Tincture

A tincture is a liquid plant extract, traditionally alcohol-based, and in the CBD market usually a hemp extract dissolved in carrier oil and sold in a dropper bottle.

Historically, tinctures were made by soaking plant material in alcohol to draw out its compounds, yielding a concentrated liquid taken by the drop. Most products labeled as CBD tinctures today are oil-based rather than alcohol-based, which makes the word a market convention rather than a precise description. Alcohol-based cannabinoid tinctures do exist and have a different taste, texture, and absorption profile. Both types are administered by mouth, held under the tongue or swallowed.

A tincture label should state total cannabinoid milligrams per bottle, the concentration in milligrams per milliliter, the volume delivered by the dropper, the extract type, and a batch number linked to a certificate of analysis. Isolate contains 0.0% THC; full-spectrum extract may contain up to 0.3% THC by dry weight under the 2018 Farm Bill; broad-spectrum has THC removed to the limit of detection. Tincture describes the format and route and says nothing about evidence for any effect.