Today’s episode is Full Extraction Cannabis Oil or also known as FECO.

FECO is a very concentrated cannabis extract.  To extract the trichomes from the flower food grade ethanol is used then boiled off leaving you a highly-concentrated, thick cannabis extraction.  FECO can be used in a multitude of ways from edibles to topicals to vaporizing.

FECO, or Full Extract Cannabis Oil is a highly concentrated whole-plant extract that provides one of the broadest spectrums of cannabinoids and terpenes available. It is a highly-concentrated, thick cannabis oil extraction via ethanol that can be used in a multitude of ways from being ingested to topically to vaporizing.

Another name associated with products like these is RSO or Rick Simpson Oil. Rick Simpson is a Canadian medical cannabis advocate who developed a very specific method of extraction from very specific cultivars of cannabis. While this term is still used by many to describe this type of oil, the industry is moving away from this acronym.

FECO is one of the best products for those seeking help from cannabis. It is highly-concentrated and broad spectrum concentrate that has been shown to assist people in a variety of chronic ailments. In most cases, all you need is a rice-grain-sized dose to last for most of the day. FECO can be added to foods and recipes to make your own edibles, vaporized, mixed into a carrier oil for topicals or taken orally for fast and strong effects.

Recent studies have shown that broad-spectrum cannabis products produce what is called the ‘entourage effect,’ meaning that the different compounds in cannabis work together to make each other more effective.  Our bodies have an endocannabinoid system that when supplemented with a wide variety of cannabinoids can bring symptom relief of all kinds.

How is FECO Used? 

FECO can be bought as tiny capsules, in oral syringes, or it can be placed directly on top of the tongue. This oil differs from wax, hash, and hash oil in that it is not consumed through inhaling but orally. 

When taking a FECO dosage, it’s best to start very small. This is because the product is highly concentrated. Often, a dose is described as a grain of rice. 

What are the Benefits of FECO? 

FECO is often used for health benefits for people who have regular pain, chronic ailments, or types of inflammation. It’s most popular among those who have significant pain. That’s why it’s often used in treatment for cancer or HIV/AIDS.

Many researchers are discovering that using the complete cannabinoid, as FECO does, can have health benefits and therapeutic value, like treating depression.

How to Find High-Quality FECO? 

One of the most popular questions is: how do you know if you are buying good-quality and clean products?

Since there are tons of products out there on the market, it’s important that you’re able to recognize a high-quality FECO product. Here are some guidelines for you to use:

• Check if the FECO has organic cannabis.
• Check the concentrations of THC and CBD. 
• Check for any added additives (including terpenes) after extraction. 
• Check the reputation of the manufacturer. 
• Check which strains of cannabis that producers are using.
• Check if industry-standard methods were used for extraction.
• Check which solvents that producers are using.

Use FECO safely

We’ve answered the question: what is FECO? However, as with any new product, make sure that you ask your doctor for advice if you’re unsure. Also, only try small quantities at first to understand the effect.

Research Studies on FECO

There are very few research studies concerning FECO.

Of the studies conducted, one recent study was by India’s Amit University. The study, published in the Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics, seems to conclude that cannabis may be able to relieve some of the effects of cancer. According to the study, “Medicinal research and meta-data analysis over the last few decades have shown a significant potential for both THC and cannabidiol (CBD) to exert palliative effects. People suffering from many forms of advanced stages of cancers undergo chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting followed by severe and chronic neuropathic pain and weight loss. THC and CBD exhibit effective analgesic, anxiolytic, and appetite-stimulating effect on patients suffering from cancer.”

Another research study was published in the Journal of Pancreatic Cancer.  The study, titled  Potential Use of Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer analyzed the impact of CBD and THC on pancreatic cancer. The study suggests, “CBD and THC appear to have antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects.” Even so, the study also recognizes that “[c]linical studies on the utility of cannabinoids in the treatment of pancreatic cancer are lacking and urgently needed.”

As with any research study, such studies should be viewed with caution. Many more research studies are needed to determine the efficacy, safety, and effectiveness of FECO.  At this point, there is little to no evidence showing that FECO has any beneficial qualities or is able to support cancer therapy or other medical treatment. More alarming is that there are side effects associated with FECO.

The Side Effects of FECO

Given that there is a high amount of THC in FECO, it can cause a range of psychological symptoms, including but not limited to:

•  Irritability
• Paranoia
• Depression
•  Disorientation
• Hallucination

In addition to psychological symptoms, it can cause physical symptoms as well:

• Impaired memory
• Dizziness
• Slower reaction time
• Slow digestion
• Sleeping problems.

Winterization

After your tincture has cooled put in a mason jar, cover it, and place in freezer for 6-24+ hours.  This process will freeze any impurities that may be left in the tincture.  When tincture is ‘frozen’, remove from freezer and strain through a coffee filter.  You’ll be left with a beautifully clear tincture ready for the next step.

At this stage we want to boil off the alcohol in order to be left with a thick concentrated extraction.  In order to do this you will need a well ventilated area and a pan or crock pot.  In this video we used the pan method ensuring windows were open and away from open flame.  For the crock pot method you could plug it in out side and allow to simmer on medium-high heat with lid off until finished.

To get the full extraction cannabis oil out of the pan/crock pot you can use a 10ml syringe or rubber spatula into awaiting dish.

Our bodies and full extract cannabis oil

Human bodies all come equipped with an endocannabinoid system — a network of receptors found throughout the body (brain, organs, connective tissue, glands and immune cells) that have the explicit purpose of binding with the cannabinoids found in whole-plant cannabis to perform a variety of tasks where they are found.

When patients use medical cannabis, their ultimate goal is “homeostasis” a stable internal environment despite external influences, or in other words, patients are trying to consume as much cannabis as often as they can so they can saturate their endocannabinoid system with all the cannabinoids found in whole-plant cannabis.

FECO oil is the most efficient way to deliver all the healing benefits of all cannabinoids and terpenes to the endocannabinoid system, which is why so many patients have found relief using this oil.

Because FECO is extremely concentrated, it is recommended that a new patient start with a dose of oil about half the size of a grain of rice and wait up to 90 minutes to experience the effects and determine a more proper dosage — this process is called “titrating” and is absolutely essential when using cannabis medicines.

Some legal medical cannabis dispensaries, such as Harborside Health Center in Oakland, Calif., offer high-CBD blends of FECO oil, which is great for patients who find the effects of THC to be uncomfortable.

Using FECO oil will drastically raise the tolerance of cannabis patients over time, allowing them to consume more of it. Because of the increased cannabinoid dosages, many patients are finding not just relief from their symptoms but full remission from cancers, chronic pain and gastrointestinal disorders.

The taste is unpleasant to some (grassy, herb-like) so dosage can either be delivered orally or mixed in food to mask the taste. FECO oil is very strong, testing at about 47 percent THC, so it is imperative that patients start slow with this process and work their way up in dosage.

At this point, it cannot be concluded that FECO is safe or effective based on the very few research studies. Further, due to the high THC content, the side effects, and lack of evidence surrounding FECO, it should be viewed with caution. In addition, individuals considering cannabis for medical conditions should talk to their doctor, and should review the medical marijuana laws in their state.