Cat 3 Distillate

What is THC distillate?

Cat 3 Distillate Distillate is a cannabis extract in which the final product has been systematically stripped of all materials and compounds except for one specific cannabinoid. The most common forms of distillate are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) oil and cannabidiol (CBD) oil, with their percentages ranging between 90 – 100% pure cannabinoid, making them extremely potent.

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It’s the base ingredient of most edibles and vape cartridges and typically lacks flavor, taste, or aroma. And though it also lacks the beneficial terpenes that naturally occur in the source cannabis plant, it allows complete control over a final product’s taste and smell. Adding terpenes to distillate later in the process is possible, and many manufacturers do this, though it’s been theorized that any medicinal advantages are reduced by their initial removal.

How is distillate made?

Making distillate is a complex and technical process that requires specialized equipment, a controlled lab setting, and a deep knowledge of chemistry. Essentially, it’s something you don’t want to try at home. For informational purposes, the distillation process typically involves the following steps:

1. Extraction: First, THC is extracted from the cannabis plant material. Chemists use various methods for the extraction process, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction, ethanol extraction, or hydrocarbon extraction. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages regarding purity, efficiency, and safety.
2. Winterization: This step involves mixing the raw extract with ethanol and then freezing it, which helps to separate the fats, waxes, and lipids from the cannabinoids as they coagulate and precipitate out at low temperatures.
3. Filtration: The winterized solution is then filtered to remove the solidified impurities.
4. Evaporation: After filtration, the solution is subjected to rotary evaporation. Heat and rotation evaporate the ethanol in this process, leaving behind a more refined cannabis oil.
5. Decarboxylation: By this point, the oil is full of THCA, or tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, the non-psychoactive precursor compound to THC found in raw cannabis plants. It becomes THC when decarboxylated, typically through heat. The refined oil needs to be decarboxylated to convert THCA into psychoactive THC.
6. Distillation: Finally, the decarboxylated cannabis oil is processed through a distillation unit. This process uses heat and a vacuum to vaporize and then condense the cannabinoids, separating them based on their boiling points. THC, having a unique boiling point, is isolated as a distillate.
7. Refinement: Further refinement steps like molecular distillation are sometimes employed to achieve higher purity levels.

Does distillate get you high?

Whether distillate gets you high depends on the cannabinoid you’re consuming. By removing virtually everything except for the desired cannabinoid, the final product is incredibly potent, so if you’re consuming a THC distillate, you will probably get very high, as the resulting oil will be almost pure THC. If you consume a CBD distillate, you will tap into the therapeutic benefits of CBD, but since CBD is non-psychoactive, you will not get high.

What are the effects of THC Cat 3 Distillate?

How you experience THC distillate depends on your individual response to THC and the dose you take.

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Here’s a list of the potential effects of THC distillate, some of which are more pleasant than others:

• Euphoria
• Relaxation
• Altered perception: Your senses, like sight and sound, might be heightened or altered.
• Increased appetite: It’s common to experience the munchies, or an increase in appetite, after consuming THC.
• Dry mouth
• Red eyes
• Slower reaction times: THC may slow down your reaction times and affect motor skills, so don’t drive or operate heavy machinery.
• Short-term memory loss: You might find it harder to remember things while under the influence.
• Drowsiness
• Anxiety or paranoia: In high doses, THC can lead to feelings of anxiety or paranoia.

Benefits and risks of THC Cat 3 Distillate

As with all cannabis products, there are pros and cons to consider:

Benefits

• High potency: What can be a risk for some is a major benefit to others. THC distillate is very strong, so a little goes a long way in providing effects. It can be a cost-effective way to consume THC for those with high tolerances or medicinal needs.
• Purity: Distillate is highly refined, containing far fewer impurities and plant material than other extracts.
• Versatility: THC distillate is a flavorless oil that can be used in a variety of ways, from vaping to making edibles and topicals.

Risks

• Risk of overconsumption: THC distillate is potent by design, so it’s easy to use too much, which can lead to uncomfortable effects like anxiety.
• Risk of increased tolerance: Frequently using high-THC products might lead to a higher tolerance, requiring more to achieve the same effects.
• Legal risks: It’s important to know the laws regarding concentrated cannabis products in your state, as many have different limits on the amount of concentrates you can possess at a time.
• Addition of thinning agents: One of the negative points of distillate is that to make it, thinning agents have to be added to the production, including vegetable glycerine, propylene glycol, and MTC oil.

How do you use THC distillate?

There are many ways to incorporate THC distillate into your cannabis consumption routine.

Dabbing

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Dabbing involves using a dab rig, a type of water pipe designed specifically for concentrates like distillate. You heat the nail, typically made of quartz, titanium, or ceramic, with a blow torch, drop a rice-sized amount of distillate directly onto the heated surface, and inhale the vapor produced through the mouthpiece.