Cannabis infused tinctures have many benefits and are a longer lasting alternative to smoking or vaping cannabis. Additionally, ingesting a tincture eliminates the tell-tale odor of smoking. Outlined below are some of the many benefits of using cannabis tinctures as well as some tips on consuming those tinctures.
What Are Cannabis Tinctures?
Tinctures are one of the oldest forms of cannabis consumption. Traditionally, tinctures are infused alcohol-based liquids. The alcohol used in cannabis tinctures is very harsh, making sublingual (under the tongue) applications with these tinctures uncomfortable at best. In recent years, cannabis tincture manufacturers have increasingly been creating “tinctures” with oils (most commonly MCT and olive) to make cannabis tinctures more palatable and easier to use sublingually.
Cannabis tinctures are the perfect consumption option for those looking to avoid inhalation options; seeking a longer duration time; and looking for a method that is both easy to dose and duplicate.
Benefits of Cannabis Tinctures
- More Accurate Dosing – Taking cannabis tinctures gives you the option to determine your dosage drop-by-drop, allowing you to find the ideal dosage tailored to your personal needs. Everyone is different and needs different amounts of cannabis to help them, and tinctures give you the ability to find the right dosage and the ability to accurately repeat that process.
- Fast-acting Relief – Tinctures may provide faster relief than other types of edible cannabis. By placing the tincture under the tongue for approximately 30 seconds, the tincture will permeate the sublingual membrane and enter the blood stream directly.
- No telltale odors or smoke – Cannabis smoke has a distinctive odor which frequently lingers. Tinctures leave no odor making them the perfect option for taking medical cannabis discreetly.
- More Versatile – Cannabis tinctures can be taken in a variety of ways: they may be added to food and drinks; swallowed undiluted; or placed under the tongue. This versatility allows users to experiment with different amounts to find exactly what works in each situation. Users should always start with small quantities and allow time (a minimum of 3 hours) for the tincture to take effect before ingesting additional amounts.
- Tailored to Your Preference: Patients experiencing multiple issues may require THC and CBD in different concentrations at different times of the day. Having separate bottles of THC and CBD tinctures gives users the ability to formulate the best ratio based on desired effect.
- Can Be Longer-lasting – Cannabis tinctures have a duration time that is almost four times the duration of effects from smoking or vaping.
Different Ways to Take Cannabis Tinctures
- In Food – Cannabis tinctures may be added to any type of food, such as salad dressings, soups, sauces. Tinctures are best added to food after it has been heated as actually cooking the tincture in foods may lead to it evaporating.
- In Drinks – From smoothies to hot chocolate to tea to juice, there are endless drink options that can be infused with cannabis tinctures. Drinks are usually the easiest and most convenient way to take tinctures because these tinctures blend well in the liquids—particularly alcohol-based tinctures.
- Under the Tongue – Sublingual application (under the tongue) provides the quickest onset as the tincture gets into the bloodstream faster and at a higher level of absorption. Sublingual application is better suited to oil-based tinctures over alcohol-based.
How Long Until I Feel the Effects of Marijuana Tinctures?
The length of time it takes to feel the effect of cannabis tinctures changes based on how it’s taken and each person’s physiology.
In general, when taken sublingually, you should feel the effect within 15 to 20 minutes. It takes time to calculate the appropriate dosage. Start small, with maybe a drop or two. If you do not feel any effects after 2 hours. Try adding another drop or two.
When taken in food or drink, you should feel the effects within a couple of hours. This is similar to ingesting other medibles (infused edibles), so it will take a little longer than taking it under the tongue. Again, if you feel you need more to help with the pain or symptoms, start with a couple of drops and work your way up from there. Always give the tinctures time to get through your system to feel the effects.
The beauty of tinctures is they are easy to measure by drops and you can use this measurement to repeat the effects, thereby ensuring you are getting exactly what your body needs and what works for you.
For more information about cannabis tinctures and their benefits, contact Herbal Alternatives. We’d love to become your trusted dispensary for all of your medical cannabis needs.
