The most common way to consume cannabis is by smoking it. But not everyone likes the idea of smoking, though. Fortunately, there are a plenty of other, user-friendly ways to consume cannabis. One great way to get the benefits of marijuana without the burn is cannabis tinctures.

Interest in consuming cannabis tinctures has grown in popularity over the years, which means you can find cannabis tinctures in virtually every Licensed Producer’s medical platform in Canada.

What Are Cannabis Tinctures? 

Tinctures are a cannabis-infused liquid, that contain either cannabidiol (CBD) or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), two natural compounds found in cannabis plants.

Tinctures are made by using a solvent, like alcohol, to pull CBD and THC from the plant. Pretty much any alcohol will do too. Brandy, vodka, and grain alcohol have been known to impact unique flavors in tinctures.

If you’re not in love with the idea of using a tincture made out of alcohol, you can find cannabis tinctures made with MCT oil, coconut oil, and other oils. Any food-grade oil will do since the solvent is used for dissolving cannabinoids into the solution. Hemp seed oil is an excellent option because it contains a large amount of heart-healthy omega-6 fatty acids.

THC vs. CBD Tinctures

The most common forms of cannabis tinctures you can purchase contain CBD, THC, or a combination of both. CBD tinctures are typically derived from either hemp or marijuana. While a THC tincture is derived from marijuana.

Whether you choose a CBD tincture, THC tincture, or CBD/THC tincture will depend on why you are taking the tincture.

CBD has many of the same health benefits as THC, but without the mind-altering effects. Depending on the symptoms you are looking to treat, you might want to use a THC tincture.

Consuming Cannabis Tinctures

Tinctures are a popular way to consume marijuana. If you want to feel the effects of the cannabis tincture fast, put the appropriate dosage under your tongue. Don’t swallow! Nothing bad will happen if you do, it will simply take longer to feel the effects.

After the tincture dissolves under your tongue, it gets absorbed into your bloodstream and into your brain. The whole process, from the time to put it under your tongue until you feel the effects, varies from person to person.

The easiest way to use a cannabis tincture is by dropping some of it into your mouth and swallowing. You won’t feel the effects as quickly as you would putting it under your tongue. How long will it take? About as long as it would when you eat an edible, which can take 30 minutes to two hours to kick in.

Lastly, you can consume a cannabis tincture by putting the required dosage into the food or beverage of your choice. Tinctures can be added to your dinner, soup, salad dressing, and even ice cream. It doesn’t really matter what you put it on, you still get the same therapeutic effects.

Benefits of Cannabis Tinctures

Here are some of the benefits of cannabis tinctures:

• Convenient: If you smoke cannabis, you need dried flower, rolling paper, and a lighter. You might even need a grinder and pipe. This isn’t the case with a tincture; everything you need is in one bottle—the liquid and dropper.
• Discreet: This isn’t the 1950s; medical marijuana is legal in Canada, so there’s no need to be ashamed. Still, when it comes to consuming cannabis, tinctures offer a level of discreetness you won’t find with smoking or edibles. Instead of smelling like smoke, you can still enjoy the benefits of cannabis.
• Precise Dosing: It can be difficult to know just how much CBD or THC you’re getting when you smoke or consume an edible. With tinctures, the CBD and or THC is evenly mixed in the solvent, so you know how many milligrams you are getting in each drop. This also makes it easier to increase or decrease the amount you want.
• Quicker Effects: As noted above, the effects from a cannabis tincture set in quite quickly. Where cannabis edibles and swallowing can take more than half an hour to kick in, with a tincture, the effects can be felt in as little as a few minutes.

Potency and Effects

Because you ingest a tincture, it is technically an edible form of marijuana. But it works much faster than traditional edibles like cookies, brownies, or gummies. The effects from a cannabis tincture can be felt in a matter of minutes, as opposed to the typical hour or more with marijuana edibles.

A tincture, when placed under the tongue, goes directly into the bloodstream. With a traditional edible, it goes through the digestive tract first, before reaching the bloodstream.

MMC, Making Access to Medical Cannabis Simple

If you’re interested in cannabis tinctures or other smokeless forms of medical cannabis, book a free consultation at Medical Marijuana Consulting (MMC) today!

MMC helps patients from across Canada get access to medical professionals who are experts on medical cannabis. Our team of physicians, psychiatrists, and nurse practitioners can provide a prescription, offer you help to get you coverage for your prescription costs (if eligible), refer you to a licensed producer, and help you apply for the ACMPR license to grow you own.

At MMC, we want to make access to medical cannabis as simple as possible for as many people as possible. Join our Ambassador Program and receive $15 for every person you refer to MMC that becomes a patient. To learn more about Medical Marijuana Consulting and how you can secure a prescription as part of your personalized medical cannabis treatment plan, book a consultation online, contact us at 844-312-5143, or email us at patientcare@medmc.ca.