Cannabis Dosing: Delivery Methods & Dosing Guidelines

[SweetSue]

So pleased that the cat's responding so positively. Don't you love that 36-hour bake for the oil? My favorite method to date. The CCO is necessary for certain applications, but for so many other things I find the infused oils a marvelous and fragrant choice. Medicine you can safely consume as food.

 

[SweetSue]

I thought I'd share how I dose my brownies. I make these for myself. I find edibles much more manageable. I tend to get lost in research or projects and miss the internal signals that it's time to dose with inhalation. Not only that, but edibles are a deeper, longer-lasting effect. Who wouldn't want that?

This method's evolved over time as I searched for the perfect pan, allowing me to get them sliced up evenly. Most of the pans I found were curved on the corners, messing me up with proportions. I'm challenged enough with eyeing it up and cutting a straight line. There were reasons why I was the design artist, who could erase and perfect that line and my husband was the tattooist, charged with hitting the line true every time.

The other day it struck me that I could buy the cheap metal pan that was the right shape and size and line it with parchment paper so my brownies never came into contact with the gross metal. That's what I did, and immediately discovered the delight of no clean up.

Rediculously easy to cut. As you can see, I'm proportion-challenged. The first thing I do is weigh each one and see what I have. Then I take the total weight and divide it by eight. I'm anticipating this will be an eight-day supply. With this batch that gave me around 97 grams a day in brownie weight as my goal.

After a little pairing up and shifting around I came up with daily doses between 92 and 102 grams, with the majority being between 92 and 96 grams. The daily dose is divided into two pieces, the largest being for the start of the day and the smaller to extend the med level at the appropriate time. I have the freedom to choose what days get lower doses and which get higher doses, but they're close enough day-to-day that it makes little difference. Close enough that I really don't need to label them, but it made for good illustration.

This evolved rather nicely, if I may say so myself. There's 8 grams of DDA3 baked into this pan of brownies. Every daily dose is around the 1 gram mark. This is my baseline dose, the one that fuels everything else. I don't start supplementing with inhalation until somewhere around 7PM or so. The biobomb recipe extends the therapeutic window by a couple hours, in my experience, but the real value is that it hits right from the start.

That was fun. I have a pie to bake. May all your feasts be satisfying and the conversation filled with the music of laughter.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

 

[Oldbear]

Hi SweetSue First a thank you for the time and energy commitment to this research and willingness to share with others.

Looking for some recipe advise - what would you suggest for proper amount of lecithin to add to a 30 ml jar of tincture? Want to help bioavailability.

 

[Danolo]

Hey Sue.... my good wife and I are sitting here reading through some of your threads...

On the issue of brownies, my wife does not like them (What sacrilege!)

So, could we make a white cake? or sugar cookies, or?

I am suffering brownie withdrawal.....

 

[SweetSue]

Hey Sue.... my good wife and I are sitting here reading through some of your threads...

On the issue of brownies, my wife does not like them (What sacrilege!)

So, could we make a white cake? or sugar cookies, or?

I am suffering brownie withdrawal.....

I feel your pain. What I make is basically an infused oil that I don't strain. I get away with including all that plant material because I chop it up fine and the chocolate is the perfect cover for the taste. If you strain your oil you can use it in anything. If it were me I'd add just a tad more vanilla. The bolder the flavor of your cookies or cake the better your mask for the distinctive flavor of cannabis, so think on that as you make your choice. Use coconut oil.

Hmmmm..... my birthday might call for a mini canna-carrot cake with canna-cream cheese frosting. Mmmm...... What have you started Danolo?

 

[Danolo]

Ohhh don't tease me! As it stands now, I cannot grow. Its too bad, because I love growing.

So, in reading your thread, you make a distinction between "infused" oll, and something else.

Is the "infused" oil where you cook it for 36 hours? Is that decarboxylation?

I'm a little confused.

Blame it on the Bubba Gump.

Thanks in advance for your generous help.

 

[SweetSue]

Ohhh don't tease me! As it stands now, I cannot grow. Its too bad, because I love growing.

So, in reading your thread, you make a distinction between "infused" oll, and something else.

Is the "infused" oil where you cook it for 36 hours? Is that decarboxylation?

I'm a little confused.

Blame it on the Bubba Gump.

Thanks in advance for your generous help.

The 36-hour cook is one of the methods of infusing. Any time you've absorbed the oil from the trichomes into a carrier oil you have an infusion. There are many ways to go about that, this one does the best job at producing a fine oil for me.

Decarb is the process of heating the plant material to release the carbon atoms and transform the acid cannabinoids into their active stage. It's why THC gets you high.

 

[Dave Groomer]

Ohhh don't tease me! As it stands now, I cannot grow. Its too bad, because I love growing.

So, in reading your thread, you make a distinction between "infused" oll, and something else.

Is the "infused" oil where you cook it for 36 hours? Is that decarboxylation?

I'm a little confused.

Blame it on the Bubba Gump.

Thanks in advance for your generous help.

Infused oil is a carrier oil (coconut, olive etc) that you "cook" your cannabis in. The heated oil extracts the cannabanoids into the oil. The "other" type of oil people talk abut is CCO . That is Concentrated Cannabis Oil and that is essential oil made with the cannabis flower. It is MUCH more potent then any infused oil. Hope this helps.

 

[Danolo]

Indeed thanks, Sue and super...

So, then a CCO will not be adulterated with another oil, as carrier. CCO, properly made, will be mostly the essential oils of the plant itself, right?

And, an infusion is where a carrier is used to extract the plants' essential oils. Then one would want to filter out the plant material and use the oil in edibles, topicals, etc, right?

Just to confirm other facts that I think I know: You could not tack an oil infusion, its not concentrated enough. Tacking refers to CCO.

Have I got that clear, now? Sorry to ask such beginner questions, but that's kinda what I am.

...

Hmmmmm so, it seems logical to me that the CCO, being concentrated will be the most potent, as Sue pointed out. Is making CCO the best USE of an ounce of herb? Hmmm, not sure how to word this: Strictly from a medical/healing/pain relief position, would the infusion from an oz. provide one with more or less benefit than the CCO derived from the same oz.?

Hmmm.. we come back to method of dosing.. eating it (infusion) or tacking (CCO).

No simple answers???

 

[kelticBlue]

These are great questions. As threads like these move along sometimes the basic questions can get revisited and more is learned by the participants. New Ideas abound.

I do an "infusion" with the coconut oil. 36 hour 'cook' and then strain. I add a drop or two to my little old man Jack the Cat's food. It has helped with his hyper-thyroid and overall he is behaving like a healthy cat again. Going on i dunno 3 months now?

Cheers.

 

[SweetSue]

Indeed thanks, Sue and super...

So, then a CCO will not be adulterated with another oil, as carrier. CCO, properly made, will be mostly the essential oils of the plant itself, right?

And, an infusion is where a carrier is used to extract the plants' essential oils. Then one would want to filter out the plant material and use the oil in edibles, topicals, etc, right?

Just to confirm other facts that I think I know: You could not tack an oil infusion, its not concentrated enough. Tacking refers to CCO.

Have I got that clear, now? Sorry to ask such beginner questions, but that's kinda what I am.

...

Hmmmmm so, it seems logical to me that the CCO, being concentrated will be the most potent, as Sue pointed out. Is making CCO the best USE of an ounce of herb? Hmmm, not sure how to word this: Strictly from a medical/healing/pain relief position, would the infusion from an oz. provide one with more or less benefit than the CCO derived from the same oz.?

Hmmm.. we come back to method of dosing.. eating it (infusion) or tacking (CCO).

No simple answers???

Nope, no simple answers. Cannabis makes you think and adapt. You have to maintain an air of flexibility.

I was just considering this today as I looked over my stash and worked out how to get to the next significant harvest.

When I make THC capsules I prefer to use CCO, processed with carrier oil and liquid sunflower lecithin. That mix will give me somewhere close to a month's supply of capsules for every one gram of CCO used. If I'm lucky I can get 4 grams or more of CCO out of an ounce of buds.

If I take that same ounce and make it into brownies I'll get a month's worth of brownie doses, (I overindulge the brownie doses ) and I won't have to invest money into solvent and time and energy into making CCO. So for me, I can go either way and get the meds I need to keep myself on the level I perform best at, but the CCO obviously stretches the harvest almost three to four times further.

But I'm not a patient, treating a serious illness. The worst thing I personally deal with is a compulsive nature and a case of scalp psoriasis. There are conditions that demand you use CCO, cancer being the primary concern. It comes down to what are you treating, what results are you striving for, and what will your system tolerate? Some patients will be restricted in their choices by the very conditions we'd be treating. You'd be remiss, for example, to try to treat cancer with edibles if the patient had a seriously compromised digestive system.

As to your clarifying questions, you've expressed understanding on all points. Well done grasshopper. You're learning quickly. That'll serve you well moving forward.

And please, no need to ever apologize for being curious. We don't mind how often we answer these questions.

 

[overlord]

Is CCO the same as RSO?

 

[SweetSue]

Is CCO the same as RSO?

Yes it is. Here at 420 Magazine the decision was made to call it what it is, the concentrated oil made from the trichomes of cannabis sativa, Concentrated Cannabis Oil, or CCO.

 

[overlord]

Thanks,
sounded the same, and wanted to make sure we were on the same page.

 

[Oldbear]

Hi SweetSue First a thank you for the time and energy commitment to this research and willingness to share with others.

Looking for some recipe advise - what would you suggest for proper amount of lecithin to add to a 30 ml jar of tincture? Want to help bioavailability.

 

[Danolo]

Nope, no simple answers. Cannabis makes you think and adapt. You have to maintain an air of flexibility.

I was just considering this today as I looked over my stash and worked out how to get to the next significant harvest.

When I make THC capsules I prefer to use CCO, processed with carrier oil and liquid sunflower lecithin. That mix will give me somewhere close to a month's supply of capsules for every one gram of CCO used. If I'm lucky I can get 4 grams or more of CCO out of an ounce of buds.

If I take that same ounce and make it into brownies I'll get a month's worth of brownie doses, (I overindulge the brownie doses ) and I won't have to invest money into solvent and time and energy into making CCO. So for me, I can go either way and get the meds I need to keep myself on the level I perform best at, but the CCO obviously stretches the harvest almost three to four times further.

But I'm not a patient, treating a serious illness. The worst thing I personally deal with is a compulsive nature and a case of scalp psoriasis. There are conditions that demand you use CCO, cancer being the primary concern. It comes down to what are you treating, what results are you striving for, and what will your system tolerate? Some patients will be restricted in their choices by the very conditions we'd be treating. You'd be remiss, for example, to try to treat cancer with edibles if the patient had a seriously compromised digestive system.

As to your clarifying questions, you've expressed understanding on all points. Well done grasshopper. You're learning quickly. That'll serve you well moving forward.

And please, no need to ever apologize for being curious. We don't mind how often we answer these questions.

Yes, you may call me grasshopper. I am happy to learn from you, oh wise one.

I realize there are many people who suffer greatly with life threatening illness. And the anecdotal evidence of healing with CCO is irrefutable.

In my case, I seek pain relief, and healing, if its possible, for my wife, for her Rheumatoid Arthritis. You speak (write) often about cannabis helping one achieve a state of homoeostasis. That sounds like a good place for healing to happen.

I haven't found very much information about healing this disease. Have you?

 

[SweetSue]

Yes, you may call me grasshopper. I am happy to learn from you, oh wise one.

I realize there are many people who suffer greatly with life threatening illness. And the anecdotal evidence of healing with CCO is irrefutable.

In my case, I seek pain relief, and healing, if its possible, for my wife, for her Rheumatoid Arthritis. You speak (write) often about cannabis helping one achieve a state of homoeostasis. That sounds like a good place for healing to happen.

I haven't found very much information about healing this disease. Have you?

I have my own personal feeling about RA that most don't want to hear, but I believe in my heart that it's somehow related to deep-seated self-hate. Something we're doing our best to ignore. In my world though, the solution to that is not to dig and try to figure out the why, but to just start loving yourself, something we should all do more of anyway.

But to the practical matter of symptoms of RA...... This is an inflammatory disease, and the standard in the field, at this point, is to focus on the inclusion of at least a balanced ratio of CBD to THC. We've recently learned that the seeds we purchase, anticipating a certain ratio of these components, do not, in fact, give the advertised ratios the majority of the time. This unfortunate reality, distressing though it may be to some, reinforces in my mind the need to be particularly attentive to cultivation practices and just trust the cosmos in the end.

If you have access to CBD oil that you trust, I'd consider adding this to her regimine. Topicals can be particularly helpful with RA, and if you choose this route, go for the highest THC ratio available. With topicals the THC appears to be particularly important.

Capsules or edibles are good delivery systems. Anything sublingual will get more meds into the system. Edibles at the end of the day can help emensely with sleep. Sleep is so necessary for healing, as we all know. If she's up for it, learning to tack may bring tremendous relief and keep the spirits high without the problems some have with euphoria.

The CBD takes time to build in the system and get the work of healing started in earnest. You may not feel the effects for weeks or months, so you have to stay vigilant. RA took time to develop. The tendency of the human body is to heal. The entire endocannabinoid system exists to fascilitate this process. Your belief in the ability of the ECS to pull off this job it was evolved to do will play the greatest role in the healing process - moreso than any therapy. The system runs on emotion and belief, so if her faith is lagging, find a way to bolster it. Find a thought of relief.

Let me reiterate that. When she's frustrated, help her laugh. When the pain depresses the hell out of her, hold her lovingly and move her mind to somewhere she can feel the joy of being alive. I call it "defaulting to gratitude" and the more I study the ECS, the more I'm coming to the conclusion that this mindset is central to healing.

To sum up,

- Try to start with a balanced ratio of CBD to THC, with an eye for higher CBD if you think she's responding positively to it.
- Experiment with delivery systems to find her best fits. Use more than one. I encourage you to use many methods.
- Find or make some high-THC topicals. We've had a discussion on this recently in the study hall about including magnesium in the topicals, and there are a couple recipes that got posted. If you're interested I can chase them down for you.

Stay Joyful. Of course it hurts, and of course it sucks, but think of it as temporary. Blow right past reality and go straight to joy. It's where you're headed in the end anyway. Step out of the traffic and get there now. If you need a hand to hold, I'm easy to find and always available.

I know I threw a lot at you there. It's all gonna be ok. Really.

 

[Danolo]

Stay Joyful. Of course it hurts, and of course it sucks, but think of it as temporary. Blow right past reality and go straight to joy. It's where you're headed in the end anyway. Step out of the traffic and get there now. If you need a hand to hold, I'm easy to find and always available.

I know I threw a lot at you there. It's all gonna be ok. Really.

How old are you? 1000 years? What wisdom!

The connection between self-hate and RA is a bit of a stretch for me, but I will ponder it...

You write:
If you have access to CBD oil that you trust, I'd consider adding this to her regimine.

I can only buy from a local dispensary, and since I'm not legal, my choice of dispensaries is limited.
I will probably try processing an oz myself. Your reported yield of 4 grams would do us for while.


You write:
Topicals can be particularly helpful with RA, and if you choose this route, go for the highest THC ratio available. With topicals the THC appears to be particularly important.

Could I take a THC oil and mix it into an existing skin creme? She has a particular one she loves.

You write:
"without the problems some have with euphoria"

Ha! I think euphoria is not a problem for her (or me ).

You Write:
- Try to start with a balanced ratio of CBD to THC, with an eye for higher CBD if you think she's responding positively to it.

Yes, she's been using some CBD caps, particularly first thing in the morning. I'll suggest the bed time one to her.

- Experiment with delivery systems to find her best fits. Use more than one. I encourage you to use many methods.

I suspect she would catch onto tacking no problem.

- Find or make some high-THC topicals. We've had a discussion on this recently in the study hall about including magnesium in the topicals, and there are a couple recipes that got posted. If you're interested I can chase them down for you.

Yes please, I'd appreciate the recipes.

JOY!
Yes indeed... we are aged 69 and 74 and are living a balanced, happy, if frugal, life in the big city. After 30+ years together, we recently regained old levels and found new levels of joy and serenity together, thanks to cannabis.

Now, if I can ease her pain and help her find healing, that would be ideal.

Thank you for your positive vibes and loving energy.

 

[SweetSue]

Danolo, you and your beloved will do well with oils. I'm certain of it. Here's Mighty Mouse's recipe for the lotion. It was in response to a request by panacea.

I am looking for a very good arthritis pain med recipe, i recall someone discussing adding magnesium chloride to the cream and having excellent results.

How to Make Your Own Canna Magnesium Lotion

Ingredients
1/2 Cup Magnesium Flakes
2-3 Tbsp. Distilled Water
1/4 Cup Canna-Infused Coconut Oil
1/4 Cup Grapeseed Oil
1 Tbsp. unrefined Shea Butter
2 1/2 Tbsp. Bees Wax
1 tsp. Vitamin E oil
20 – 30 drops of Essential Oils (optional, I added Lavender Oil right before whipping)

Instructions
In a small saucepan, bring the 3 Tbsp. of distilled water to a boil and remove from heat. Then add 1 heaping 1/2 cup of Magnesium Chloride Flakes. Stir until the flakes have dissolved. Now you have your Magnesium oil.
With your magnesium oil set aside, turn the heat down to low, and put all other ingredients into a separate small saucepan and stir until everything is dissolved into a liquid. Remove from heat to let cool until the oils turn an opaque color.
Next, whip your oil ingredients in the saucepan with a stick blender while slowly pouring in the Magnesium Oil you made. Whip all ingredients until well blended into a thick consistency. Scoop into an airtight container and voila, your homemade Magnesium Lotion is complete. (I poured mine into small jars while still hot) This recipe makes about 8 oz. of lotion and keeps for about 6 months.

Adapted recipe from Devotional Family - dot com

You asked about adapting another lotion. If she has a lotion she's fond of you have nothing to lose by trying a bit of THC oil in there, do you? You'll know if it works. If you try it, I'd appreciate you're letting this lab rat know of your findings.

I'm all of 63, come next Thursday. Unbounded joy brings with it a lot of clarity. This site gives me a big soap box, and so far the message has been well recieved. You're a very lovingly tolerant band of cannabis cultivators. Lol!

 

[Danolo]

And so, the learning continues..

Sue, last night my GW took a CBD cap before bed, as you suggested, and she slept well! She went to bed at 8pm and woke at 3am, and felt better on waking than she has for a long time. Could that be the CBD oil after only one night's use? Well, we are certainly going to continue it and see how it works.

Thanks Sue, once again, for your healing suggestion.