THC Vapor Extraction Question

[Torbill]

MMJ patient here with a question...

If I vaporize 100 mg (0.1 gram) of herb that is 20% THC at 335 deg F should I figure that I have consumed 20 mg of THC?

In order for the answer to be 20 mg there would have to be 100% extraction of the THC, as well as no other losses in the process. Is 100% extraction and no other losses a reasonable assumption? At the end of the session there is almost no flavor left and the color is mostly a light tan, with a few specks of faded, olive greenish colored material sprinkled here and there. This hardly suggests to me that there has been 100% extracting, but I just don't know. I am using the Mighty vaporizer.

 

[friedrich]

Is 100% extraction and no other losses a reasonable assumption? At the end of the session there is almost no flavor left and the color is mostly a light tan, with a few specks of faded, olive greenish colored material sprinkled here and there.

No, it's not 100%. Browse around the forums a little and you will see plenty of discussion about reusing abv in various ways.

I generally vape to an even, fairly dark brown and there are still some actives left in there. (I don't consider it completely done as long as there's still any green... but browning may not correlate exactly with extraction)

 

[MinnBobber]

If I vaporize 100 mg (0.1 gram) of herb that is 20% THC at 335 deg F should I figure that I have consumed 20 mg of THC?

........................................................................
335 is a very low vape temp.
Have you tried upping to the 410 max temp of the Mighty?

For max extraction i always finish on 445 on my miniVAP or Herbie. Even then, the ABV has goodies left for edible ingestion

 

[Hashtag46&2]

MMJ patient here with a question...

If I vaporize 100 mg (0.1 gram) of herb that is 20% THC at 335 deg F should I figure that I have consumed 20 mg of THC?

In order for the answer to be 20 mg there would have to be 100% extraction of the THC, as well as no other losses in the process. Is 100% extraction and no other losses a reasonable assumption? At the end of the session there is almost no flavor left and the color is mostly a light tan, with a few specks of faded, olive greenish colored material sprinkled here and there. This hardly suggests to me that there has been 100% extracting, but I just don't know. I am using the Mighty vaporizer.

Fellow Canna patient..

If I vaporize 100 mg (0.1 gram) of herb that is 20% THC at 335 deg F should I figure that I have consumed 20 mg of THC?

Not necessarily...
Contingent upon the Vaporizer, each unit is only capable of capturing a variation in percentiles of available Cannabinoids.

So, for example a recent a study compared different vaporizers and used MS/GC to measure the amount of THC each specific vaporizer was capable of capturing. The Arizer Solo was able to capture 87% of the available THC, I believe the Volcano captured 54%.

These percentiles should have some degree of variance depending upon the user's specifications, like the unit itself, temperature selection, draw speed, etc, etc..

There are too many variables to reach a conclusive answer....
However, weighing every single dose with consideration of Cannabinoid content should give you some degree of "Controlled Doses"

Hope this makes sense, I'm extremely high...

 

[Torbill]

........................................................................
335 is a very low vape temp.
Have you tried upping to the 410 max temp of the Mighty?

For max extraction i always finish on 445 on my miniVAP or Herbie. Even then, the ABV has goodies left for edible ingestion

I keep the temp low for lung comfort reasons. My goal is not to have max extraction. My goal is to understand how much THC is going into my system. The best available information I have found on insomnia (and it is very old information, unfortunately) is that 20 mg is the optimum dose for sleep. I want to better understand where I am versus this amount.

Fellow Canna patient..



Not necessarily...
Contingent upon the Vaporizer, each unit is only capable of capturing a variation in percentiles of available Cannabinoids.

So, for example a recent a study compared different vaporizers and used MS/GC to measure the amount of THC each specific vaporizer was capable of capturing. The Arizer Solo was able to capture 87% of the available THC, I believe the Volcano captured 54%.

These percentiles should have some degree of variance depending upon the the user's specifications, like temperature selection, draw speed, model, etc, etc..

There are too many variables to reach a conclusive answer....
However, weighing every single dose with consideration of Cannabinoid content should give you some degree of "Controlled Doses"

Hope this makes sense, I'm extremely high...

This makes a *lot* of sense, thanks. I would have guessed that the brand of vape is a variable, but I would have never guessed that the difference would be so great between the Volcano and Solo. I would have guessed that the difference between devices is relatively small, and that the key variable is extraction temperature. I am looking for a ballpark rule-of-thumb percent. Maybe it isn't as simple as a simple rule of thumb...

 

[sativasam]

I keep the temp low for lung comfort reasons. My goal is not to have max extraction. My goal is to understand how much THC is going into my system. The best available information I have found on insomnia (and it is very old information, unfortunately) is that 20 mg is the optimum dose for sleep. I want to better understand where I am versus this amount.

Sounds like dabbing might be more suitable to achieve your goals

 

[MinnBobber]

I keep the temp low for lung comfort reasons. My goal is not to have max extraction. My goal is to understand how much THC is going into my system. The best available information I have found on insomnia (and it is very old information, unfortunately) is that 20 mg is the optimum dose for sleep. I want to better understand where I am versus this amount.

.........................................................................
you may want to reconsider your temp/technique/equipment if your goal is to help insomnia.
There are over 100 compounds in cannabis and THC is not considered the main one for helping with sleep /insomnia.

The 3 compounds generally accepted as giving most help (sedative effect) are CBE which vaporizes at 383 F and THCV @ 428 and CBC @ 428 also. Low temp vaping is more an upper.
So 335 is not going to be focused on what you desire.

Also, strain makes a difference (sativa/hybrid/indica). Indicas for insomnia.

Lung comfort ---you need a water piece my friend , to moisturize that dry dry vapor which irritates.
With moisturizing, high temp vapor can be very comfortable

Get a cheap bubbler, search for indicas, bump that Mighty up to 410 F (its max temp).
It gets the ABV very brown at 410.

FYI, many on here vape at lower temps during the day and save that ABV for night-time use as then it has a higher % of sedative elements remaining.

IMO, focus on THC and % extraction is barking up the wrong tree.
Adjust and then titrate your dose---- start small and then make small additions until you reach the dose that works best for your insomnia.
And this will change for every new strain....

 

[Hashtag46&2]

Don't forget CBN...

I use CBN Transdermal patches when my pain levels exceed my normal means of controlling my sleep cycle.

 

[herbivore21]

To get the kind of specific, controlled dosage that you want, I daresay extracts, if not necessarily dabbing are what you need. I posted a scholarly study considering the THC transfer efficiency of dabbing not long ago. The results suggested that 40% of THC by weight will be absorbed from each given dab on a HE infiniti with a torch. This can give you an idea of how much you need to dab to get your desired dose. Concentrates also have the benefit of keeping me asleep, where flowers never did - even if they can help get you to sleep at first (used to wake up throughout the night too much though). I also medicate for insomnia.

You cannot titrate the dosage in the way you wish to with flowers, this is because flowers are organic matter that develops in a non-uniform way. Each nug that you take from the same batch of flowers will have varying levels of actives for many reasons. The same can be said of extracts to a lesser extent or not at all, depending on the kind of extraction performed.

All the best in medicating your symptoms man, insomnia is awful!

 

[woolspinner]

I am not even sure that THC vapes at 335. I use the lowest temp on my Haze, and I think that is 365.

Agree with everyone about temps, strain, and avb/abv. I vape at higher temps at bedtime and choose relaxing strains. Everything I have read supports the higher temp releasing the sleepier/relaxing cannabinoids.

Everything I have read also suggests that avb is totally couch lock. There is at least one thread about using avb and the effects. Great read to prepare yourself!

 

[Torbill]

Thanks for the comments, everybody!

Below are vaporization temperatures:

THC 315
CBD 356
CBN 365

This is my source:

http://www.zamnesia.com/content/284-vaporizer-temperatures-for-cannabis

So, I am getting plenty of THC at a set point of 335 deg, and this correlates to my sleeping experience - vaped cannabis helps me a lot at this temperature. I will increase to 375. If the known sources of insomnia relief are THC, CBD AND CBN, this should cover me pretty well.

Concentrates. I want to continue to work with the herbs and not do concentrates. I can get organic flower, which I find reassuring. I don't understand what is in the concentrates. My mainstay has been edibles, and I don't know what is in them, either. So I am trying to get to a point where I have the clearest sense of what I am dealing with, and pure flower seems to me to be the least processed thing. Am I missing something about not knowing what is in concentrates and what the safety considerations are?

Water filtration. Yes, I know that water is good. I have considered it and will certainly go to it if 370 isn't comfortable. At 335 with the Mighty it hasn't seemed necessary. I would prefer the simplicity and flexibility of using the Mighty and nothing more. I have taken to putting it by the bedside, and taking a quick hit if I need something in the middle of the night - so simple and convenient.

Indica. Yes, this is all that I use. Right now I have GDP, God's Gift, Northern Lights, Bubba Kush, and Grape Ape, not to mention a local strain of Blackwater that just knocks me out. I generally buy the heaviest Indica strains I can obtain, as reviewed by Leafly.

My original question seems to have no simple answer - your explanation was great, Herbivore. I'll just have to feel my way along...

 

[MinnBobber]

@Torbill
that zamnesia link is just a headshop and not the best info to use.

The 3 compounds generally accepted as giving most help (sedative/sleep effect) are CBE which vaporizes at 383 F and THCV @ 428 and CBC @ 428 also. Low temp vaping is more an upper.
So 335 is not going to be focused on what you desire.

The above 3 are the triple header for insomnia. CBD and CBN slightly. THC- not a sedative .

That's why folks vape at highest temps for help with sleep, often with ABV where the THC is gone as that's the opposite effect.

 

[Winegums]

Nothing like 430 on my Herbalizer to get me feeling sleepy. Even 390 will get me feeling pretty sleepy as it is.

335 would have me pretty energetic and not at all sleepy. I would seek out higher temperatures for nighttime use. I've noticed that indica strains really only show their couch lock/stoned characteristics at higher temps( 385°f or greater).

 

[sativasam]

Everything I have read also suggests that avb is totally couch lock. There is at least one thread about using avb and the effects. Great read to prepare yourself!

I often use my AVB oil as a sleep aid

 

[TomC1315]

http://www.vape-nation.com/vaporize-marijuana-guide/vape-temps/

 

[cannabis.pro]

I would suggest you need to switch things up rather than trying to stick to a geared dosage. You can develop a tolerance, and it sounds like you are using a variety of strains which is great. Are you mixing any of the strains? Something to try if you haven't been doing so.

I would say that you should continue on with edibles as the ∆11 THC is much more beneficial for sleep at the right dosage. Perhaps tincture for when you wake up at night and want to get back to sleep vs. smoking or vaping. Also, ingesting some tincture just before you go to sleep whether you smoked or vaped prior may help get you through the night. Eating a little of edible as well just before you are ready to call it a day, again to help you get through the night. If you can find clean concentrates, don't discount them to help with sleep too.