Cannabis Alchemy

by D.Gold

Advanced Refinement Techniques

The translucent amber oil produced by charcoal filtering the ether phase of the extraction and isomerizing the cannabidiol present to THC contains, in most cases, between thirty and sixty per cent THC. Utilizing rather complex and exacting techniques of modern chemistry, it is possible to further refine this oil. Fractional distillation of the oil will yield a product which is up to twice as strong as the ether phase, and can be converted into nearly pure THC. Totally pure THC, a thin transparent oil, can be produced by chemically isolating the pure cannabidiol and then isomerizing it to THC. This is a very complex chemical operation and requires much sophisticated equipment and chemicals. These advanced laboratory techniques are probably beyond the reach of the starting alchemist but are important in the sense that they lead to the production of the THC of highest purity.