In the world of cannabis, there are so many terms – CBD, THC, BHO! Ah, why does it need to be so complicated?
If you don’t know what any of these terms mean, it can be hard to pick products when it’s time to go shopping. So what is BHO exactly?
It is probably something you will hear about a lot, whether in dispensaries or from dealers. BHO is a particular way of extracting the most powerful parts of the marijuana plant. What is left is an extremely oily or waxy substance that can be smoked, vaped or dabbed. To put it simply, it’s an extract.
How is BHO made?
What makes BHO special is that butane is the solvent that is used to extract the THC from the plant material. The process is called “blasting”, whereby heat is blasted through a tube full of weed and butane. If it is done correctly, the oils are removed from the plant material and what remains is extremely strong hash oil.
Is BHO safe?
Ideally, no butane arrives into the final product of BHO, but nothing about industry is ever really ideal. The point is that butane is a chemical that has been linked with irregular heart beat, respiratory problems and even an increased risk in cancer. It’s not safe to be putting butane inside the body.
Regulations are emerging around the USA about how much solvent is allowed to make it into the final product, meaning safer products for customers. In fact, making BHO is just as unsafe as smoking extract that is full of butane. For this reason, this extract is questionable. Having said that, when it is done correctly, no houses should blow up and there should really be no butane in the final product. It’s all a matter of who is making it!
