Cannabis Spa at Home

GET RELIEF, RIGHT NOW, right from your cupboard! In the process of putting together this guide, it occurred to me that successful pain relief and relaxation with a cannabis spa begins by learning simple techniques using ingredients that you have in your cupboard right now. Once you get comfortable with these techniques, you can explore new ways of working with and experiencing the cannabis herb.

QUICK-START INGREDIENTS

Olive oil is one ingredient most people have in their kitchen. It’s also one of the most effective fats for use with external cannabis preparations. Olive oils that are higher in oleic acid work best to deliver deep penetration of the topical ingredients. Many 19th-century topical herbal medicines included oleic acids, and in my experiments, these fats absorb faster and more completely than other fatty-acid profiles. Any kind of pure olive oil will work, but the type that contains the greatest amount of oleic acid is typically a fresh, cold-pressed extra-virgin or virgin olive oil. High-quality olive oils may have a cloudy appearance and a peppery or fruity taste.

I use a special technique with olive oil that I’ve found to be an exquisite method for creating a salve or ointment without adding any other fats or waxes: cold processing in the freezer or refrigerator. Olive oil is quite versatile. It