We hear many patients complain they don’t like edibles because they “don’t feel in control” or that edibles are “unpredictable.” Patients will express that they can take the same amount of an edible and on one day the response is great the next it is not enough and a third day it is too much. Or that one day it takes 30 mins to feel the effect and another day it takes 2 hours. The misconception is that the edible somehow has more medicine in one part and less in another. Meaning it is not uniform. This probably is not the case. The real reason for the inconsistency is that there are many steps involved from the time the edible is placed in your mouth until the time it enters your bloodstream. Any change in any of the steps of chewing, swallowing, digesting, and metabolizing the edible will influence its consistency and predictability. A way to get around this is to use tinctures. Below we tell you how and why tinctures may be one of your most reliable and best forms of medical cannabis.
Tinctures are oil based medications that are taken sublingually. Here are some key takeaways about sublingual administration of tinctures:
Sublingual Administration
Tinctures are administered under your tongue to be absorbed through the tissues and small blood vessels in this area before directly passing into the bloodstream.
Tinctures start to work faster than edibles or oral medications like capsules. This is because they don’t have to pass through your gastrointestinal tract which means they aren't metabolized through the liver.
There are fewer steps for the medication to take effect.
The effect of tinctures is very consistent—when they start to work and the effect produced.
The length of action of a tincture ranges from 4-6 hours vs 4-8 hours for edibles and oral medications like capsules.
Tinctures can be ideal for people who have trouble chewing, swallowing or problems with digestion such as after certain intestinal surgeries or medical conditions. They can also be a great route for patients with liver disease or liver damage.
Tinctures can be placed in a liquid or solid food product.
This converts the tincture into an edible.
Many drugs, including medical cannabis tinctures, are more potent taken sublingually.
About twice as much cannabinoids get to the bloodstream if taken as tincture compared to an edible or capsule.
If you don’t like tinctures, but do like edibles, a tip we often discuss is not swallowing an edible immediately. By keeping it in your mouth longer you will partially convert the edible into a sublingual.
Tinctures are a great way to use your medical cannabis. It provides a very consistent delivery and effect. Tinctures do work faster as they enter your system faster than edibles. You will find tinctures to be an incredible way to optimize your medical cannabis.
If you have more questions about your medical cannabis and how it can help you, please schedule a product consultation here. If you are a current patient of Green Harvest Health, this service is free! You will see why we are a Top Business in Ohio and how We Do Cannabis Differently.