Everyone is hearing about the benefits of CBD oil. The oil, also known as cannabidiol, is just one of the compounds found in the cannabis plant. Research has discovered many benefits in the medical field for this oil. The oil has been characterized to have an anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and analgesic effect on the body when consumed. It has been used to treat ADHD in children, chronic pain, seizures, inflammation, muscle spasms, regulate mood and sleeping disorders, eases nausea and many other ailments.
New Laws And Distribution Centers
Now that medical marijuana laws have been passed in 32 of our 52 states, more and more research is being done to find the healing features of the plant and the hundreds of compounds it contains and the benefits of these compounds. The process of extracting the CBD oil from the marijuana plant is an art as well as a science.
There are many outlets across the country that are producing and distributing CBD oil on the open market since the bill for medical treatment use has been passed. However, unless you are buying from a trusted retailer or know the company that extracts the oils personally, it’s hard to know the purity and quality of the product. Sorting out junk oil from the pure high-quality oil that actually works can be difficult and costly.
Does CBD Get You High?
Also, because CBD oil comes from the marijuana and hemp plant, people often wonder Does CBD get you high? The grades of CBD oil on the market are very low in potency and have had all the THC extracted from the starter materials. In order to get a really high grade of CBD oil, you have to have a prescription or make your own CBD oil. The amount of CBD in the market grade oils is not enough CBD to get you high. However, you can make oil with your own recipe to produce CBD oil that will get you high. And the potency depends entirely on the starter materials you use to make your CBD oil. The higher the THC potency the higher you may get.
The only way to totally ensure you know the potency and quality of ingredients used to make the oil is to make it yourself. It really is not difficult to do. You can extract the cannabidiol from fresh or dried marijuana in your home without any specialized equipment or non-organic chemicals. This is the only way to control the dosage concentration and the quality of the oil. By extracting the oils, yourself, you know exactly what you are getting. You can modify the ingredients to your specific needs and tastes.
Let’s Get Started
The first thing you need is to choose your starting materials, the marijuana aka flower aka bud. The quality of the marijuana you use will affect the strength and quality of the oil you will extract and how it, therefore, affects you when it is consumed. This is important because when extracting oil at home it is impossible to extract only CBD oil. You will be extracting other cannabinoids such as THC also. Therefore, if you use a high THC strain of marijuana to make your oils, your oils will have a high content of THC. There is no known way to extract the CBD oil without extracting the THC without expensive laboratory equipment. So, if you want a low amount of THC in your homemade CBD oil, use a low THC marijuana strain as a starter material.
If you want really low or no THC in your oil, you can order hemp flower from organic farms in all of the states in this nation. Hemp, itself only contains 0.3% or less THC. Because this product has such a low percentage of THC in it, it is highly likely you will not feel or be affected by low levels of the ingredient. However, you will receive all anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and analgesic benefits from all the different types of cannabinoids contained in the hemp flower. However, you decide to obtain your starter materials, be sure it will provide the effects you want to achieve with the oils you make.
Now we have our flower starter ingredients, you must choose the type of oil you want to use as a base. This solvent will be the carrier oil and allow the essences of the flower to saturate into this ingredient. The base oil will definitely have an influence on the taste of your end product. So, plan ahead the use for the oil and decide what base will be more applicable for the job. For instance, you may want an extra virgin olive oil infused for cooking, or maybe a lighter oil for medical consumption.
CBD Extraction Method
The method of CBD extraction we will use in basic infusion. This method requires little skill and is not difficult to do. It does not take much time and requires little heat. This method is effective because CBD is will dissolve into nonpolar molecules. This means it can dissolve in fluids, such as water, fats that are in oils, and alcohols. The method of infusing takes advantage of the dissolvability of CBD into the fats that compose the base oils you choose. You’ve seen this done with other herbs and spices, such as mint oil, oils with Italian herbs and spices for cooking, and so on.
This is the same process, only you will be using marijuana or hemp flowers instead of regular garden herbs. Now, you have your base oil and starter flower materials, you need to measure out your ingredients. Most recipes follow the basic directions below, which you may alter as you desire.
Ingredients and Utensils
1 oz of marijuana or hemp flower of your choice. Grind the flour as fine as possible. The smaller the particles after grinding, the more the CBD will be released and extracted. Into your oil base.
16 oz of a base oil of your choice. You can even use butter as a base and re-chill it at the end of the process. The base is dependent on the purpose of the end product.
You will need a crockpot or double boiler for cooking the oil. The key to a successful infusion is to all the mixture to cook for a few hours over indirect heat. You want the mixture to cook slow and steady over really low heat, to avoid burning your mixture and having to start over.
- You need some cheesecloth for straining the finished product.
- You need a stainless steel bowl or glass.
- You need a cookie sheet.
- You can use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon for mixing.
Decarboxylation
And basically, that’s all you need. And now that we have all our ingredients and utensils ready you’ll be surprised how easy this method of making CBD oil really is. There are only a few steps needed to infuse the oil with CBD. The first step is called decarboxylation or the starter ingredient flower. This process changes the CBD into its form, which makes it more readily available to be absorbed by the body.
You see CBD in its non-effective form in the flower is called CBDA (A for acid). Therefore, you have to decarboxylate it into its effective form. This is done by laying the ground-up flower on a cookie sheet and placing it in an oven set at 220-225 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 60 minutes. This is the universal instructions for decarboxylation for maximum CBDA to CBD conversion. After warming for an hour, remove the dried ground flower on the cookie sheet from the oven and allow it rest and cool until it is room temperature.
Once the starter mixture has been decarboxylated and is fully rested and at room temperature, pour it into your double boiler or crockpot. If using a double boiler, make sure you place the flower in the top boiler and have enough water in the bottom boiler to simmer (not boil) for at least an hour.
Extracting the Oil
Now, add your desired carrier oil into the ground decarboxylated starter material and mix well. Turn your double boiler or crock on to the lowest simmer setting and allow the mixture to simmer for 2 to 3 hours. The lowest simmer temperature on most stovetops and crock pots is ample to get the mixture warm enough to extract the CBD oil without causing scorching or burning.
Stir the mixture every 10 to 20 minutes to ensure no clumping or sticking to the bottom of the pot. 2 to 3 hours of simmering is ample time for the CBD to be extracted from the ground decarboxylated starter material and dissolve into the base carrier oil. Monitor your mixture’s coloring as it simmers. Cooking longer than 3 hours will not harm the mixture. Just make sure when the mixture is an earthy brownish-green color, you turn the heat off and allow the mixture to rest and cool to room temperature.
While the mixture is cooling, prepare your straining bowl by placing the cheesecloth over it and securing it tightly. When cooled and easy to handle, pour the mixture onto the cheesecloth and allow it to strain into the bowl. This will remove and filter out and flower materials left in the mixture, leaving only CBD-infused oil in your bowl. Make sure you squeeze all the oil from the mixture bundle and press all of the infused oil into the bowl.
Remove the cheesecloth from the bowl, and set pour the oil in the bowl into the bottle for future use. That’s it, you are all done.
You’ve Done it
Congratulations, you have made your own homemade CBD oil. The finished product can be consumed orally through a dropper, filled in gelled capsules for daily doses, or added to food. You can also use your oil directly on your skin for topical pain and irritation relief. You can add the oil to the product you use daily on your body to add it’s anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and analgesic effect to store-bought products. The uses of your homemade CBD oil are just as multipurpose as mass-produced manufactured products sold now on the market.
Be sure when you use your oil, you properly use it. The CBD oil potency will be determined by the potency of the starter materials use at the beginning of the process. You must know this in order to estimate the effects of the oil on your body others when it is consumed. Your marijuana or hemp distributor or supplier should know the potency of the strain and should be able to inform you regarding the potency of the initial starter flower material when you purchased it.
There are hundreds of CBD oil distributors and suppliers in the market today. But, when you make your own CBD oil, you have full control of the ingredients you are consuming. With this easy recipe and infusion process, you can create a variety of blends of oils, with different strengths and uses. You can use different base oils, which will give you different flavors and consistencies. And now that Medical Marijuana is legal in many of our United States, there is no reason to risk altered ingredients or added preservatives in your medications.
Keep in Mind
So just remember, the strains of marijuana or hemp flower you use for your initial starter ingredients will determine the strength of the finished product. Your CBD oil is specifically made for you by you. You will not find any product of CBD oil on the market that you will be prouder and more confident to use. Your homemade this oil, so you know it is safe to use.
And remember, the base oil you use in your mixture, will usually give the taste and consistency of the finished product. Whether you use extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower or any other oil, the flavor of the oil will have an impact on the final flavor of your CBD oil.
So, with basically two ingredients, and a few kitchen tools and utensils, you can make your own CBD oil. You can use it as medicine, just to cook, make into butter, or special edibles, it totally up to you how your homemade CBD oil tastes.
And your special touches will make you homemade CBD oil the right consistency and potency for your intended use. And again, you definitely will create a product you want, need and desire. And only you can tell someone Does CBD get you high in your products.
