THC Water

What is THC Water?

THC water is pretty self-explanatory. It is water infused with THC. It can come in a variety of forms, from plain water to sparkling or flavored options.

In other words, it is just like the different water products available in grocery stores; however, unlike regular spring water or flavored drinks, THC water is remarkably versatile.

Ever since this form of cannabis came out, users found it easy to use in several ways without altering the effects. For instance, one individual claims that he “ended up getting high of instant ramen”. Despite being boiled to make this instant soup, the THC remained intact.

Cold does not seem to affect the potency either, allowing it to be frozen solid as ice cubes, used in homemade popsicles, or added to any recipe that calls for water (i.e., gelatin desserts).

Potency

Although processed through the gut like other edibles, THC water is actually much more efficient. Typically, users feel its effects in just 15 minutes after ingestion. Compare that to regular marijuana edibles – which take 30 minutes to four hours – and it is obvious why many people would find this a helpful product.

This behavior is hardly surprising. As a plain liquid, water processes quickly.

While it may be fast-acting, THC water is not for everyone. The amount of THC varies from one product to another, but those that contain a regular dose (10-12mg) offer a mild “buzz,” similar to a single alcoholic drink.

Since each dose of water is enough to cause minor impairment, those looking for a more potent high can simply drink more. But unlike common edibles, users will know where they stand within just a few minutes rather than hours.

Production

While the final product may seem simple, the process of creating THC water is quite tricky. Anyone looking to make this at home will be sorely disappointed. The biggest obstacle is that THC is oily and therefore not water-soluble.

In other words, the cannabinoid cannot dissolve in water the way sugar or salt would; however, infusion is possible by making the THC “water-compatible” through a process called “emulsion”. This involves mixing THC oil and water with a “surfactant,” allowing the oil to combine with its carrier but not dissolve.

Emulsion is not exclusive to THC water. This technique was established long ago, used in industries like cosmetics, fuel, and metalworking to create components vital to the final product.

Although they appear to dissolve substances into water, there is a significant difference between water-compatible and water-soluble. Sugar and salt, for instance, are two examples of water-soluble compounds. THC’s oil-based nature makes it “hydrophobic,” meaning it rejects water.

Emulsion simply forces the THC to essentially “get along” with its water carrier, mixing it without dissolving.

Manufacturers achieve emulsion through two possible methods: micro-emulsion or nano-emulsion.

Micro-Emulsion

Micro-emulsion is the least preferred of the two methods. Emulsions, in general, are unstable, eventually causing the oil and water to separate. Ultimately, this makes them ineffective in the long term.

Micro-emulsion solves this to an extent, but it requires such a high level of surfactant that it is useless for many applications – including THC water. It also suffers from temperature and pH instability.

The biggest problem with surfactants is that they dilute the mixture. Naturally, higher levels of surfactant results in less potency. Due to this and its other disadvantages, micro-emulsion – although useful for some products, micro-emulsion is not a viable option for THC water due to this and its other disadvantages.

Nano-Emulsion

The other option is known as nano-emulsion. Aside from its ability to make THC (and other compounds) water compatible, it carries other advantages vital to quality THC water or CBD water.

First, nano-emulsion requires ten times less surfactant than micro-emulsion. Considering how concentration affects THC potency, this is a significant advantage. Thanks to the lower surfactant requirement, producers have more room to increase or decrease strength while still providing the desired effect.

Second, nano-emulsion provides excellent bioavailability. This means that the compound carried within the water (in this case, THC) is more easily absorbed and harnessed by the body. Again, this is critical to ensure potency and even increases the speed at which users feel the product’s effects.

Finally, nano-emulsions provide such substantial bioavailability that absorption of the THC water begins in the mouth, rather than relying exclusively on digestion. Consequently, producers use lower doses of THC.