What if your stock of THC-O ends during a vacation, and the nearest dispensary is 50Km away? Well, a minor inconvenience should not ruin your vacation fun. So, to not face such issues, you can carry THC-O cartridges.
Are you aware of the term, or is it new to you? If it is, you will learn about these cartridges through this article.
What are THC-O Cartridges
Many products, such as hand wash, shampoos, liquid soaps, etc., offer a refill pack. So, if the main bottle ends, you can refill it with a refill pack. It ensures that you do not run out of these products frequently.
Similarly, some vape pens come with cartridges. The cartridges contain various cannabinoids, such as delta-8, delta-9, CBD, THC, etc. The vape pen works until the cartridge has the material. If one cartridge ends, you can insert another piece and again enjoy vaping.
In the case of THC-O cartridges, the substance inside the cartridge is THC-O. Suppose you are not aware of THC-O. The following section will help you.
What is THC-O?
Between the years 1949 and 1975, the army of the United States organized the Edgewood Arsenal Experiments. THC and THC-O were discovered and experimented with during that time. Although the time frame between the discovery of THC and THC-O differs, the striking potency of THC-O made scientists distinguish it from regular THC. Things to know about THC-O are:
- The process of extracting THC from hemp includes several processes. Firstly, the manufacturers derive delta-8 or any other similar THC modification from CBD. After that, they mix Acetic Anhydride into the solution and make it an acetate, particularly THC-O.
- A vital thing to remember while using THC-O is not to try to make it at home. In a conversation between a well-known Cannabis researcher, Dr. Ethan Russo, and Hemp Grower, Dr. Russo said, “The process of making THC-O acetate is inherently dangerous. This is something that’s got to be done in a technical lab with a vacuum hood [and] no exposure to humans.”
Besides, another Marijuana co., which sells THC online, warns, “Please don’t try to make THC-O on your own. The process requires special equipment and advanced training to get right. And volatile, flammable, and explosive chemicals are necessary. It’s not worth your life (or your home or your eyebrows) to do something that a lab can do better and safer. If you want to use THC-O, always buy, never DIY.”
- Most people are confused regarding the safety of consuming THC-O. The lack of research and studies in the field further exaggerates the confusion. Besides its potency, most researchers believe that THC-O acetate is a ‘prodrug.’ This means the compound is inactive until metabolized. So, it takes almost 20-30 minutes to show effect.
- James Stephens, a chemist and cannabis researcher, investigated the various aspects of THC-O as a part of a study for Iron Light, a Montana-based brand consultancy and cannabis product. He discusses the things in THC-O with various online producers. He said, “It’s 10-15% unknown there. I ask, ‘What’s the rest of the stuff?’, and they say, ‘We don’t know’…That’s what usually shuts down the conversation.” He is alarmed by the reply.
- THC-O is different from delta-8, delta-9, and delta-10 in several ways. It is more potent than all these compounds. Users report a more high feeling with THC-O.
- A primary concern regarding THC-O is its quality. Despite being a new product, Stephens expressed his concern over the variation in THC-O quality available in the market.
He said, “If you’re using low-quality extract material and low-quality reagents you bought online from Alibaba or whatever, you’re likely to get way less pure of a product than if you’re using clean [and pharmaceutical-grade] reagents and do a lot of downstream purification steps.”
That means that you should be cautious while purchasing THC-O cartridges.
Tips to Purchase THC-O Cartridges
The THC-O oil carries the possibility of having a toxic additive. There are several cases where serious health problems arose because of these toxics. Besides, THC-O is a highly potent compound. So you need a quality product to ensure safety.
Here are some tips to follow for a safe purchase of THC-O cartridges.
-
Third-Party Testing
Before purchasing THC-O cartridges from a site, make sure the site provides third-party testing. Since the quality of THC-O widely differs, you have to confirm that your product is of good quality. Besides, the industry is unregulated. So, the FDA has not set any standards.
After lab testing, you can be sure of the extraction method, the ratio of various compounds, etc.
-
Ingredients in It
It is vital to know the ingredients in your cartridge. Most of the time, health issues arise because of other substances that are present with THC-O. So, you should know that the products in your cartridge are safe.
You have to compile THC-O cartridges with a vape pen for use. If one cartridge ends, throw it and insert a new one. There are several benefits of keeping a THC-O cartridge with you. The subsequent section enlists some of them.
Pros of Cartridges
Here are some benefits of keeping THC-O cartridges.
-
Convenience
Cartridges save a lot of time and energy. How? Well, instead of traveling 50 Km to a dispensary now and then, you only have to take the cartridge out of the drawer and insert it in a compatible vape pen or pod. It also saves the headache of traveling a long distance only for a vape pen.
-
Portable
It is easier to carry one vape pen and 6-7 cartridges than 10 vape pens. Cartridges fit anywhere. You can store it in a small space in your luggage. It saves you from the undesirable situation of running out of vape during a trip.
Besides, cartridges are easy to use. You can get it from an online store or a dispensary.
Conclusion
The legality of THC-O is controversial. The THC-O producers claim that the product is protected under the farm bill, 2018. The farm bill legalizes hemp-derived products. THC-O is also one of them. But the uncertainty exists. Some researchers believe that THC-O is illegal because of the 1986 Federal analog act. The act states that the analogs of any schedule 1 drug, THC in this case, qualify as a schedule 1 drug. So, until there is an actual law or act, you can enjoy THC-O if your state allows.