Cannabis oil is a concentrated liquid extract made from the cannabis plant, containing varying levels of active compounds called cannabinoids. The two most well-known cannabinoids are THC, which produces a high, and CBD, which does not. Depending on the source plant, the extraction method, and the intended use, cannabis oil can range from a mild wellness product with no intoxicating effects to a potent medical extract with THC concentrations as high as 90%.
Cannabis Oil vs. Hemp Seed Oil
One of the biggest points of confusion is the difference between cannabis oil and hemp seed oil. They come from different parts of the plant and contain very different things. Hemp seed oil is pressed from the seeds of hemp grain varieties and contains no more than trace amounts of cannabinoids. It’s essentially a cooking and skincare oil, rich in fatty acids but without the compounds people associate with cannabis.
Cannabis oil (including CBD oil) is extracted from the flowers, leaves, and stalks of the plant, where cannabinoids are actually concentrated. The end product primarily consists of cannabinoids, along with other plant compounds like terpenes and flavonoids. When someone talks about “cannabis oil” for health or therapeutic purposes, they mean this type of extract, not the seed oil.
Types of Cannabis Oil
Cannabis oils are typically sold in three forms, distinguished by how much of the original plant chemistry they retain.
- Full-spectrum oil includes all parts of the cannabis plant’s chemical profile. In hemp-derived products, this means less than 0.3% THC alongside CBD and dozens of minor cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds.
- Broad-spectrum oil contains most of the same plant compounds but with THC reduced to very small amounts or removed entirely. This is often marketed to people who want the benefits of multiple cannabinoids without any THC exposure.
- CBD isolate oil contains only CBD, with no other cannabinoids or THC present. It’s the most refined form and offers the most predictable single-ingredient dose.
On the high-potency end, Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) is a thick, dark extract made using a solvent wash of cannabis buds. Some RSO products contain THC concentrations as high as 90%, making them fundamentally different from the CBD oils found in most retail stores. RSO is typically only available in states or countries with legal medical or recreational cannabis programs.
How Cannabis Oil Is Made
The most common industrial method uses carbon dioxide under high pressure and specific temperatures, known as supercritical CO2 extraction. The CO2 acts as a solvent, flowing through the plant material and dissolving the cannabinoids and other target compounds. When pressure drops in a separate chamber, the extract precipitates out, and the CO2 is recycled back into the system. This method produces clean extracts without chemical solvent residues, though the equipment requires significant upfront investment.
The characteristics of the final product depend heavily on the process variables: temperature, pressure, how finely the plant material is ground, and its moisture content. Drier raw material generally yields better results because excess moisture interferes with how effectively the CO2 contacts the plant compounds. Some producers also use ethanol as a co-solvent to capture a broader range of compounds, including more polar molecules that CO2 alone doesn’t dissolve well.
Other extraction methods include ethanol washes and hydrocarbon solvents like butane. RSO, for instance, traditionally uses pure light naphtha to strip cannabinoids from the plant before the solvent is boiled off. These approaches are simpler and cheaper but require careful purging to ensure no solvent residue remains in the finished oil.
What Cannabis Oil Is Used For
People use cannabis oil for a wide range of purposes, from managing chronic pain and anxiety to improving sleep. However, only one cannabis-derived product has full FDA approval: Epidiolex, a purified CBD formulation approved to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Dravet syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis complex in patients one year of age and older. Everything else on the market exists in a regulatory gray area where products are sold as supplements rather than medicines.
For chronic pain, a modified Delphi process published in the Journal of Cannabis Research produced consensus dosing recommendations. The routine starting point is 5 mg of CBD twice daily, increasing by 10 mg per day every two to three days up to 40 mg of CBD daily. If that doesn’t meet treatment goals, a small amount of THC (starting at 2.5 mg per day) can be added and increased by 2.5 mg every two to seven days. A more conservative approach starts at 5 mg of CBD once daily and adds THC at just 1 mg, titrating up by 1 mg per week. The core principle across all protocols is to start low and increase gradually.
How You Take It Matters Less Than You Think
Cannabis oil is commonly taken as drops held under the tongue (sublingual) or swallowed in capsule form. Many people assume sublingual dosing works faster or gets more of the active compound into the bloodstream, but research suggests otherwise. A study in healthy males found that peak CBD concentration, time to peak, and total absorption over six hours were essentially identical between sublingual drops and gelatin capsules. The likely explanation is that most of the oil held under the tongue gets swallowed before it can absorb through the mouth’s lining. Either way, peak levels took about four hours to reach.
This is worth knowing because it sets realistic expectations. Cannabis oil taken by mouth is not fast-acting. If you’re comparing it to inhaled cannabis, which takes effect in minutes, oral oil operates on a very different timeline.
Drug Interactions to Be Aware Of
CBD and THC are both processed by the same liver enzyme system that breaks down a large number of common medications. This creates the potential for drug interactions, particularly with medications that have a narrow margin between an effective dose and a toxic one. That category includes blood thinners, beta blockers, antidepressants, and antipsychotic medications.
The interaction isn’t theoretical. In clinical studies, CBD doses between 200 and 800 mg per day significantly increased blood levels of citalopram and escitalopram, two widely prescribed antidepressants. In epilepsy patients, increasing CBD doses altered blood levels of several anti-seizure medications, though they stayed within acceptable ranges. CBD also affects enzymes involved in processing common over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen and acetaminophen. If you take any prescription medication regularly, this is something to discuss before adding cannabis oil to your routine.
Storage and Shelf Life
Light is the single biggest factor in cannabinoid degradation. Exposure to light, even indirect, breaks down THC and CBD significantly faster than heat or air alone. Temperature up to about 68°F (20°C) has minimal effect on stability, but air oxidation in the dark does cause gradual losses, converting THC into a less active compound called cannabinol over time.
Properly prepared cannabis oil stored in an opaque or dark glass container at room temperature, away from light, remains reasonably stable for one to two years. If your oil came in a clear bottle, store it in a cabinet or drawer rather than leaving it on a countertop or windowsill. Refrigeration isn’t necessary for most products but won’t hurt if you want extra insurance against heat during summer months.