What is THC Oil Made of?

You’ve probably heard about the miraculous curing properties of THC oil. THC, which stands for Tetrahydrocannabinol, is a chemical compound that belongs to the cannabinoid family. Research shows that THC together with other cannabinoids, namely CBD, is the next big thing in treating numerous symptoms and conditions varying from pain and anxiety to cancer. It has recreational value as well, due to the psychoactive effect (in other words, it gets you high). While most consumers are aware of what to expect from Tetrahydrocannabinol, they know little about what THC is made of. In this post, we are going to bridge this gap.

What is THC Oil Made of?

So you may be asking “what is THC oil made of?” Every type of cannabinoid is obtained from the plants of the cannabis family. CBD, for example, is extracted from hemp and THC is from its relative marijuana. Technically, hemp contains some THC as well, but its concentrations are so low (under 0.3%) that it makes no sense to utilize it in THC oil production. Therefore, every THC product available on the market is extracted from marijuana, more specifically, from female marijuana species. Manufacturers use either a whole plant or its parts with higher concentrations of Tetrahydrocannabinol but either way, those products are labeled as THC oils.

Differences Between Marijuana, Cannabis, and THC Oils 

You’ve probably heard about marijuana and cannabis oils. As their names suggest, they are made of marijuana and cannabis — which are the same thing. THC oil is also made of marijuana. So what is the difference between these products then?

In fact, there is no difference. These names are used interchangeably. Marijuana and cannabis oils indicate the plant they are derived from, while THC oil specifies its active component. Whichever name appears on the bottle of your product, you can count on the same effect from its administration. However, these oils can be extracted in different ways, meaning the final product will have dissimilar properties.

Types of THC Oil 

Based on the method of extraction, THC oils the following types are available on the market:

THC Distillate. These products are a clear solvent-free fluid with a high content of THC. Normally, it has no taste or odor because terpenes, the cannabis plant’s aromatic compounds, break down during the manufacturing process. If THC distillate has terpenes in its composition, then they were introduced artificially after extraction. The distillation method is based on heating plant raw materials to evaporate and condensate cannabidiols. The majority of other components don’t make it to the final product. Distillates are used for vape pens.

Full-Spectrum THC oil, otherwise known as Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), is a type of oil that contains all the essential components of the cannabis plant. It’s extracted using alcohol solvents which are later removed. The resulting extract is mixed with food-grade vegetable oil. You can administer RSO either sublingually or orally.

Butane Honey Oil (BHO) is a sticky dense substance that resembles resin. The BHO extraction method utilizes butane as a solvent. When it’s removed, a product ends up with a high concentration of THC and other cannabinoids.

Regardless of the extraction method (which only affects how you use a product – orally, in a vape pen, etc.), all THC oils are made of marijuana (cannabis) plants.