the concentration of THC in your product. Those with a higher THC concentration may last longer.
When you swallow your tincture or take it in your food or beverages, the strongest effects generally last about 4 hours. However, they can last up to 24 hours depending on your metabolism and diet.
Even if it feels like they have worn off, the effects may pop back up suddenly. This is why we recommend clearing your calendar for the day before trying anything new.
Taking your tincture sublingually will move it through your system faster and generally not last quite as long. However, we still recommend taking precautions when you are using something new.
How Long is the Shelf Life of Tinctures?
The length of time your tincture lasts will vary depending on the type of tincture you have, the type of carrier oil, and the method of storage you use. In general, the range you can expect your tincture to last is between six months and three years.
When you get your tincture from a Missouri dispensary, there will be an expiration date on the label. Generally, your tincture should last well beyond that date, but the quality will start to deteriorate.
Alcohol-based tinctures will last longer than oil-based products, but there are a few things you can do to make sure your tincture lasts as long as possible no matter what the ingredients are.
Keep the lid tightly sealed
Refrigerate your bottle
Don’t touch the dropper, and clean it with alcohol if you do
What Kinds of Cannabis Tinctures Can You Find at MO Dispensaries?
Missouri’s medical marijuana scene has been full of political strife and delays, and most of the products on shelves cater to a market that prefers newer formats. Consumers have been excited to see all sorts of dabs and vape pens in dispensaries this spring, and the selection of tinctures has been a bit lacking.
However, there are a couple of options for people looking to add tinctures to their routines.
Full-Spectrum CBD Tinctures
Some dispensaries carry full-spectrum CBD tinctures, and we suggest using those you can find at the dispensary rather than anything you would find at your local Rhodes.
Medical marijuana dispensary products are subject stringent regulatory practices when it comes to their processing and labeling; and you can be sure you are always getting a high-quality, safe, accurately-labeled product.
Full-spectrum CBD tinctures are CBD-dominant, and they contain a nominal amount of THC. The balance is ideal for some, and they may be the better choice for getting relief during your work day because they will cause less impairment.
CBD:THC 1:1 Tinctures
1:1 tinctures contain an equal amount of CBD and THC. MOJO makes a 1:1 tincture that’s available at several dispensaries across Missouri.
You Can Make Your Own DIY Tinctures
In Missouri, you have lots of options when it comes to how you can acquire the products you are looking for. Any sort of cannabis product that you can safely make at home is perfectly legal to DIY.
Making your own tinctures is easy, and you can make them from buds you buy at dispensaries, or from buds you grow in your own basement or back yard! If you are interested in making your own cannabis extract products, check out this beginner’s guide to Missouri DIY extracts.
Get a Missouri Marijuana Card to Get Started!
Getting a Missouri marijuana card is the first step to trying cannabis tinctures. Once you have one, you can purchase products from any dispensary in Missouri. Adding a cultivation permit means you can grow your own marijuana plants as well!
The staff and doctors at Missouri Marijuana Card make it easy for you to get the natural relief you deserve! Give us a call at (877) 303-3117, or schedule a private telehealth evaluation today!
Doctors Who Care. Relief You Can Trust.
At Missouri Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (877) 303-3117, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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