What’s the Difference?
If you are interested in diversifying your cannabis intake methods, then two to consider (if you’re not already aware) are distillates and tinctures. They are both liquid and edible, but they differ significantly in terms of how they’re made as well as their potency.
Here are a few insights on both products, which can typically be found at most dispensaries.
Cannabis Distillate: They are created from a process of heating the cannabis in order to vaporize the cannabinoids and terpenes, which are then condensed back into a liquid. This enables cannabis companies to isolate specific compounds, like THC, which leads to a very pure product as most of the plant material, waxes, and impurities are removed.
Distillates are almost pure cannabinoids, often around 90+% purity. They will get you very high, although they typically lack terpenes (the compounds responsible for the aroma and flavor of the plant), unless these are added back in after the distillation process. This results in a product with very high potency but without the full spectrum of cannabis compounds.
Distillates come in a syringe. An RSO indica strain, for example, would be a very potent tool for sleeping. An RSO sativa strain will be a very uplifting experience; just don’t overdo it.
Cannabis Tincture: Tinctures are made by soaking cannabis in alcohol, which extracts the cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant. The rest of the plant is then strained out, leaving a liquid that contains a blend of these active compounds. By doing this, cannabis companies are able to retain a wider range of cannabis compounds, including cannabinoids and terpenes. They are typically much less potent than distillates.
Given the strength differential between these two forms of cannabis, it makes sense that the dosing would also be unique. When taking some distillate, the commonly shared wisdom is to dispense (from the syringe) the equivalent of a grain of rice. Whereas with tinctures, they typically come with a dropper and a starting dose might be between 5-10 mg.
Start super-slowly with any form factor of marijuana that is out of the realm of what you’re used to. Take too much and you’ll wind up in bed or on (or in front of) the toilet. It’s always smarter to take a conservative approach with the amount of THC that you are consuming.