Manufacture and use of medical cannabis
Why is the production of medical cannabis so expensive? And how can it be taken? You can find the answers here.
Small branches, the so-called clones, are cut from carefully selected cannabis mother plants. These are planted under controlled conditions and cultivated until they flower. The plants are particularly sensitive as cuttings. Even the smallest changes, such as light intensity or nutrient supply, can have a considerable influence on the composition of the active ingredients in the plant. Exact adherence to defined cultivation conditions therefore guarantees consistent, high-quality quality. After standardized cultivation, the cannabis flowers are harvested. These can be used for the production of cannabis extracts or dried. The dried whole cannabis flowers are packed and analysed in detail before they are released for sale and sent to the patient via the doctor’s prescription and the pharmacy.
Medical cannabis flowers can be inhaled with an electric vaporizer. The active ingredients enter the bloodstream quickly – within seconds to a few minutes – and practically unchanged, where they unfold their effect. The rapid onset of action facilitates individual dose determination. A quick effect can also be achieved by smoking dried medical cannabis flowers. However, the burnt paper and the possibly added tobacco are harmful to health. When smoking, the medical cannabis is burnt at approx. 700 °C. Valuable ingredients are partly destroyed and toxic substances are formed. When vaporizing, on the other hand, the medical cannabis is gently heated to approx. 200 °C. The active ingredients are thus released without the formation of harmful toxins.
In addition to inhalation, medicinal cannabis flowers can also be prepared as tea or baked. Then the effect is delayed – after 30 to 90 minutes – and lasts about four to eight hours, because the active ingredients must first enter the bloodstream via the gastrointestinal tract. Cannabis extracts can also be taken orally.
Further information on medical cannabis can be found in our FAQs.