Meet Susan, co-founder of Humboldt Apothecary, on Casually Baked, the potcast! L to R: Johanna Nuding, Susan Cleverdon

Tinctures are a popular way to consume both THC + CBD for a multitude of common health concerns - anxiety, insomnia, seizures, inflammation relief and more. There are so many options when it comes to cannabis concentrates, oils, and tinctures and plenty of confusion when it comes to choosing the right one for you + your loved ones.

Listen for your dose of canna confidence! And find additional resources below in the Potcast 63 show notes.

THE PRICE YOU PAY DEPENDS ON THE QUALITY OF THE EXTRACT.

SEE BELOW FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THE VARIOUS OPTIONS AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET.

A big thank you to Susan Cleverdon and Jaana Prall for helping me put together the mix of terminology you should familiarize yourself with when shopping for concentrates, oils, and tinctures.

Connect on social: @casuallybaked | @humboldtapothecary

“After the Show” Notes

A "WHOLE PLANT" or "WHOLE FLOWER" extract refers to using the small leaves and resinous flowers of the cannabis plant. It is rich in CBD, THC, other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. If you get drug tested at work then you should not use whole plant or whole flower products.

If you purchase a product labeled whole flower or whole plant extract in a licensed dispensary, you can be sure that it is pesticide free.

When it comes to INDUSTRIAL HEMP-DERIVED CBD products - these products can be classified as “BROAD SPECTRUM” or “FULL SPECTRUM.” And it’s important to note that currently there’s no operational regulations of industrial hemp. That means no agency is testing these products to ensure they are pesticide -free and safe for consumption.

How can you find the mindful companies out there producing high-quality extracts?

One of the first and easiest ways to narrow your search is to look for extracts made in the USA. Both hemp and cannabis are plants that leach nutrients and heavy metals out of the ground so it’s important to purchase concentrates and extracts cautiously. Don’t be scared, just know what you’re looking for!

Another distinction to note is that some companies use the flower and hemp seed while others use the seeds and stalk. Either way, they both must contain less than .3% of THC.

The distinction between broad and full-spectrum CBD can be deduced in the name. Broad spectrum contains CBD and a small amount of terpenes and perhaps a small amount of other cannabinoids. Full-spectrum on the other hand seems the way to go in the industrial hemp realm. Not only does full-spectrum contain a higher percentage of CBD than broad spectrum, but it also has a higher concentration of other cannabinoids and terpenes.

“CBD ONLY” or “CBD ISOLATE” refers to an extraction process that produces a product that contains only CBD with no other cannabinoids, terpenes, or flavonoids. CBD can be extracted from industrial hemp or whole plant/whole flower.

“CBD ONLY” or “CBD ISOLATE” is the way to go for those of you who get drug tested for work or sports.

For the rest of you, even if you think all you want is CBD and no THC it’s time to retire that notion. The synergistic relationship between cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids - also known as the entourage effect - has been shown to increase the healing properties of each. This means that an extract that is rich in a variety of those constituents will likely produce a more therapeutic effect than an extract that is primarily rich in only CBD.

If you live in a non-legal state or don’t shop in cannabis dispensaries, the CBD products that you see on the shelves at your grocery or health food store are made with broad or full-spectrum hemp extract or CBD isolate. The reason they are allowed to be sold in the mainstream is because the THC content is below point three percent. Be wary of products that aren't labeled with potency. And if you're unsure of the quality it is your right as a consumer to contact the manufacturer and ask to see the test results.

For you dispensary shoppers, most products are currently made with whole plant or whole flower extracts; however, there are some exceptions so you need to diligently read labels and ask questions to be sure of what you're getting. Not all CBD is the same, and you want to make sure that you’re purchasing a high quality product that is safe to put into your body.

You’re a precious snowflake - take care of you.

Kumbaya and Cannabis,

Jo