Marijuana honey oil recipe

For those of you hopping on the DIY cannabis train, this is a great recipe showing you how to make your own cannabis oil, specifically Honey oil. It’s actually quite simple and doesn’t take too long.

We find there’s a pride in growing your own cannabis and then making your own honey oil. It’s cheaper than buying from retailers, and this way you can ensure no harmful chemicals or preservatives are ever added.

What is Cannabis Oil?

Simply put it’s the oil extracted from the cannabis plant. The concentrations of THC to CBD will depend on what plant you are using. The concentration of THC to CBD in your plants will be the same ratio in the oil you extract from it.

For example, the oil extracted from an Indica strain is higher in CBD, while the oil extracted from most Sativa strains is typically higher in THC. Most people opt for a hybrid cannabis plant that has a more even mixture of THC to CBD.

What are THC and CBD?

THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is a psychoactive compound found in cannabis plants. It is responsible for the euphoric or “high” feeling that most people associate with weed.

CBD (Cannabidiol) is not intoxicating. It will not give you the feeling of being high but it does have effects on the body and mind. CBD has calming effects and is often used to help with pain, inflammation, and anxiety. 

Both THC and CBD have a direct effect your body’s endocannabinoid system. They encourage the release of the body’s endocannabinoids and help to create balance (homeostasis). The ratio of THC to CBD varies greatly from plant to plant. 

Honey oil will have a mixture of THC and CBD, not to mention many other cannabinoids and terpenes. But the strength will all depend which strain and what type of plant material you are using! 

How is oil extracted from a cannabis plant?

The oil can be extracted from cannabis several different ways. The most popular methods involve using ice water, butane, isopropyl alcohol or ethanol alcohol. Some methods are a bit easier than others, but they will all result in the same final product.

What is Honey Cannabis Oil?

Honey cannabis oil has gone through the Winterization process. If you skip the winterization process you will end up with Cherry oil instead of Honey oil.

Honey Oil goes through winterization which helps to remove unwanted substances like plant waxes, fats and chlorophyll. The result is a much cleaner and clearer oil. Cherry oil skips the winterization process, and thus much darker, resembling molasses more than honey.

What is Winterization? 

Winterization is not as complicated as it sounds. Winterization basically just means we freeze something before we start. To make Honey Oil you will first need to put your cannabis and isopropyl alcohol in the freezer for 24 hours. The purpose of winterization is to reduce the amount of chlorophyll and waxes that come out of the cannabis as you extract the oil to make Honey oil.

What Do You Use Honey Oil For?

Honey oil is really only used for one thing: to make shatter and wax. These are the two forms that are most readily useable in the dabbing process. Think of honey oil as a transition phase between the bud you smoke and the stuff you dab. Shatter and wax are really just cooled and dried forms of the honey oil.

At the most basic, shatter is a marijuana concentrate with all of its molecules stacked one on top of the other (like a wall). Because of that molecular arrangement, shatter is often translucent and exhibits peanut-brittle-like characteristics.

Wax, on the other hand, is that same marijuana concentrate with its molecules in a jumbled mess (like a pile). Because of that molecular arrangement, wax is often opaque and exhibits coconut-oil-like characteristics.

How Do You Make Honey Oil?

Honey oil is most typically made through a process called solvent extraction. This just means that some solvent (like isopropyl alcohol, chloroform, or carbon dioxide) is pushed through the marijuana plant matter to strip away the trichomes and other chemical goodies. When the “stripping” process is complete, the solvent is removed leaving the THC, CBD, CBN, terpenes, and flavonoids behind.

The nice thing about the extraction process is that it can be performed on all manner of marijuana plant matter. You can take your trim, your shake, even your cast-off material, run it through an extraction process, and come up with some pretty good honey oil.

Butane Extraction

The most common solvent is butane so you’ll often hear people refer to butane extraction. After “blasting” the butane through the marijuana material, the butane is allowed to evaporate leaving behind butane hash oil (or BHO).

We’re not going to go into the details of butane extraction here because butane is a highly-flammable chemical. Misusing it in a DIY-attempt to make your own honey oil can result in serious injury and even death. It’s better to let those with plenty of experience do the deed rather than try it yourself and explode something.

There is also a heated debate about whether honey oil made with butane is 100% safe for consumption. Butane is, after all, a dangerous substance and even trace amounts of it can be left in the oil when the process is complete. Are there drawback associated with consuming this butane? The jury is still out.

To put that in perspective though, you might be inhaling small amounts of butane when you smoke using the traditional bong. That disposable lighter you use to apply flame to your bud? It uses butane as fuel. Chances are, trace amounts (we’re talking on the molecular level) make it through the flame and wind up in the smoke you’re inhaling.

Benefits of Honey Oil

Possible benefits of consuming honey oil are just the same as consuming the usual weeds. Since honey oil is considered more potent than other forms of weeds, the effects can be stronger than the usual.

It can be highly beneficial for patients who experience nausea, inflammation, common pains, and even relieve chronic pain and cancer symptoms. There is still some ongoing research about the other benefits of honey oil and other related products.