With the advent of medical marijuana cards so too came a whole host of new and inventive ways to consume medical marijuana. All across California, MMJ card holders are transforming their cannabis into delicious juices, whipping them up into tasty treats — both sweet and savory — and vaping it away till their hearts’ content. And these are only a few of the ways to consume this super-plant. Long gone are the days where you’d have to smoke a joint to reap the innumerable benefits of this medical marvel.
Although all methods of consumption have their plus points, a new and innovative way to enjoy MMJ has recently come over the horizon: medical marijuana-infused tea. Sure, this may seem a bit out there, but if you (like the thousands of other California medical marijuana card holders across the state) love nothing more than curling up with a hot mug of tea at the end of a long day, this might be the best option for you.
Humans have been making tea for thousands of years, and in that time, all manner of weird and wonderful plants have been brewed. From jasmine to dandelions to nettles, there’s never been a shortage of inventiveness when it comes to this magical drink. So it was a natural progression that people would start experimenting with brewing medical marijuana.
The method for MMJ-infused tea is relatively simple, but you’ll need to make sure you have the following ingredients as well as your California medical marijuana card.
Medical Marijuana-infused Tea Recipe
There is nothing better than curling up with a hot mug of medical marijuana-infused tea at the end of a long day.
Ingredients
- 1/2 gram medical marijuana buds
- 1/2 teaspoon butter
- 1 1/2 cup water
- Tea bag
- Sugar (optional)
Now, you’re probably thinking, “Butter?” But yes, you will definitely need butter to make the tea for a very important reason: On its own, THC is not water-soluble. Unless it is coated in a fatty substance, you won’t be able to benefit from its ameliorative power. When butter is mixed with the buds, the fat in the butter reacts with the heat of the tea to release the THC from the marijuana buds, allowing it to be ingested.
Now that you’ve got the lowdown on ingredients, here’s your method.
Directions
- Grind up the marijuana buds using a pestle and mortar to make sure it’s done well without completely powdering the plant. If necessary, use a knife to cut up any stubborn bits.
- Mix the ground marijuana buds with the butter. Make sure all the buds are coated — but not completely soaked — in the butter.
- Fill a metal tea ball or diffuser with the marijuana and butter mixture. If you don’t have access to a diffuser, it’s OK to empty an old tea bag. Cut the tea bag open, and fill it with the mixture instead, making sure to fold the tea bag back over so no MMJ spills out. It’ll be a little messier, but you’ll achieve the same results.
- Bring a pot of water to boil on the stove. It’s important that the water isn’t heated using a kettle.
- While keeping the water simmering over medium heat, lower the metal tea ball into the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes
- If you want a certain flavor to your tea, add in any other tea bag you want for the last 5 minutes of simmering.
- Take out both tea bags, and add sugar, honey or any other sweetener you want to.
- Sit back, and enjoy!
An even easier way to make MMJ-infused tea is to get a tincture and simply put a few drops into your regular cup of tea. A tincture is a concentrated type of cannabis that is mixed in an alcohol solution and consumed by putting drops either directly onto your tongue or into whatever drink or food you’re having. If you’re in a rush to make your MMJ tea, this is the best method for you as it is much less time-consuming.
Tea infused with medical marijuana has the same long-lasting, potent effects as other methods of consumption.
Like other ingestible methods of consumption, medical marijuana-infused tea takes approximately one hour to for you to feel its benefits. Also like other ingestibles, it’ll have the same long-lasting, potent effects.
Although medical marijuana is naturally reparative and soothing, there is something that has to be said for the magical powers of tea in and of itself. Tea is the go-to relaxant for many 420 card holders and others alike, and it’s easy to see why: Tea is jam-packed with antioxidants, natural phytochemicals and theanine, which together give the body a boost and have been known to lower stress levels, improve concentration and even ease bouts of depression.
Mixing these two super-ingestibles was a stroke of genius. Their power together is much more effective than it is separate. The preparation of this extraordinary drink couldn’t be easier, so what are you waiting for? Grab your medical marijuana card, and get brewing!