Not everyone who uses cannabis is comfortable with smoking it. Many people prefer to take cannabis as an edible and some even want to use it as a rub on their aching joints. (Note – when you apply cannabis to your skin, you’ll get pain relief – due to cannabinoid receptors in your skin – without the euphoric side effects.)
I have used cannabis-based oils and lotions on my arthritic joints with great success. It cuts the pain and allows stiff fingers and knees to move a little better.
It’s not difficult to make a cannabis-based oil that can be taken internally, and which can also be used on the body.
Here is a starting recipe. You can modify the recipe dependent upon how much cannabis you have to work with. If the oil is only for external use, you could also add essential oils to the end-product in order to cut the very organic smell that you can sometimes get from cannabis products.
Ingredients:
- 14 grams of cannabis
- 28 ounces of coconut oil
- Decarboxylate the cannabis (releases THC) by putting it on a baking sheet and baking it for 45 minutes at 240 degrees.
Note: This step will definitely make your kitchen smell. If you have a decarboxylator, feel free to use that instead of baking the cannabis in the oven.
- In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil over low heat until melted.
- Add the decarboxylated cannabis to the oil and continue to cook for three hours over low heat. Do not let the oil boil although it can occasionally bubble. (Note – this cooking part can also be done in a crockpot set to low.)
- Using gloves, strain the oil using cheesecloth – be careful, the oil will be hot.
- When the oil has cooled, transfer it into airtight containers.
Canna-oil made with coconut oil can last up to a year.
Note if you use cannabis that has 15 percent THC in it, you would get approximately 10 mg of THC per teaspoon.
If you are using it on your skin, place a small amount into your hands and rub the oil into the affected area.
Wendy E. N. Thomas is a New Hampshire State Representative for Hillsborough District 21. She is also in the NH Therapeutic Cannabis program. Wendy agrees with the State-wide Democratic platform of legalizing cannabis in New Hampshire, she would also like to see the Therapeutic Cannabis program expanded to include Anxiety, Lyme Disease, and insomnia (for starters.)
Wendy also understands that people need to know about what cannabis can do, how to keep it away from children, and how to use it responsibly (in the same way that the alcohol industry talks about responsible drinking.)
All opinions reflected in this article and any future articles on the Democratic cannabis platform are the opinions of Representative Thomas and do not reflect any company or industry.
Wendy works at Prime ATC in Merrimack as a Patient Liaison. The contents of this article are not sanctioned by Prime ATC or any of its affiliates.
