CBN is the shorthand term for cannabinol. This substance comes from hemp and cannabis plants. CBN oil has become more and more popular in recent years, largely due to its ability to alleviate pain and help with sleep. It lacks the same side effects that many prescription painkillers and sedatives have. CBN oil also doesn’t have the same “high” that comes from THC.
The Benefits of CBN
There are several studies indicating that CBN can have numerous health benefits. With that said, the data is still in the preliminary stages. It’s only in the past few years that scientists have been able to study the effects of cannabis and cannabinoids on the body.
Anxiety and Sleep
CBN has been shown to have a positive effect on anxiety levels and on sleep. Many people use the oil to help with insomnia and general worries. Studies have indicated that CBN can increase your time spent asleep. There is also anecdotal evidence indicating that CBN is a more powerful sedative when combined with THC.
Recreational THC users often use CBN for its therapeutic benefits. Marijuana strains high in CBN can help people relax and wind down before bed. They can also help you sleep for longer and reduce the number of times you wake up in the night.
It’s important to keep in mind that your tolerance for marijuana may increase, though. This means that you might need to take more CBN or THC to get the same restful benefits that you did at the beginning.
Inflammation and Pain
CBN has been shown to relieve pain. It influences how certain pain receptors in the brain respond to pain. Many people turn to CBN for pain relief because they do not want to become dependent on opioids or NSAIDs following an illness or injury.
Many rehab and addiction experts actually recommend using cannabinoids to manage pain. These substances can help prevent people from becoming addicted to opioids. They can also help with pain management for current opiate addicts.
CBD, THC, and CBN have all become known as substances that help people “exit” from addiction. They provide many of the same benefits as drugs without the same risks.
How to Make CBN Oil
You can make CBN oil anywhere in the United States, as long as you use hemp rather than marijuana. Hemp is any cannabis plant with less than 0.3 percent THC content. You can make CBN oil legally with hemp, but marijuana-derived CBN oil is still illegal federally.
CBN oil is one of the most popular ways to take CBN. You can also take it as a topical cream, gel capsule, tincture, or edible. When you make CBN oil, the process will vary depending on whether you want to extract an isolate or blend the compound with other substances.
You will also need to take certain considerations into account if you plan to sell your product. For example, you will need to make sure that all of the hemp you use has 0.3 percent or less THC.
Converting THC into CBN
It is possible to convert THC into CBN, which you can then use to make CBN oil. This means that people who already have THC will find it easier to develop their CBN oil. Maybe you have a lot of THC that isn’t selling. Converting that THC into CBN oil might be more profitable for you.
If you do this, of course, you will need to operate in a state where THC is legal.
When THC ages, it naturally converts into CBN over time. You can also speed the aging process by applying heat to the THC. This increases the oxidation of the compound. You will need to go through a process of oxidizing and decarboxyling the THC.
If you don’t want to use heat, you can use UV light to convert the THC. This naturally degrades the compound until it turns into CBN.
In industrial labs, chemists tend to use a more complicated process to make CBN oil. These proprietary methods are not generally accessible to the public. They involve dissolving the compound in certain solvents and using catalysts made of precious metals.
Preparing Your Plant for Extraction
Before you can extract your CBN, it’s important to use hemp or cannabis that has a high CBNa concentration. Plants with a high concentration of CBNa will yield more CBN oil. The best way to maximize your concentration is to age your hemp or cannabis and then expose the plant to UV lights.
The exact amount of aging and light needed will vary depending on the strain. These strains are known for helping make CBN oil:
- Bubble Gum
- Lemon Kush
- Durban Poison
- Blackberry
- Purple Cadillac
Extracting CBN Oil from Hemp or Cannabis
Once you’ve aged your plant properly, the extraction process is very similar to that of CBD and other cannabinoids.
You will use CO2 or ethanol as your solvent. To extract every bit of CBN from your plant, you can use both. This will leave you with an extremely concentrated and powerful CBN oil.
The extraction process is the next step when you make CBN oil. You will soak your plant in the solvent to separate the components. Then you will use a vacuum and heat source to evaporate the solution. This removes your solvent.
What remains is a crude extract of CBN. You will then distill this concentrate to make a purified extract of CBN.
These are the main steps when extracting CBN to make CBN oil:
- Chill your ethanol solvent to temperatures significantly below 0 C.
- Soak your plant in the chilled solvent so you can extract your CBNa.
- Filter your particles, removing any suspended pieces.
- Use an evaporator tool to remove your ethanol.
- Activate the CBNa. This is what will give you crude CBN.
- Distill the molecules to purify them and separate them from the oil.
- Test your purified distillation to make sure the CBN concentration is ideal.
You will get the best results if you use a chromatography device. This is a tool that allows you to isolate CBN and remove impurities much more easily. Keep in mind that the equipment can be pricey if you aren’t working in a lab that already has one.
Equipment Needed for Extraction
There are several pieces of equipment that you’ll need if you want an industry-grade CBN oil. That means if you’re looking for a product that’s pure enough to sell. For at-home use, you may be able to avoid using some of these tools, but you won’t get the purest product.
The most popular way to extract CBN is by using an ethanol solution. With this in mind, these are some of the tools you might use to make the process easier:
- A chiller can be used to keep your ethanol cool prior to use, which reduces the steps needed for refinement.
- An extraction system built for CBNa compounds is ideal, as it takes much of the guesswork out of the extraction process.
- An evaporator makes it easy to remove the alcohol from your extracted substance.
- A distiller helps to remove crude components from the oil, so you’re left with pure CBN concentrate.
Tools on this scale can become expensive, but you might be able to access a lab that has them already.
Converting CBN Isolate to CBN Oil
CBN isolate and CBN oil are the same substance. As long as the product is warmed to the correct temperatures, it should become liquid oil. Most people who make CBN oil aim to have a purity of at least 99 percent.
As long as you have the tools to extract and purify the substance at home, you shouldn’t have any trouble. You can then use the oil in whatever tinctures, edibles, or lotions you want.
Final Thoughts
The process to make CBN oil is relatively straightforward. You can isolate CBN exactly the same way that you would isolate CBD and other cannabinoid substances.
If you want industry-grade results, you’ll need to invest in some professional equipment. But basic measures will give you CBN oil that you can use at home.
Keep in mind that THC is illegal on the federal level, so any CBN derived from THC may also be illegal. However, hemp has been legal throughout the US since 2018. Even if your state has not legalized marijuana, you can use hemp to derive your CBN oil.