The modern cannabis market offers consumers products far beyond the traditional dried flower, leading to a new set of specialized terms. Among these, the word “infused” is commonly used to describe a broad category of manufactured items. Infusion signals a fundamental change in how active compounds are delivered. This manufacturing process allows for consistent potency and diverse consumption methods that appeal to a wide range of consumers.
Defining Infusion in Cannabis
Infusion, in the context of cannabis, refers to introducing concentrated cannabinoids and terpenes into a separate product base. This process requires the prior separation of the desired compounds from the plant matter itself, making it distinct from simply using raw cannabis flower. The initial step involves various extraction techniques that pull out the psychoactive and non-psychoactive components from the plant’s trichomes.
Common commercial extraction methods use solvents like ethanol, butane, propane, or supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) to dissolve the compounds from the plant material. These processes yield highly concentrated extracts, such as distillates, oils, or resins, which are then meticulously measured. The final concentrate is then incorporated, or infused, into a carrier medium, such as an edible oil, a beverage solution, or a topical base.
This method ensures that the plant material, or biomass, is entirely removed, leaving a purified or full-spectrum concentrate for the final product. The process often includes decarboxylation, a necessary heating step that converts inactive cannabinoid acids, like THCA, into their active forms, such as THC. This technical separation and reintroduction creates the standardized, potent material necessary for consistent product manufacturing.
Common Types of Infused Products
Infusion technology makes possible a vast array of consumer products, with edibles and beverages forming one of the largest categories. Cannabinoids are typically infused into a fat-soluble medium, such as butter or coconut oil, which is then used as an ingredient in baked goods, candies, and capsules. Modern techniques also allow for the creation of water-soluble solutions, necessary for the stable infusion of cannabinoids into drinks like sparkling water, teas, and sodas.
Beyond ingestibles, the infusion process is used to enhance products designed for inhalation. This category includes “infused” pre-rolls, which are joints or cones containing flower sprayed or coated with potent concentrates like distillate, hash oil, or kief. These products offer significantly higher potency than traditional flower because they combine the flower’s natural cannabinoids with concentrated extract.
Topical and transdermal products also rely on infusion, where concentrated oils are blended into lotions, balms, and patches. Topicals are designed for localized relief, interacting with cannabinoid receptors in the skin without causing systemic effects. Transdermal patches are specifically formulated to allow cannabinoids to pass through the skin barrier and enter the bloodstream, offering a slow-release systemic effect.
How Infusion Impacts the User Experience
The primary benefit of infusion is the ability to create products with precise, standardized dosing, which is impossible to achieve with raw flower. Each manufactured product, particularly edibles, is labeled with a measured amount of active cannabinoid (e.g., 5mg or 10mg of THC), allowing consumers to manage their intake consistently. This predictability is a significant departure from the variable potency found in traditional methods.
The consumption experience is also altered, particularly concerning the timing of effects. When cannabinoids are ingested in an infused product, they must first pass through the digestive system and be metabolized by the liver. This process, known as first-pass metabolism, is responsible for the delayed onset, which can range from 30 minutes to two hours.
The liver converts delta-9-THC into a more potent compound called 11-hydroxy-THC, which causes the intense and long-lasting effects characteristic of edibles. In contrast, inhaling a non-infused product delivers cannabinoids directly to the bloodstream via the lungs, resulting in effects felt within minutes but fading quickly. Infused products offer a prolonged duration of effect, often lasting between six and twelve hours, due to this different metabolic pathway.