settings. On the other hand, some commercial applications still utilize traditional methods because of the outcome.
Different methods have different effects on the end product. Some methods are better known for leaving residue, scent, or taste. Some have a negative environmental impact, and all have wildly different cost implications.
Solvent extraction is the most common method in current use. Here’s a quick list of solvents used in extractions:
Alcohol
Ethanol
Ether
Butane
Propane
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Double CO2
Oil
These solvents essentially dissolve the plant matter, and then the remaining matter gets removed through a mesh sieve or something similar. The solvent is then heated to the point of evaporation, leaving behind only the plant extracts. Some of these forms of extraction involve heat, time and pressure, as there are variations to the process of extraction with each solvent.
The challenges associated with the solvents are directly related to the fact that the extraction methods often leave byproducts. For example, butane is itself a byproduct extracted in the production of crude oil. Even if all the butane is removed in the CBD extraction process, some residuals from the production of the butane may still be left over. As the industry evolves, safer methods will follow. A favorite of the higher volume extraction facilities is Double C02 Extraction. That term will appear on multitudes of labels. It is also favored for being one of the cleaner forms of large-volume extraction. Alcohol and oil solvent extractions remain among the favorites for ease and efficacy for many extractors, and for now, I tend to be partial to these two all-natural food-safe extraction forms.
Discerning the Qualities of Kinds of Extractions
Familiarizing yourself with the different types of extractions, and the products they yield, is important. This section sets you on the journey of becoming an informed and scientifically savvy CBD consumer.
Full-spectrum CBD: Full-spectrum CBD is the first outcome of any extraction. It carries all the parts of the plant leaves, the fiber, and the plant matter itself. The predominant theories are that full-spectrum is the most therapeutic of the extracts. Processing it to remove extra compounds results in the forms that follow.
Broad-spectrum CBD: As I write this, a lot of CBD products on the market have broad-spectrum oil as an active ingredient. A broad-spectrum extract is a result of removing one or more of the chemical compounds found in a full-spectrum extract (see the preceding section). A compound often targeted for removal is THC because, from a legal standpoint, CBD products are required to have no more than 0.3 percent THC.
Distillate: Distillation is a further step in processing and creating an extract without taste or aroma. Some call it a purification process. In a world with so many added chemicals, having a short ingredient list has become a selling point. Distillate is made to maintain a specific cannabinoid (such as THC) and nothing else, creating the desired potency without the effects of other components. (Cannabinoids are the plant chemicals specific to cannabis and hemp plants; you can read more about them in Chapter 2.)
Isolate: Isolate is exactly that: an isolated chemical compound. In the case of CBD, an isolate is solely the cannabinoid CBD without any other terpenes, flavonoids, or cannabinoids. (I cover these substances in more detail in Chapter 2.) Isolate is your classic catch-22: It’s adored for its simplicity and equally unappreciated for its lack of complexity.
Other forms: Other forms of CBD aren’t directly derived from extraction but instead are yielded from further processing of an extracted form of CBD, full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, distillate and Isolate. For example, nanopartializing CBD is the process of making the chemical itself smaller. Water-soluble CBD is the result of suspending oil-based CBD into a water-based compound with an emulsion that keeps the two repelling agents, water and oil, from separating. These forms are popular because they’re believed to make the CBD easier for the body to take in, but the evidence on them is insufficient.
Identifying the Forms Resulting from Extraction
The incredible diversity of form is what makes the secondary market for CBD and other cannabis products so interesting. You can find some of the most common forms in the following sections.
CBD RSO
RSO stands for Rick Simpson Oil. Often considered a grandfather of the cannabis movement, Simpson was known for his forward-thinking, alternative approach to treating cancer with highly concentrated cannabis. This full-spectrum oil, also called Phoenix Tears, uses the whole plant except the fiber. It has a honey-like consistency and is very dark amber or brown. Though RSO is more common in the medicinal cannabis market with THC as a component, more and more versions with CBD flower extractions are starting to appear.
Consumption method varies by patient. The recommended approach involves small doses from a needleless syringe contraption. Some people prefer to take it under the tongue (sublingually), while others put a little dab on a piece of food.
CBD distillate
Butane and alcohol extractions remain some of the most common with distillate, largely because of the consumption methods that follow. By extracting the CBD molecule along with other plant chemicals and plant matter, producers begin to form a refined version of the plant, distillate. It morphs from a sticky paste to an oil, depending on the distillation agent and the amount of time. Some prefer this method because it’s less expensive. As long as legality and price point dominate the market, it’s here to stay. For CBD in particular, distillation is a necessary step for removing THC to meet legal regulations.
Adding CBD distillate to a base of carrier oil or alcohol creates a host of ways to use it, from as an ingredient in a topical to as a topical in its own right to ingestible and more! For example, a popular use involves adding CBD distillate to carrier oils such as hemp seed oil, MCT oil, or the like for sublingual use or for vaporizing. Many people prefer inhalation via smoking as a dab, wax, resin, rosin, and more. I break down the aforementioned forms of consumption in Chapter
