Hash oil is a solution of tetrahydrocannabinol, but is a misnomer in suggesting any resemblance to hashish. It is made out of cannabis and is very potent due to its high THC concentration, which generally varies between 15 and 20%, but can reach 60 to 70% in some cases.
Various solvents are suitable for the production of hash oil. Isopropyl alcohol, petroleum ether, and acetone are three commonly used solvents, though these are not suitable for human ingestion. For edible extracts, solvents such as high-proof grain alcohol, vegetable oils, and butter are commonly used. Supercritical fluid extraction methods using various volatile compressed gases are also rumored to be used.
Butane is advantageous to use as it has a boiling point of −0.6 °C (31 ° F), meaning that it will fully evaporate when left for long enough at room temperature. Butane is cheap and widely available in the form of 'lighter refill' cans. Butane also has the advantage of not dissolving the chlorophyll component of whole cannabis - it dissolves mainly the psychoactive resins. Drawbacks include the risk of explosion associated with large volumes of butane gas, and the possibility of contaminants in the butane or the extraction vessel. BHO, or butane hash oil is a common term for the output produced by butane extraction of cannabis. "Purging" of the product or further processing is highly suggested in order to remove any trapped butane/solvent(s).
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