Marijuana in the News

The use of alcohol for extracting cannabis is highly popular. Ethanol alcohol is considered a safe chemical solvent by the FDA. This makes it a much healthier choice than most solvents out there.You can make ethanol hash oil (EHO) through a cold process, or a warm process. This piece will discuss what ethanol hash oil is. It will also tell you why it is beneficial during cannabis extraction. Let’s begin.

What is Ethanol Hash Oil?

During cannabis extraction, alcohol is introduced to derive cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant. There are two types of alcohol that can be used for cannabis extraction. You can choose to use isopropyl. You can also choose to use ethanol.However, ethanol for cannabis extraction is widely used because it is much safer. The FDA endorses ethanol, compared to other chemical solvents like butane and propane.

How Do You Make Ethanol Hash Oil (EHO)?

During extraction with ethanol, you can choose to use warm, or cold conditions. However, using the cold condition is much preferred by extractors because it preserves and stores more cannabinoids and terpenes.During a cold extraction process, the cannabis must be decarboxylated at low heat. This should be done before the preservation of the cannabinoids and terpenes.

The cannabis flower is drenched in alcohol. After this, the plant material is removed. The alcohol is evaporated and then turned into an oil concentrate. After this process is done, an extra purification process is conducted. This is because residues like chlorophyll can alter the taste of the oil concentrate.

The end product can be an unpleasant taste and a grassy flavor. The added purification will ensure that the oil concentrate reaches the same level of purity as PHOs and BHOs. This website has more on the steps in making hash oil.

The Benefits of Ethanol Hash Oil

As earlier mentioned, ethanol is a widely used chemical solvent. It is used in a variety of applications. You can find forms of this chemical solvent in distilled spirits. And, distilled spirits have been in existence and available for consumption for hundreds of years now.

In fact, during the COVID periods, ethyl alcohol was very well used as hand sanitizers. This once again shows its versatility. The versatility of this chemical solvent is what allows its effectiveness in botanical extraction. It is highly safe and produces healthier oil concentrates from the cannabis plant.

Since ethanol is FDA-approved as a GRAS substance, it means that a panel of specialists has concluded that the chemical solvent can be used in food products.

The Safety of Ethanol in Extracting Plant Oil

Although ethyl alcohol is a safe solvent, precautions need to be taken, as it is highly flammable. Although compared to most chemical solvents available in the market like hydrocarbon, ethanol is far safer. This is because the hydrocarbon extraction process is far more explosive and toxic.

The process of ethanol hash oil extraction doesn’t need to be operated under high pressure like CO2 extraction systems. The physical properties of ethyl alcohol also allow for a safe and efficient solvent during cannabis extraction. Also, because it allows for a fertile and soluble extraction atmosphere, it offers a high solubility of top-quality oil concentrates and cannabinoids.

Also, extractors make sure to factor in solubility at a molecular level. So, they always consider chemical solvents that are both slightly polar and non-polar. What do polar and non-polar mean? Polar means having positively and negatively charged ions.

While, non-polar means having nearly zero or no charge, or is balanced. This is relevant in general during extraction. Polar substances tend to dissolve and mix with other polar substances. An example of an excellent polar compound is water. And several molecular compounds that are essential during extraction are waxes, fats, and lipids.

This all boils down to the importance of ethyl alcohol. This is because while it is polar, ethyl can act as both polar and non-polar molecules when met with certain conditions. This is why ethyl alcohol is very much important in botanical extraction. It allows for flexibility.

Ethyl Alcohol is a Versatile Solvent

Ethyl alcohol, as already noted is a versatile solvent. It is the preferred solvent used to derive cannabis oil from the cannabis flower. This is because it has a great affinity to derive the target compounds. These target compounds include CBD and THC. During the extraction, ethyl tends to attract polar and non-polar compounds as well.

Another reason ethanol is an ideal solvent for cannabis oil extraction is its ability to adjust to temperature while deriving the target compounds. Ethyl alcohol offers better flexibility compared to other derivation methods. The features of this chemical solvent make it the preferred choice to derive target compounds from a cannabis plant. This link https://www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/ethanol/has more on why ethanol is a suitable solvent.

Bottom Line

Ethanol hash oil (EH0) is a cannabis extract made using ethyl alcohol. Ethyl is very well used to derive oil concentrates from a cannabis plant. This is because it is safe, and derives high-grade concentrates.

As far back as the 1800s,scientistsrealized that there arevaluable effects incannabis. Extensive research in the United States and England on cannabis in the 1930s came to a halt with the beginning of World War II and did not pick up again afterwards due to the various laws and regulations that classified the plant as a drug.Legal issuescontinued to inhibit serious study until half a century ago, when Prof. Raphael Mechoulam (b. 1930) of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem isolated and synthesized the main psychoactive compound in cannabis: THC.

Back then, accessing cannabis for research purposes was not necessarily simple. Prof. Mechoulam contacted a friend who worked for the police, who provided him with seized hashish (which also originates from marijuana) for Mechoulam’s medical research.

In the early 60s, Mechoulam and his research partners had full knowledge of the structure of CBD(cannabidiol), an important cannabis ingredient. In the next few years they managed to isolate THC, establish its structure and synthesize it.Further years of collaborative research demonstrated that THC is the main ingredient which triggers specific receptors in the brain in the similar way to chemicals in the human body. Together with the cell’s receptors, these compounds work to protect against many conditions as well as syndromes.

The important discoveries made by Prof. Mechoulam and his team not only changed Prof. Mechoulam’s life path, but also the lives of millions of patients around the world – the ability to isolate the active substance in cannabis formed the foundation for an entire industry basedsolely on a single plant and the variations within its’ strains. Thecannabis plant is now being studied at an unprecedented pace.

The long list of medical conditions which medical cannabis helps to alleviate is all thanks to the revolutionary discoveries made by Prof. Mechoulam and his team in the early 60s. Based on such revelations, programs such as the one established byIsraeli Ministry of Health are able to provide eligible patients with the necessary permits to legally purchase medical cannabis.

Signs of Prof. Mechoulam’s sensational discovery are evident to this day – Israel is seen as a major player in the field of medical cannabis and has been at the forefront of the study of the plant’s virtues. More clinical trials in cannabis are currently being conducted in this tiny countrythan in any other country across the globe. The conclusions of these studies have benefited the lives of countless patients around the world – from oncology patients, through children with autism, epilepsy, post-traumatic patients, to elderly people with Parkinson’s.

Now in his 80s and still very much active I his field of research, Prof. Mechoulam will give a keynote lecture on his current findings and outlook on the cannabinoid system and where we stand todayon September 9during CannX Tel Aviv, an annual conference series focusing to the most relevant developments, innovations and opportunities in this medical field. To learn more about CannX, click here.

As medical marijuana continues to blaze its path all throughout Canada and the rest of North America, demand for its products and accessories continue to grow. Recent waves of legalization have opened up new opportunities for patients who have long been suffering from various illnesses and disorders of all types. CBD hemp treatments have shown great promise and effectiveness in helping people with a broad range of issues.

Not only has this form of therapy become a popular agent for physical problems such as chronic pain, insomnia, and fibromyalgia, as well as the side effects from cancer treatments, it has also been effective in treating neurological conditions including Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. And that’s not all; psychological disorders such as Anorexia, ADHD, and bulimia, have been shown to respond well to medical cannabis prescriptions, as have even some emotional conditions like depression and anxiety.

The first step to beginning this course of therapy is to apply for and receive approval for a medical marijuana prescription. The process is not a difficult one, but it needs to be done correctly all the way from filling out the paperwork accurately and sending it to the proper agencies which handle the applications, to having the medical professional’s recommendation for this type of treatment for your condition.

Obtaining a Prescription

The first thing that is needed before you have your initial consultation regarding medicinal cannabis therapy and whether or not it is the right choice for you, is a copy of your medical file and treatment history. This can be acquired by a simple request to your current personal or family physician. Often times patients may be hesitant or nervous about asking for such a document for fear of having to answer a bunch of questions or justify their request. There is no need to feel this way.

These are your records concerning your body. You have a legal right to access them at any time without providing any reason or further information regarding why you need them. The worst case scenario is that your doctor might require a written, formal request for the purposes of record keeping. Other than that, you should face no further issues. While this is not necessary if your primary physician is the one you will be consulting with regard to the possibility of medical cannabis treatments, for people seeking other opinions these files will be necessary.

Working with Specialty Clinics and Doctors

It can be advantageous to partner up with health facilities that specialize in this form of therapy as their superior knowledge in the field, and access to larger varieties of specific strains can be much more helpful when deciding which particular medication would be best for your condition(s). For medical practitioners who offer CBD products as only one of many options, their lack of expertise can often times result in an inefficient treatment program.

Filling Your Prescription

As previously mentioned, this is another advantage of working with one of the specialized health and wellness centres whose doctors and staff focus solely on medical cannabis. In addition to the fact that many of them have years of experience studying various medical conditions and how different individual strains work to treat and manage each symptom, they also have access to Licensed Providers which offer a higher quality grade of medicines than are available in retail outlets and dispensaries.

In addition to the fact that these clinics take the guesswork out of which strands to purchase for the patient, they also continue to work with them all throughout the course of the treatment, monitoring their progress and making any changes or adjustments that may be necessary, such as trying different prescriptions or adjusting the dosage based on the individual’s evolving needs.

I remember a ski trip five years back to Colorado, and being able to legally get marijuana from dispensaries. It was my first experience with this rather “new” legal model to obtain marijuana, and it took some getting used to.  Thanks to some time spent in Nevada, it was far from my last experience in dealing with legal recreational marijuana!  Today it was reported that Colorado has officially crossed the one billion dollar mark in revenues, and the State continues to lead the way in being the best place for investment, innovation, and development in this growing sector.

Colorado Continues to Pave the Way in Marijuana Sector

Is it the large head start Colorado had on everyone else that allows them to be so far ahead of the game?  I don’t think so. While Colorado does attract a great deal of tourism to it’s national parks, ski resorts, and lovely scenery, they just have solid people who know the industry of cannabis, as well as farming, coupled with good work ethics and strong morals. I believe this is a huge factor when you compare it to places like Florida, where it seems every sector out there is highlighted with people trying to cut corners, cheat the system, and get ahead to be the person who makes the most money in any way possible. That’s just me, having experience in both places, and it may sound like a slight, but it is what it is. It’s my observation. Watch or read the news, Florida is a place ripe with fraud, especially in pain clinics and other places in that regard.

The former Governor of Colorado, named John Hickenlooper, who happens to be a 2020 presidential candidate, once mentioned the state’s earnings from legal marijuana as “a drop in the bucket.”

Whoa.  Just a billion dollar drop, like on the Grand Prize Game in the Bozo the Clown Show?  Must be nice.

Current Governor Jared Polis was the one who detailed in a press release how the state has earned over one billion in revenues from legal marijuana sales, and he had this to say about the current state of Colorado marijuana sales:

“This industry is helping grow our economy by creating jobs and generating valuable revenue that is going towards preventing youth consumption, protecting public health and safety and investing in public school construction.”

With licensed cannabis retailers having over $6.56 billion worth of products since 2014, over $1.02 billion has been raised via taxes and fees for the state of Colorado.

Certainly, other states will follow their lead and realize what a cash cow this really is, not to mention marijuana is a serious help to people who need it for medicinal purposes.

It’s also worth mentioning that many of the CBD Oil companies we review get a lot of their organic hemp from Colorado-based farms.  Colorado is certainly a place that is taking charge in this evolving space, and it doesn’t seem like anyone is close to getting on their level in terms of innovation and dedication to putting out quality products.

Colorado Based CBD Companies

Here are a few of the companies with ties to Colorado as well as links to pages with more information about them.

–> Mary’s Nutrition is based in Loveland, Colorado.

–> CBD Pure Gets Organic Hemp Grown in Colorado.

–> 4 Corners CBD is based in Colorado.

–> Thought Cloud sources products from there.

–> CBD Distillery is based there.