In years past, marijuana started becoming referred to as a “gateway drug” – supposedly leading the nation’s youth to harder, more devastating substances and addictions. However, Dr. Jeffery Chen from the Cannabis Research Initiative at UCLA has said he believes the correct rendition of this statement should be “Cannabis is a gateway herb…” through cannabis legalization many people are learning a better understanding of plant-based medicines and remedies. Ultimately, the herb is leading responsible consumers to a better accountability for their own health, as well as, giving them the ability to medicate naturally for disease prevention and symptom treatments.
In the sector of consumer technology, this DIY movement of health and medicine is becoming increasingly apparent with growth in the consumer electronics and appliances in the cannabis market.
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Homemade Hash Oil Made Simple
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As legalization is creeping across the nation, several states now allow consumers to grow their own cannabis crop within set parameters. However, for patients who don’t want to smoke dried cannabis flower, this can present several challenges – an expensive bill to have the product processed by a commercial extractor, the dangerous and illegal process of in-home butane blasting, or the highly inefficient process of butter or oil extractions for edibles.
Enter SourceTurbo from ExtractCraft
In the past, consumers who are making their own medicines, tinctures, and concentrates in their home, may use a Pyrex dish or slow cooker to purge the flammable solvents from their concentrates, but these processes can lead to mistakes and deadly outcomes.
ExtractCraft, a Colorado-based based company, recognized a need in the industry and set out to give consumers a safer, more efficient way to turn their homegrown cannabis into a clean, potent product they can use. Clearly, the customer demand for a better process was quickly realized. “There was definitely an incredible amount of interest from the market,” Troy Ivan, CEO said in an interview with CannabisTech. “Consumers were happily paying $350 down for a product which had a 4-month wait with a company which had never existed,” Ivan continued.
The Source Turbo is perfect for all types of at-home botanical extractions from cannabis to herbs to citrus rinds. Equipped with altitude specific tuning, a nickel-plated crucible, and Bluetooth for smart-device app control, this counter-top device takes the guesswork and danger out of homemade hash and essential oils. With a price tag at $599, the Source Turbo is a minor investment for home users, but home growers who prefer concentrates, its worth the investment if for nothing else than safety’s sake.
However, Ivan was quick to point out, ExtractCraft goes beyond just simply providing a device, stating, “We invest an immense amount of time and effort into customer service and education.” When consumers are producing their own remedies and medicines at home, Ivan believes providing valid, trustworthy support and education is the key to their success. “There is so much misinformation and bad information regarding culinary and extraction arts,” he stated, “misleading people who are trying to make medicine at home.”
On the Horizon at ExtractCraft
Limited to just 200 units, ExtractCraft has just launched the pre-sale of their newest innovation the EtOH Pro, which is set to start shipping in October this year. A larger machine, the EtOH Pro has a larger capacity at 4 liters which can process between 12 and 16 ounces of dry material in just 3 hours in a completely closed ethanol recovery system. This machine also includes altitude specific tuning but also includes a dial-controlled temperature of 96°F-105°F, plus secondary purging capabilities for post-processing. However, Ivan was quick to point out, “Naturally, this will be backed by the same exceptional customer service we provide to our SourceTurbo customers.”
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DIY Custom Herbal Oil Blends
Another amazing consumer device about to hit the market claims to be the world’s first home dispensary which allows home consumers to custom blend legal herbal extracts such as cannabis and hemp with beneficial essential oils to create your own vape cartridges, topicals, and culinary oils. Imagine being able to blend your own custom formulations of specific herbs and botanicals to heal whatever ails you… that is the innovation Oblend offers.
Similar to the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine found in many fast food restaurants today, the Oblend uses 23 different cartridges to allow the consumer to mix and match a variety of extracts for particular flavors, aromas, effects, or benefits in a small appliance no bigger than a Keurig. Through a smartphone app, the consumer can select from various herbs such as turmeric or Echinacea, cannabidiol (CBD) or cannabinol (CBN), as well as terpenes such as limonene or linalool. An empty slot in the machine will also allow consumers to purchase THC cartridges from a local dispensary.
Through research and crowdsourcing, users will be able to custom blend various formulations to mimic the flavor and benefit profile of strains through programmed recipes, as well as, save and store their favorite blends for easy recall. This device allows the consumer to get very specific about the herbal supplements they use for health and wellness. When complete, the formula can be transferred to a vape cartridge for inhalation, a tincture, or infused into oils for edibles.
While the devices are expected to retail at $949, they aren’t scheduled to ship until early 2019. However, Oblend is taking reservations now for just $50. Plus, pre-ordering locks in a 50% discount making the price for at-home custom cannabis oils just $475.00.
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Back to the Future
Cannabis as medicine was commonplace in the early 1900’s, today, as cannabis prohibition ends, we are using the technology of the future to advance a medicine from the past and help put health and wellness solutions at our fingertips. Home cultivators and patients alike have a promising future in cannabis technology as more companies like ExtractCraft and Oblend emerge to provide high-end, advanced technology solutions which make processing and consuming cannabis cheaper and more efficient. As the cannabis consumer continues to evolve, these innovative home appliances will likely become as commonplace as the microwave.
