Extraction

Cannabis extraction refers to a variety of methods and processes used to selectively remove and isolate beneficial phytochemicals like trichomes and terpenes away from raw cannabis plant material in order to produce highly concentrated oils, distillates and other derivative products. The main goal shared by all extraction techniques is targeting and separating the tiny bulbous resin glands called trichomes that furnish raw cannabis flower with its visible sticky coat of thousands of mushroom-like protrusions. Trichomes secrete and abundantly amass critical desirable plant compounds like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and essential aromatic terpenes. To access these prized chemical constituents and separate them from extraneous fibers, lipids, and sugars, extractors employ various laboratory techniques categorized by solvents, non-solvent methods, or combinations of both. Common choices include hydrocarbons, CO2, food-grade ethanol, ice water, heat, pressure, or some utilization of multiple techniques sequentially.