Make Your Own Cannabis Oil

Topical Use:

Cannabis as long been in use when it comes to different medical issues. Typically, there are two different ways of taking it: Topical and Oral. Topical medicines are, of course, applied onto the targeted area and then absorbed through the skin. It is the less invasive of the two options and is often used to reduce the amount of possible side effects. Recent studies have shown that for certain purposes, such as using cannabis oil for skin conditions, a topical application is more effective at reducing symptoms. Many patients who have tried this method before also found that the effects can be felt much quicker when compared to taking the oil orally.

The skin is the largest organ we have and is fully capable of absorbing medicine that is applied to it. Most people would suggest topical application because this also means that the preparation won’t affect the brain receptors thus eliminating any effects that it might have on it. That said, it is also important to note that very rarely do people experienced that effect of being “high” when using cannabis oil. It all depends on the preparation as well as the dosage.

Oral Use:

For situations wherein cannabis oil is needed to be taken orally, dosage becomes even more important. The first thing you need to consider is the purpose; what are you taking the oil for? It would be helpful to ask your physician about this and allow him to prescribe the right dosage for you and your needs. Typically, however, it would take at least 60 grams of cannabis oil to deal with most cancer types. The average person would take about 90 days to consume this, ingesting 3 doses of the oil each day.

Preparation is also important and there are many different ways through which this is done. We’ll provide you with an easy to follow guide later on.

As for the side effects of orally ingesting cannabis oil, the most that people have experienced would be the feeling of sleepiness and calmness. Of course, this only helps in furthering your body’s recovery from the illness. Lethargy during the first week of using it is also a common occurrence but this effect would eventually diminish as you continue on.

Making The Oil:

With the help of an easy to follow guide, you should be able to make your own cannabis oil— this is if you’re not keen on purchasing premade ones and would rather that you do it yourself.

Tools Needed:

Odor respirator mask

Non-latex safety gloves

High heat gloves or oven mitts

Safety glasses

Large funnel

Large stainless steel bowls

Large bottles for holding mixtures

Stainless measuring cups

Pyrex storage dish

Stainless mesh strainer

Stainless mixing spoons

High temperature silicone scrape

Coffee filters

99% (or higher) Isopropyl alcohol

Thermometer

Electric rice cooker

Table fan

Electric warmer

Empty pill capsules

Oral dispensing syringes

Procedure:

1. Purchase and dry your plants. Make sure that you get the best ones you can afford. Remember that the better its quality, the better your oil will be as well. Another thing you have to remember is to dry the plants well. You can use UV lighting to achieve this or simply dry them naturally.
2. Once the plants are dried, place this on the bowl then dampen it with the solvent you’ve chosen. The solvent will further remove the THC from your plants. Typically, it would take about two gallons of it to completely strip the THC off.
3. Crush the plant gently. If it has been dried properly, doing this should be quite easy even if it has already been dampened by your solvent. As you do this, the THC gets stripped from the plant and is then absorbed by the solvent. Do this for at least 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Once you’re done with that, filter all of the cannabis and separate it from the solvent oil mix. Set the oil aside. Using the same plants, pour more solvent onto it and repeat step #3. This should help you completely remove the THC off of it.
5. Repeat the filtering process and add your freshly crushed solvent -oil mix into first batch. Use a strainer for this to make sure that none of the plant material gets into the liquid. At this point, prepare your bottle that will hold the oil as well.
6. Take your funnel and line it with a coffee filter before putting it on the bottle’s nozzle. Make sure everything is clean and sanitized before you begin pouring the solvent-oil mix into it. The filter is meant to strain out any remaining traces of the plant. It would be best to repeat this process at least 2 to 3 times to make sure that you get pure oil and none of the plant bits in it.
7. In this step, we will be boiling away the solvent from your oil. Take your rice cooker. Add your solvent-oil mix into it but make sure that you don’t fill it more than ¾ full. Set it on high heat and watch as the solvent-oil mix inside the cooker slowly lessens. Once this begins to happen, continue adding more of the mix until you’ve managed to put it all in there. When there’s only about an inch left, take your mitts and pick up the container. Gently swirl its contents around.

Note: Make sure the area you’re in is well ventilated, or if you can, head outside so that the fumes don’t get trapped. Otherwise, a puddle of the solvent might begin to pool around or under the rice cooker. Also, do stay away from anything that’s flammable and make sure to wear your mask so you don’t end up inhaling the fumes.

• Before you remove the oil from the rice cooker, make sure that all of your solvent has completely boiled away. Once you’ve checked, gently pour the collected oil into a glass container. Do this slowly and carefully.
• Next, you have to place your container over a heating device to allow the Co2 to evaporate from the oil. This might take a few hours. Once there are no more bubbles or any kind of activity on the surface of your oil, it is ready for use. A quick note, the more you heat the oil over very gentle heat, the more sedative it will become.
• Once the oil cools off it, would be dark brown in color and has the consistency of molasses which is quite thick. When spread on paper, it should be a nice golden color. Be sure to store your oil at room temperature and away from humidity and light in order to maintain its freshness. You should be able to easily tell when the oil has turned rancid and is no longer usable.