Making Your Own Cannabis Oil: Decarboxylation and Infusion
Since legalization, the production of cannabis oil and butter from homegrown plants (up to 3 plants) is legal. Homemade products are cheaper than ready-made products and allow control over the raw materials. Important: Dosage of homemade products is complex and requires caution.
Step 1: Decarboxylation — The most important preparation step
Raw cannabis is not psychoactive — THCA must first be activated into THC:
- What is decarboxylation? Heating removes a carboxyl group (CO₂) from THCA and turns it into THC. Without this step, homemade oil has almost no effect.
- Optimal temperature: 105–115°C. Too hot (>150°C) degrades THC to CBN (sedative breakdown product). Too cold: incomplete decarboxylation
- Baking Method:
- Coarsely grind the cannabis (not too fine — prevents clumping)
- Auf Backpapier verteilt, auf Backblech
- Backofen auf 110°C Umluft vorheizen
- 40 minutes baking — light browning is normal, strong browning is too hot
- Abkühlen lassen bevor Weiterverarbeitung
- Control: Fresh cannabis smells like grass/pine — well decarboxylated cannabis smells nutty, slightly toasted. Green color turns olive green to brownish
- CBD Decarboxylation: CBDA → CBD works at the same temperature. CBD hemp (THC <0.2%) can be decarboxylated as well
Step 2: Oil Infusion
THC and CBD are fat-soluble — extraction in fat is the simplest method:
- Oil choice: Coconut oil is most popular (high saturation, solid at room temperature). Olive oil works as well (but liquid). MCT oil (Medium Chain Triglycerides) for faster absorption. Animal fat for cannabutter
- Grams to milliliters ratio: Standard: 1g cannabis to 100–120 ml oil. Stronger: 1g to 50 ml. Weaker: 1g to 200 ml. Depending on the desired potency of the final product
- Slow-Cooker method (recommended):
- Add decarboxylated cannabis and oil to the slow cooker
- Set to low (70–80°C) for 4–6 hours. Stir occasionally
- Monitor temperature — over 120°C degrades THC
- Filter through cheesecloth or coffee filter, press well
- Pour into a dark bottle, store in a cool place (refrigerator, shelf life 3–6 months)
- Decarboxylation method: Water bath (Bain-Marie) at 70–80°C, 2–3 hours. Never direct heat — temperature control is crucial
- Lecithin trick: 1 tsp sunflower lecithin per 100ml oil improves emulsification → more even THC distribution and possibly better absorption
Calculating dosage: The most critical step
Homemade edibles and oils have the highest risk of overdose:
- THC content calculation: Formula: (Grams of cannabis × THC percentage × 1000) × extraction efficiency = total mg THC
Example: 5g cannabis with 15% THC = 5 × 0.15 × 1000 = 750 mg THC (before extraction) - Extraction efficiency: Typically 60–80% for oil infusion. With 70%: 750 × 0.7 = 525 mg THC in the entire oil
- Dosage per portion: 525 mg in 100 ml oil = approx. 5.25 mg THC per teaspoon (5 ml). Beginners: start with a maximum of 2.5–5 mg THC
- Homogeneity problem: THC is not evenly distributed in homemade oil — one portion may contain more or less than calculated. Thoroughly mix before each use
- Start Low, Go Slow mandatory: Wait at least 2 hours before taking more — edibles take effect delayed due to the first-pass effect
Cannabis Butter (Cannabutter)
For baking and cooking — identical principle as oil:
- Melt butter at low temperature (70–80°C), add decarboxylated cannabis
- Simmer for 2–3 hours on the lowest heat setting — no boiling, no foaming
- Strain, pour into molds, cool until solid. Keeps in the fridge for 2–3 weeks, frozen for longer
- Cannabutter in recipes: ratio 1:1 to regular butter — but always check potency first with a small test dose
Legal classification according to KCanG
- Production from legal personal cultivation (max 3 plants) for personal use: allowed
- Selling or giving away the produced products is not allowed
- Ownership of the finished products counts towards the 50g possession limit for adults at home
- Child-safe storage is mandatory — homemade edibles as food are especially dangerous for children
How edibles work in the body — explained by the first-pass effect:
Further extraction methods from personal cultivation — hash, rosin, BHO compared:
Frequently Asked Questions about Cannabis Oil Production
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