Even though cannabis oils are becoming a very popular consumption method, there are still many consumers who are unfamiliar with them. For this reason, they tend to stick to using the products they know, like dried flower cannabis and are resistant to expanding their horizons. Here’s are some key differences between cannabis oil and dried flower.
What are cannabis oils?
Simply put, cannabis oils are extracts of the cannabis plant. If these oils are ‘full spectrum’, they will include the cannabinoid and terpene profile of the original flower (strain) they were extracted from but in a concentrated and more potent medium. If they aren’t full spectrum then they may include isolated cannabinoids or contain pure THC or CBD. It’s important to read the label and know what type of oil extract a particular product is made of.
Compared with other consumption methods such as smoking or vaporizing, cannabis oils offer more precise dosing and deliver effects that last a lot longer. Cannabis oils are available as capsules, tinctures, or oral sprays for ingestion, and are also amongst the few cannabis concentrates that consumers can currently purchase legally through the Ontario Cannabis Store.
Why are cannabis oils so important for consumers and medical patients?
Many consumers and medical patients want cannabis products that provide the most ‘bang-for-their-buck’. Alongside other concentrate products like shatters or waxes, cannabis oils are highly potent extracts capable of providing THC levels in the 50-90% range. This means that a little will go a long way and a strong high can be induced if desired. Cannabis oils are also a very pure product because contaminants like plant matter, pesticides, or residual solvents have been removed during the extraction process.
Capsules, tinctures, and oral sprays are often preferred by medical patients or consumers who suffer from respiratory conditions and do not wish to smoke (inhale) their cannabis. Ingesting oils is also a more discreet method and more convenient than smoking dried flower.
Cannabis oils and their derivative products come in a bunch of different formulations including both THC and CBD options of varying potencies. There are oil capsules, oral sprays, tinctures, and vape pens or cartridges that provide a bunch of consumption methods to cover all the bases, from ingestion to inhalation. If preferred, cannabis oils can easily be added to any food or beverage as well.
Oils are also great tools when it comes to the need for accurate dosing because they make it easy to consume a specific quantity of THC or CBD. There is a bit of a learning curve associated with ingesting cannabis oils until you figure out how much is needed for you to reach your preferred level of effects. Always start slow and increase your dosage gradually until you find your ideal balance.
Cannabis Oil Vs. Dried Flower Cannabis
The bottom-line
At the end of the day, choosing a cannabis consumption method is very much a personal choice. Just because there are a lot of benefits to using cannabis oils, many users will still prefer to medicate with dry flower. There’s no such thing as too many choices when it comes to cannabis consumption, and we won’t be the first to stand in the way of a particular method if it’s beneficial to someone.
As cannabis extraction continues to advance, we’ll likely see oils and extracts become the largest cannabis consumption method alongside edibles. While nothing will replace the joys of a group session with a joint, bong, or vape pen, there is a lot to be said for the value and versatility provided by cannabis oils and its associated derivatives.