What Is Cannabis THC Distillate and How Do I Use It?

The cannabis plant contains over 100 cannabinoids, which are active compounds that can cause drug-like effects throughout the body. Tetrahydrocannabinolis (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are two of these compounds, and they’re what you’ll see most often when researching medical cannabis. The main difference is that THC can produce a ‘high’, while CBD doesn’t. And remember, whilst there is evidence to give a general idea of how both THC and CBD may react with the body, they can affect every individual differently.

It also produces over 150 different terpenes that are naturally found in every plant, and give them their individual smells and flavours. However, they also have medicinal uses. Terpenes work in holistic harmony with cannabinoids and other compounds in cannabis, helping everything to operate more effectively overall. Together, they can offer a number of potential medical benefits. This is known as the entourage effect.

Since 2018, medical cannabis has been legally available on prescription through licensed clinics like Alternaleaf for 50+ conditions. You can find out if you’re eligible by completing the quick questionnaire on our website. Below we’ll be exploring THC Distillate: what it is, how it’s made, how to consume it, and the potential benefits including THC Distillate and chronic pain.

What is THC Distillate?

THC distillate is a type of extracted cannabis concentrate. It goes through a technical process (which we explain a little later) that results in a final product stripped of all materials and compounds except for one specific cannabinoid. In this case, THC. This makes the final product extremely potent, unlike some other cannabis products that contain a mixture of THC, CBD and terpenes.

It usually doesn’t taste or smell of much, due to the lack of terpenes. But this makes it a very flexible base ingredient for edibles and vape cartridges, as it’s possible to add terpenes to distillate. However, there’s ongoing research on whether or not this reduces medical benefits. It’s thought there’s a possibility that when terpenes are reintroduced or artificial, effects and benefits may change.

THC Distillate vs Full-Spectrum Cannabis – What’s the Difference?

Unlike THC distillate, any product that features a range of things extracted from the cannabis plant – like terpenes and essential oils – is classed as full-spectrum.

THC distillate is generally stronger than many other cannabis concentrates (often 90%+ THC).

However, although other concentrates, like live rosin or resin, may have lower THC, they have the terpenes and other compounds that distillate strips. Therefore, they offer a fuller spectrum of effects. It could be argued that some of these effects may enhance potency in other ways for some people. Or provide more effective relief for specific symptoms.

How Is THC Distillate Made?

Making distillate isn’t something you can or should do at home. It’s a complex and technical process that happens in a controlled lab. Specialised equipment and an in-depth knowledge of chemistry is also needed. We’ve included a rough process below:

1 – Extraction: THC is extracted from the cannabis plant material. This can be done using different methods, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

2 – Winterisation: The THC extract is mixed with ethanol, and then frozen.

3 – Filtration: The solution is filtered to remove any solid impurities.

4 – Evaporation: The solution is heated and rotated to evaporate the ethanol, and leave behind the oil.

5 – Decarboxylation: This is essentially a chemical reaction that happens when cannabis is heated. Before THC is ‘decarbed’, it starts as THCA (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid), which is non-psychoactive. So, decarboxylation needs to happen to activate THC, and unlock its potential therapeutic benefits.

6 – Distillation: Heat and a vacuum is used to separate the cannabinoids based on their boiling points. And because THC has a unique boiling point, it’s isolated as a distillate.

7 – Refinement: This is sometimes added as a final step to achieve higher purity levels.

It’s important to only consume medical-grade cannabis that has been made by professionals. This is because experts using the proper technique is the only way to fully ensure your safety and the effectiveness of the THC distillate. Unapproved, DIY THC distillate runs the risk of contamination and incorrect or inconsistent dosage and potency, both of which can be extremely dangerous.

Not to mention the fact that anything that exceeds 1mg of THC per ‘container’ (bottle or packet), is illegal to sell over the counter in the UK. Products with higher levels of THC can only be prescribed by clinics like Alternaleaf, as they have the proper licensing and regulatory oversight. Ultimately with a licensed clinic, you know what you’re consuming is safe and approved.

How to Consume THC Distillate

It’s hard to say what the best ways to consume THC distillate are. Because experiences can vary with each method, and only you know how you like to consume medical cannabis. We touch briefly on a few popular consumption methods below.

Vaporisation

Distillate is almost always used in vape cartridges due to its potency, flowability, and neutral flavour. Its stripped down profile makes it ideal for adding custom terpenes and larger scale production. Other concentrates, like live resin or rosin, retain more natural flavour and are usually dabbed (vaporised on a hot surface and inhaled, typically using a dab rig).We’ve got lots more information on vaporisers here.

Sublingual Application

Placing cannabis oil or tincture that is made or infused with THC distillate under the tongue allows for quick absorption into the bloodstream. This results in a fast onset, usually within 15 to 30 minutes, and tends to provide longer-lasting relief when compared to inhalation. It’s also discreet and you can easily control dosage.

Cannabis Edibles & Capsules

Consuming cannabis-infused ‘edibles’, like pastilles, or soft gel capsules, results in slower onset of effects, which can take between 1 to 2 hours. This method is ideal for longer-lasting relief.

If you’re asking the question: THC distillate for edibles vs vaping, it really is down to personal preference. You can speak to your clinician about this in more detail, but ultimately, they’ll prescribe you something that is effective for you and your condition/symptoms. And you may not find the right way the first time you consume.

UK Laws: Is THC Distillate Legal for Medical Use?

Yes, because THC distillate is just a type of extracted cannabis concentrate. Therefore it follows the same rules as medical cannabis, which has been legal in the UK since 1st November 2018 as long as it’s prescribed by a specialist doctor. To be eligible, you’ll need a diagnosis for a qualifying condition such as chronic pain, anxiety, depression, ADHD or autism.

Just because it’s legal in the UK, doesn’t mean it’s legal everywhere. It is always a good idea to check if you’re travelling somewhere, what their rules and laws are around medical cannabis.

Effects and Potential Benefits of THC Distillate

The effects of THC distillate largely depend on dose, and how your individual body reacts. Remember that everyone is different, so someone else’s experience may not be the same as yours.

It’s also often considered by some as more precise and consistent in terms of effects, compared to other forms of cannabis, like dried flower. Although dosage, patient tolerance and method of administration can change effects, studies have shown that some of the benefits of THC distillate could possibly include:

• Pain relief
• Reduced nausea
• Ease migraines
• Reduced anxiety
• Increased appetite
• Help with insomnia
• Is anti-inflammatory

Also, be aware of potential side effects. Most common side effects are short-term, and should wear off within a few hours. These include:

• Coughing
• Bloodshot or irritated eyes
• Increased appetite
• Dry mouth or thirst
• Dizziness or loss of balance
• Nausea
• Feeling tired
• Blurred vision

But because THC distillate is more potent, it could lead to higher tolerance, meaning you’ll slowly need more of it to achieve the same effects. As always, the best thing to do is follow the advice of your clinician, and ask them any questions you have.

Summary

Whether it’s THC Distillate for inflammation, THC Distillate for pain relief & anxiety, or THC Distillate for something else, there are lots of potential benefits. But, like with every medication, it’s still important to be aware of the risks.

The best thing to do is speak to your Doctor or clinician, or seek the help of a licensed medical cannabis clinic like Alternaleaf if you’re considering medical cannabis treatment. Find out if you’re eligible by heading to our website and completing our 30 second questionnaire.

Clear and golden. We can’t help but think of it like those slow-motion fast food commercials as it slowly drips from the glass syringe onto our nail as we inhale the smooth clean vapor. We’re talking about what THC distillates are and how to use them!

WHAT ARE THC DISTILLATES

When we produce distillate THC, we’re taking pre-extracted concentrate oil and further separating to refine the cannabinoids, terpenoids, and flavonoids from the stuff we don’t want such as pesticides, plant matter, or other impurities.

When compared to the process by which we extract wax and shatter, it’s quite different. Distillate THC is made by a molecular distillation process, much like the process of distilling alcohol. The extracted material is heated to the point of vaporization, which causes decarboxylation (activation of THC), then the evaporated material is decondensed and collected.

WHY PEOPLE LOVE TO USE THC DISTILLATES

The first reason our THC distillates are so popular among patients is because of their potency. If a distillate were to test at 99% purity, this would mean that in a one-gram syringe of distillate you have 990 mg of THC out of the 1000mg. For those using distillates purely for medicinal purposes, the cleanliness of this type of purified THC is practically unmatched.

There are also several ways of consuming THC distillates including vaporizing, topping off your joint or bowl to smoke it, sublingually, or even as a suppository. It can also be used to make an edible out of anything, due to the THC being activated (decarboxylation). This type of cannabis is extremely versatile and can be easily incorporated into any form in which the user feels most comfortable consuming it. Additionally, because we are able to control the substance at a chemical level, we can also determine how much taste (if any) is given to the distillate by the reintroduction of terpenes.

WHAT ARE THE NEGATIVES?

As stated by High Times Magazine, there is a large misconception that distillates are the “hot dog” of concentrates, meaning they are produced from the “leftovers” of plant trimmings. This largely misunderstood concept is false because, as we’ve learned, producing distillate is a refinement of concentrated oil and not the other way around.

In some cases, however, THC distillate can be produced from a consolidation of leftover plant trimmings, and although most distillates have very high potency, the potency of the final product completely depends on its origin. Low-grade flower, for example, will produce low-grade distillate, and vice versa. To avoid these lesser-quality THC distillates, search for higher potencies from reputable dispensaries, such as Grant Pharms MMC in Colorado Springs, CO.

Although THC distillates are the cleanest cannabis product on the market, some patients feel that it’s a bit too sterile. Increasing cannabinoid potency means decreasing terpenes—the compound that gives each strain its unique smell and taste—so, for users that enjoy the sensory experience of cannabis, this may not be the most favorable consumption method. On the other hand, this may be the very reason distillates are attractive to medicinal users who are purely searching for relief. The good news is, distillers are able to add terpenes back into the distillate at the end of the process, which would dilute the overall potency but add back the tasty flavor and smell that’s produced by terpenes.

LEARN YOUR PREFERENCE

If you need help deciding what THC distillates are best for you, visit the Grant Pharms team in store or contact us online! We’re happy to answer any questions you have regarding medical marijuana.

What is Distillate Weed?

Distillate weed, colloquially referred to as distillate THC, is a term commonly associated with cannabis extracts. Specifically, cannabis distillate encompasses various concentrated extracts obtained from the cannabis plant. While it often contains a high concentration of THC, the distillation process can also target other cannabinoids such as CBD. Therefore, when encountering a product labeled as cannabis distillate, it’s essential to examine the cannabinoid composition to accurately discern the type of distillate present.

The Process of Distillation

The cannabis distillate production process typically starts with crude oil extraction, which is any process where the cannabinoids are separated from the cannabis plant material. A crude extraction involves either a physical means of separation or a chemical means of separation.

At Extract Labs, we use exclusively CO2 in our extraction process! Whether the cannabinoids are separated by physical or chemical means, the crude extract produced contains impurities that must be removed before the oil can be separated into its individual cannabinoids.

The next major step in producing distillate is called winterization. It is a method to purify the crude extract of byproducts: plant waxes, fats, lipids, and chlorophyll. The crude extract is mixed with ethanol. The solution is then placed in a very cold environment for 24 to 48 hours. The impurities coagulate in the cold temperature and precipitate, or separate, falling to the bottom of the container. This is similar to baking a chicken: the excess grease and juices drip down into the pan and thicken when cooled.

The next step of distillate production occurs when the crude extract and ethanol solution is then passed through a filter. After filtering, the ethanol is removed. Ethanol can be removed using a variety of techniques, such as a rotary evaporator or a falling film evaporator.

The extract at this point wouldn’t be very potent. CBD, for example, is the well-known compound and active cannabinoid that consumers use to achieve wellness goals. However, it’s cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), that’s found at this stage. CBDA becomes CBD after heat is applied. This process is called decarboxylation.

Decarboxylation is the process of removing the carboxylic acid from a cannabinoid’s chemical compound. A cannabinoid is decarboxylated when it’s heated to the point of eliminating the carboxylic acid. By removing that acid group, the cannabinoid can readily interact within the body and bind to the receptors in the nervous system — specifically, the cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid type 2 (CB2) receptors.

The final steps for making cannabis distillate involves the actual cannabis distillation process. Using vacuum pressure and heat, individual cannabinoids and terpenes can be separated from the decarboxylated extract according to their unique boiling points and molecular weights. In a vacuum environment, where the pressure can be strictly controlled, the boiling point of can be achieved at much lower temperatures to help prevent the loss of potency.

After these steps are successfully taken, you’re left with cannabis distillate, a supplement that can be used in a variety of ways.