For many of us who came of age smoking cannabis, it’s hard to imagine any other way of accessing its many benefits. So it might come as a surprise to learn that before the federal prohibition of cannabis began in 1937, many Americans trusted in a cannabis tincture for wellness as opposed to smoking it.
Why use a cannabis tincture today? While the effects of taking a tincture aren’t as immediate as with smoking or vaping, there are a number of strong advantages, including:
- No need to inhale potential lung irritants
- The ability to measure a precise, repeatable dosage
- Discretion: No telltale “cannabis odor”
- Long-lasting, sustainable effects
So if you’re new to the world of cannabis tinctures, let us introduce you. You may find out you’re one of the countless Americans who’s made the switch!
Tincture for Wellness: What’s Inside Cannabis Tinctures?
A cannabis tincture is simply an extract of pure cannabis flower in a neutral solution. The most popular choices are medium-chain triglycerides, or MCT—a translucent medium often made from coconut or hemp oil—or grain alcohol. Tinctures can be taken directly by mouth (orally) or mixed into your favorite foods or beverages.
Compared with inhaled cannabis, tinctures are portable and discreet. There’s no need to carry around bags of aromatic flower, clunky pipes, or other paraphernalia. All that’s required is the small vial containing your tincture.
Because the cannabinoids in tinctures are processed differently than with inhaled cannabis, the effects are different as well. As we mentioned, the onset time is considerably longer (more on that in a moment) and the duration of action is as well.
When your focus is on wellness, tinctures offer some significant advantages compared with inhaled cannabis. When you smoke or vape cannabis, it’s impossible to know exactly how much you’re getting. Because the tinctures we offer are produced under exacting laboratory conditions, each drop contains a precise amount of cannabinoids such as THC and CBD. It makes it incredibly easy to take a precise and repeatable dose. That’s the best way we know to get predictable, repeatable, and most of all sustainable results each and every time.
Tincture for Wellness: How to Take a Cannabis Tincture
When it comes to taking tinctures, you have a few options. Many people like to mix tinctures into food or beverages or simply swallow the cannabis medicine right out of the dropper. When you take cannabis this way, the onset time is relatively slow: you’ll feel the effects anywhere up to 2 hours after swallowing, and they’ll last up to 5 or 6 hours.
But there’s a faster way: sublingually. If you deposit the drops under your tongue and hold them there for 1 to 3 minutes, they’ll be absorbed by the blood vessels there instead. Taken this way, you can expect the tincture to take effect in about 30 minutes, and last up to 3 hours.
This brings up another question: How much tincture should I take? As with all cannabis medicine, the answer comes down to your personal physiology, plus the specific symptoms or chronic conditions you want to address. That’s why we always advise people just starting to use tinctures to: “Start low and go slow.” Take the minimum recommended dose, and then wait at least 2 hours to assess the effects before having any more.
And remember: While it’s medically impossible to overdose on cannabis, the effects of taking too much at once can be unpleasant. We want your experience to be as safe, effective, and pleasant as possible. So if you have any questions about using a tincture for wellness, just ask. We’re here to help!
