Cannabis

Curious About Cannabis CRC Extracts

Published

1 year ago

February 15, 2024

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Cannabis is legal in some form in 40 states and the DEA has been advised to reschedule it. It has become more mainstream as the majority of the population believe it should be legal. Smoking, long the most popular way to consume has given away to vaping and edibles. Like alcohol, there are dozens of way to enjoy it – and one is CRC.

CRC (color remediation column) is a type of cannabis extract that is made using a process called “column chromatography.” It was initially started to remove dark colored substances left over from low-quality extraction, which signaled to the consumer its low grade.

The process makes the extract appear lighter, as lighter color extracts are associated with high quality. The idea was to enhance the visual aesthetic of a cannabis extract so it would sell better.

CRC has started to become a mainstream practice used by legal and illicit manufacturers to enhance the appearance of cannabis extracts. CRC has evolved and is now used to remove pesticides, unpleasant flavors, and other wanted byproducts.

CRC is most commonly used with butane hash oil. The color of low-grade hash oil changes from nearly “black, or dark brown, to light gold, or even white” when it undergoes CRC.

What is CRC extraction?

CRC extraction is a post-extraction process that uses technology to enhance the appearance of cannabis extracts and concentrates.

Column chromatography works by using a column (often a steel cylinder) and packing it with a filtration medium. Common filtration mediums include:

Activated bleaching earth (used to remove colors)
Activated carbon/charcoal (paired with activated silica gel to withdraw chlorophyll)
Activated silica gel (used to remove very dark colors from an extract)
Bentonite clay (used to remove colors and impurities)
Diatomaceous earth (helps to create a fine filtration process)
Magnesol (used to remove colors and impurities)
Sand (used to remove impurities)
T5 clay (remove colors and impurities)

The cannabis concentrate is then pushed through filtering mediums that result in the removal of color-impacting pollutants and other impurities. Pollutants and impurities that can be removed (depending on the filtration medium) include:

Chlorophyll
Carotene
Lipids
Lycopene
Pheophytins
Xanthophyll

One of the downsides of CRC is that it will also strip a concentrate of its terpene content. A way to tell if an extract or concentrate has undergone CRC is the smell. It may smell of chemicals, or may smell excessively fruity or earthy, indicating that it may have had terpene infused to attempt to restore the original flavor profile.

Cannabis Concentrates How To Choose The Right Gear — Photo by eskymaks/Getty Images

Is CRC wax bad for you?

This question is up for debate. A manufacturer who uses CRC will say CRC is safe, while a cannabis consumer advocate might not.

The debate is rooted in the fact that cannabis lab tests that deem if a product is safe for consumption do not currently test for CRC filtration mediums. As a result, a cannabis concentrate can be approved for sale despite containing contaminants from CRC filtration.

Some people believe CRC wax is not safe because:

There is no regulation and testing for filtration mediums in the end product
Long-term studies show that miners who inhaled bentonite clay and diatomaceous earth experienced respiratory damage, so vaping extracts that have trace amounts of bentonite clay and diatomaceous earth could lead to respiratory harm
Bentonite clay can have elevated levels of lead
The inhalation of silica gel can cause respiratory damage
Manufacturers claim filtration materials are safe for use because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deemed them as “safe” but the safety approval only applies to ingested food products that could impact the stomach the approval does not apply to not inhaled products that impact lung tissue
When CRC manufacturers push too much extract through a filtration medium at once, the filtration doesn’t work properly and results in contaminants in the final product
Activated carbon from natural sources can release carcinogenic metabolites such as benzopyrenes
Not switching out activated carbon mediums can result in the activated carbon breaking down and releasing heavy metals when overuse.

5 Amazing Things To Know About CBD Was And Shatter — Photo by Cappi Thompson/Getty Images

In theory, if a manufacturer properly does CRC extraction, the concentrate could come out with fewer contaminants.

If you are concerned about contaminants in your cannabis concentrates, ask your budtender if the product you’re interested in underwent CRC and what filtration mediums were used.

Key takeaways about CRC extracts

CRC, or color remediation column, is a process used in the cannabis industry to remove impurities from extracts and enhance visual aesthetics.
The debate surrounding CRC wax is whether or not it is safe for consumption. At the time of writing this, cannabis labs do not test for residual filtration mediums, so it’s hard to state definitively whether or not CRC-processed extracts are safe.
Long-term exposure to some of the materials used in CRC processing (such as bentonite clay and diatomaceous earth) can be harmful to respiratory health.
If you’re interested in purchasing a CRC extract, you can ask your budtender what filtration methods were used.

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Cannabis

White House Finally Comments On Marijuana Industry

Published

3 hours ago

April 1, 2025

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Part of the cannabis industry supported the new president, betting he was going to move and move quickly on cannabis – the White House finally commented.

The cannabis industry has been a boon for consumers, medical patients, veterans and legal states, but for the thousands of mom and pop businesses is has been a roller coaster. With a huge demand, it would seem to be easy money, but the federal, tax, and banking restrictions have made it difficult to grow and expand. Part of the industry were all for the new administration assuming they would support positive change, but many in the new cabinet and the House Speaker Mike Johnson are foes. Now the White House finally comments on marijuana industry…and it doesn’t show a clear path.

The administration’s current stance on marijuana reform is marked by inaction, despite campaign promises and earlier signals of support for cannabis-related reforms. A White House official recently confirmed that “no action is being considered at this time” regarding marijuana policy, leaving advocates and industry stakeholders uncertain about the administration’s priorities.

During his campaign, the resident expressed support for rescheduling marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which would move it from Schedule I to Schedule III, easing restrictions on medical use and enabling cannabis businesses to access banking and tax benefits. However, since taking office, no concrete steps have been taken to advance this initiative. A DEA hearing on rescheduling, initially planned for January 2025, was postponed due to procedural appeals and remains unscheduled.

The president has also voiced support for state autonomy in cannabis policy and endorsed state-level legalization initiatives, such as Florida’s failed 2024 ballot measure for recreational marijuana. While this reflects a more favorable stance compared to his first term, his administration has yet to prioritize federal reforms like the SAFE Banking Act, which would facilitate banking services for cannabis businesses. Efforts to include such measures in a government funding bill late last year were unsuccessful.

The delay in federal action has significant implications for the cannabis industry. Rescheduling marijuana could alleviate financial burdens by eliminating restrictions under IRS Code Section 280E and promoting medical research. However, the stalled process leaves businesses navigating regulatory uncertainties and limited financial access.

While stakeholders continue lobbying for reform, the administration appears focused on other priorities such as immigration and foreign policy. Advocates hope the President will leverage his influence to advance cannabis reform, but for now, the issue remains sidelined. Until then the industry struggles and waits.

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Cannabis

This State’s Cannabis Revenue Keeps Pouring In

Published

1 day ago

March 31, 2025

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States are starting to scramble with looming budget deficients, but marijuana is a boon to some – especially one state.

The new federal administration is revamping how the government operates. With Doge, they are changing agencies and reducing services and support of states, which has left budget deficients in many. But some states have legal marijana and it has been a boon, for like alcohol…people are still consuming. States who are fully legal are making more money on weed than booze and this state’s cannabis revenue keeps pouring in. Missouri, the show me state, is being shown unexpected revenue.

RELATED: Mike Johnson And Marijuana

“Due to a strong cannabis market and effective, efficient regulation of that market,” Amy Moore, director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation, told The Independent this week, “the funds available for the ultimate beneficiaries of the cannabis regulatory program continue to outpace expectations.”

Funds will help veterans and other key projects. The other benefit is as seen in data from legal states, teen use is down so it frees up some other funds. Legal states are seeing benefits from legal cannabis including lower teen use and crime reduction.

States with legal cannabis are experiencing a significant boost in tax revenue, surpassing those generated by alcohol sales. This trend highlights the economic benefits of marijuana legalization, as cannabis markets expand and mature.

In California, cannabis excise taxes have consistently outperformed alcohol-related taxes, bringing in over double the revenue. Colorado has seen even more striking results, with marijuana tax revenues totaling seven times those of alcohol. Similarly, Massachusetts has collected more tax revenue from marijuana than alcohol since fiscal year 2021, marking a notable shift in state finances.

Nationally, legal cannabis states generated nearly $3 billion in excise taxes on marijuana in 2021—20% more than alcohol taxes. By 2024, total adult-use cannabis tax revenue exceeded $20 billion, with states like Illinois and Washington reporting record-breaking contributions. Illinois alone collected $451.9 million from cannabis taxes in fiscal year 2022—one-and-a-half times the revenue from alcohol.

The funds are being put to good use. States like Illinois are channeling marijuana tax dollars into mental health services and community programs, while Colorado has invested nearly $500 million into public education. California has allocated millions to nonprofits addressing the impacts of the war on drugs.

This growing revenue stream underscores the potential of cannabis legalization to support vital public services and bolster state economies. As more states embrace regulated marijuana markets, the financial benefits are expected to continue flourishing.

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Cannabis

Mixed Messages From The Feds About Cannabis

Published

4 days ago

March 28, 2025

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The federal administration is all over the board around fed cannabis policy…and millions of patients are worried.

The industry employees over 440,000 workers at all lives and is driven in a large part by mom and pop businesses. Millions use medical marijuana for health issues ranging from chronic pain to sleep. But there are mixed messages from the feds about cannabis, and people are very worried. The federal government’s stance on marijuana has become increasingly complex, as recent developments show conflicting approaches to the drug’s potential benefits and risks. On one hand, there’s a push for research into medical marijuana for veterans, while on the other, a campaign against cannabis use is being launched.

The juxtaposition of initiatives highlights the federal government’s inconsistent approach to marijuana policy. While some departments are exploring the potential benefits of cannabis, others are actively working to discourage its use. This dichotomy is further exemplified by ongoing legislative efforts. For instance, Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) has reintroduced the Veterans Equal Access Act, which would allow VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana to patients in states where it’s legal. Meanwhile, documents from an ongoing lawsuit suggest that the DEA may have weighted the marijuana rescheduling process to ensure rejection of moving the drug from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3.

The Department of Defense (DOD) has allocated nearly $10 million in funding for research into the therapeutic potential of MDMA for active-duty military members. This initiative, driven by congressional efforts, aims to explore MDMA’s effectiveness in treating conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) expressed pride in this development, stating that it could be a “game-changer” for service members battling these combat-related injuries.

Additionally, a bipartisan effort in Congress has been pushing for VA research on medical marijuana for PTSD and other conditions affecting veterans. The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, introduced in both the Senate and House, would mandate studies on how cannabis affects the use of addictive medications and impacts various health outcomes for veterans.

In stark contrast to these research initiatives, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has partnered with an anti-cannabis nonprofit to launch a social media campaign targeting young people. The campaign, set to run ahead of April 20 (4/20), aims to “flood” Instagram with anti-cannabis content. The DEA is offering monetary incentives to students for creating and posting anti-THC videos, with payments ranging from $25 to $50 depending on the type of content produced.

This approach has raised eyebrows, as it seems to contradict the growing acceptance and legalization of marijuana across the United States. Critics argue that such campaigns may be out of touch with current societal trends and scientific understanding of cannabis.

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