What Is THC Syrup & How Do You Use It?
THC syrup is a discreet and potent option for consuming cannabis.
I became interested in alternative ways to enjoy cannabis after deciding I wanted to smoke less flower.
With THC syrup, I can place a drop under my tongue, or mix it in with food and drinks, to enjoy a powerful and long-lasting body high.
Keep reading to learn more about THC syrup and how you can make it yourself.
What Is THC Syrup?
THC Syrup is a liquid made by mixing cannabis concentrate with vegetable glycerine and coconut oil or sugar. The consistency is similar to thick cough syrups.
The effects are similar to ingesting edibles.
This liquid form of cannabis is becoming more popular since it is a versatile cannabis product. And because liquid THC can produce faster and longer-lasting highs than traditional edibles.
When you smoke cannabis flower, THC enters the bloodstream right away. This is why there is a rapid onset of effects.
When you use THC syrup or other edibles, the THC travels through the digestive tract first. It metabolizes as it passes through the liver. This transforms it into 11-hydroxy-THC.
This is why edibles take longer to kick in and produce a different high than when smoking.
With THC syrup, the experience can last longer and provide an intense body high.
You can purchase THC syrups in dispensaries. The label should list the THC content and dosage info in milligrams.
You can purchase it online if it is made with hemp-derived THC isomers. You can also make it at home using just a few ingredients.
THC-containing syrups are highly concentrated and have a high amount of sugar. It is best to use them in moderation, especially if it is your first time trying one out.
Related Read: Best THC Syrups
How to Make the THC Syrup
To make THC syrup, you start by decarboxylating your weed.
This involves heating raw cannabis to remove carbon dioxide. This activates the therapeutic cannabinoids of the plant, like CBD and THC, and makes it ready for processing.
If you are using an already processed concentrate, you can skip over this step. But if you are using a solventless starting product (like rosin or resin), you will still need to go through the decarb step.
- Mix a 1:1 ratio of water and sugar in a saucepan to create a simple syrup. All you need to do is heat the mixture on medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves into the water.
- Once your sugar is completely dissolved, lower the heat to let it simmer.
- Add your decarbed weed or concentrate. Keep it on a simmer for the next 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, turn the heat down to the lowest level possible and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable glycerine for every 1.5 cups of liquid. Add more vegetable glycerine for a thicker syrup.
- Cook this for another 4 to 5 minutes before removing the saucepan from the heat.
- Strain the liquid if you used flower by running it through a strainer lined with cheesecloth.
- Transfer it into a jar of your choosing. Airtight jars with UV protection work best.
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THC Syrup Benefits
You can expect the same benefits from THC-containing syrups as you can from edibles or other cannabis products.
This may help with pain relief, stress, anxiety, inflammation, and the other typical benefits associated with THC.
It is also a good option for treating nausea. Extensive research points to THC as helping to relieve nausea and vomiting symptoms.
THC-rich syrups are an easy and discreet delivery method.
They provide long-lasting relief without the harm associated with smoking cannabis.
THC syrup can often kick in faster than edibles because it is less dense. Effects often hit within 30 minutes after consumption.
THC syrup provides the same level of pain relief as other high-dose options. And there is a lower barrier to entry than with smoking or consuming concentrates.
It’s simply an easy way to ingest cannabis.
Risks and Side Effects
Just like with any medicine or intoxicant, unwanted side effects may occur if you consume too much cannabis.
You should always consult with a physician to find out what treatments may be right for you.
THC-rich syrups are one of the most potent product options. Nano emulsified THC has much higher bioavailability. This means there is a risk of overdoing it.
Greening out becomes a much more likely possibility if you are new to these kinds of water-soluble THC solutions.
New users should start with a small dose and titrate the dosage as needed.
Remember, it takes a while for effects to kick in when you use THC syrup. Just like when consuming edibles for the first time, newbies may take a double dose as they impatiently wait to see results.
Wait 4 hours after dosing to see if you really need to take more.
Titrate your way up in doses during each experience. This way, you can find your sweet spot without greening out.
Avoid mixing THC syrup with alcohol, as psychopharmacological effects may be a concern. However, studies about this are limited.
THC syrup is also high in sugar. Naturally, this may present a risk for patients with conditions like diabetes.
Your physician can help you determine whether THC syrup is a good treatment option for your conditions.
How to Use THC Syrup
THC syrups are highly versatile. You can try them out in several different ways.
The main thing to remember when using THC syrup is to start with a small dose and work your way up.
Related Reads: D8 Syrup, THC VS THCA
1. Sublingual
Just like you would with cannabis tinctures or CBD oil, place the syrup under your tongue. You can use a dropper to administer the exact amount you want.
Wait one minute for it to absorb and then swallow the rest of the syrup.
2. In Drinks
You can drink your THC syrup on its own. It has a sweet flavor as there is a lot of sugar.
Or, you can mix THC syrups with drinks. It might alter the flavor, so keep this in mind when choosing what to combine it with.
Sweet drinks like teas, seltzers, and juices are all good options.
Drinking THC syrup will cause the same effects as when you ingest marijuana edibles. They will hit faster than if eating edibles but slower than if you use sublingual absorption.
If you are having trouble deciding what to mix your THC syrup with, consider trying out this Grapefruit Paloma Mocktail.
Simply swap out the maple syrup for some of your freshly made THC syrup!
Add To Another Recipe
If you add a THC syrup to a recipe, it can work just like a regular edible.
You can keep it simple and mix it with maple syrup. You can also use it as a sugar alternative to anything you would typically add sweeteners to.
Or you can use it as an alternative salad dressing ingredient or marinade.
THC Syrup Alternatives
If you discover THC syrups are not your favorite way to consume cannabis, there are many other options.
You can consider other high potency options or more traditional methods of consumption.
1. Vaping
Vaping is a potent option that requires inhaling cannabis. It can greatly reduce the number of toxic compounds created when combusting cannabis.
You can vape cannabis flower,
2. Cannabis Concentrates
You can also experiment with cannabis concentrates. There are many different kinds of concentrates.
You can try shatter, dabs, waxes, distillates, and more. These are usually inhaled through a dab pen.
They are made by processing the flowers of cannabis plants into concentrated forms. There are two main categories to experiment with: Extracts and solventless concentrates.
Extracts are chemically extracted from cannabis flower with a solvent like C02.
Solventless concentrates don’t require a chemical solvent. They are purer as they use high pressure to push or pull cannabinoids out of the flower.
3. Tinctures
Tinctures are used in many of the same ways as THC syrups. They also have similar onset times.
Related Read: Delta 8 Tinctures
These are meant to be taken sublingually for optimal absorption.
Tinctures are great for dosage precision. Medical marijuana tinctures should also come with lab verification and dosing advice for patients.
Wrapping Up THC Syrup
THC syrup is one way to consume cannabis without worrying about the side effects of smoking marijuana.
It delivers all the same benefits in a discreet, flavorful, and accessible way.
You can even follow a simple recipe to make it in the comfort of your own kitchen.
It is more concentrated than other product options, but it can be an extremely convenient and fast-acting way to administer medical marijuana if you follow proper dosing guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much THC Syrup To Put In A drink?
How much THC syrup you should put into your drink depends on a number of factors.
They include the potency of the syrup, your tolerance, and how high you want to be. The best way to find how much THC syrup you should use is to speak with a certified physician who knows your condition(s).
Follow the instructions and dosing recommendations that come on product labels. Always start with a low dose and work your way up.
How Long Does The THC Syrup Take To Kick In?
It can take THC syrup anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour to kick in.
It depends on the person and their tolerance levels. Cannabis syrup has a similar effect as edibles but is likely to kick in a lot quicker.
Many users report feeling the effects of edibles after waiting an hour or more. But many THC syrup consumers say they feel the effects within half an hour or sooner.
Is THC Syrup Like Lean?
THC is not like lean. Although they share their roots in hip-hop culture, they are entirely different beverages.
Lean is prescription codeine-promethazine cough syrup mixed with another drink like soda or alcohol. It is highly addictive. It is also called purple drank, dirty sprite, or sizzurp.
THC syrup is completely free of opiates and does not carry the same level of danger or intoxication.
Does THC syrup expire?
Since there is high sugar content, you don’t need to worry about your THC syrup expiring. But it is always best to use fresh products.
Try to make small batches that you can use within a month or two.
Storing your syrup in a glass jar in the refrigerator is a great way to keep it fresh and potent.
