How THC Vape Juice is Made

Here, we are discussing how THC vape juice is made by professionals. They would either extract THC by themselves or start with full-spectrum cannabis extract they bought from specialised organisations. They use this extract as an active ingredient and as a base to produce the final product.

If they extract THC in-house, they would also need to purify it. However, most would rather start with full-spectrum cannabis extract. Next, they would need to blend the purified full spectrum cannabis extract with terpenes and other organic compounds to create a unique product. Of course, after that, they also need to make vape juice and pack it in a container.

So, let us look at this process in detail. The process involves several steps: extraction, winterization, distillation, and blending with carrier liquids. Let us see how THC vape juice is made:

Extraction of THC

The first step in making THC vape juice is the extraction of THC from cannabis plants. One of the most popular extraction methods is CO2 extraction. This technique uses supercritical carbon dioxide to dissolve cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant material (1).

The process involves pressurizing CO2 until it becomes a supercritical fluid, which can effectively extract THC. After extraction, the mixture is passed through a separator, where the CO2 evaporates, leaving behind a pure THC extract. CO2 extraction is commonly used as it produces high-quality THC vape juice, free of toxins.

Another common method is solvent extraction, which uses solvents such as ethanol, butane, or propane to dissolve THC from the cannabis plant. The plant material is soaked in the solvent, which absorbs the cannabinoids.

The mixture is then filtered to remove plant material, and the solvent is evaporated to leave behind the THC extract. Although effective, this method requires careful handling to remove all residual solvents, as they can be harmful if ingested.

For those seeking a more natural approach to making THC vape juice, olive oil extraction is a viable option. This method involves heating cannabis with olive oil to extract THC. This is a traditional way of extraction, and professionals do not use it.

Winterization and Distillation

Once THC is extracted, the next step is winterization. This purification process removes unwanted fats, waxes, and lipids co-extracted with the THC.

To winterize the extract, it is mixed with ethanol and placed in a freezer for 24 to 48 hours. The cold temperature causes the impurities to precipitate out of the solution. The mixture is then filtered to remove the solidified fats and waxes, resulting in a purer THC extract- that is why it is called winterization.

After this, THC extract undergoes distillation to refine further and concentrate it. During distillation, the extract is heated to vaporize the cannabinoids. This process separates the THC from other compounds based on their boiling points, ensuring high purity and potency in the final product.

Blending with Carrier Liquids

Next, the process of producing the final product begins. To make vape juice, THC extract must be mixed with carrier liquids.

Common carrier liquids include propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerine (VG), and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) oil. These carriers help to dilute the THC extract and create a liquid that can be vaporized easily. The ratio of carrier liquid to THC extract can vary depending on the desired potency and viscosity of the vape juice.

It is also good to understand that many high-quality vape juices might not use PG or VG. Instead, they use terpenes as carrier liquid, which produces a richer vaping experience due to a robust aroma and greater health benefits.

Even if manufacturers use PG or VG, they still add terpenes for flavour. Terpenes are aromatic compounds found in cannabis and other plants that contribute to the distinct scents and flavours of different strains.

Of course, high-quality brands have some other manufacturing secrets to enhance the flavour of the vaping liquid and prevent crystal formation.

Once the vape juice is ready, it is filled into the container and ready to be shipped or used.

References

1. de Aguiar AC, Vardanega R, Viganó J, Silva EK. Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Technology for Recovering Valuable Phytochemicals from Cannabis sativa L. and Valorization of Its Biomass for Food Applications. Molecules. 2023 May 1;28(9):3849.