The hemp industry is booming, and we’re now starting to see the plant’s full potential with the arrival of new cannabinoids, such as cannabinol (CBN). Renowned as a natural sleep aid, CBN promises to be the next big thing after CBD, with products like CBN distillate making their mark.
But what is CBN distillate, and what can you do with it? In this post, I’ll cover all you need to know about the most highly concentrated form of CBN on the market. Let’s begin with the five best CBN distillate products available right now.
1. GVB Bio Pharma – THC-Free CBN Distillate
This THC-free CBN distillate from GVB BioPharma is perfect for making broad-spectrum CBN products. With 70 to 80% CBN and up to 15% minor cannabinoids (CBC, CBG, CBDv, and CBT), you can manufacture products that bring out the entourage effect.
GVB Bio Pharma prides itself on being OSHA compliant and developing high-quality hemp extract with maximum purity. This CBN distillate is more effective than an isolate and is free from any residual solvents. It’s third-party tested, free from THC, and safe for drug tests.
Sizes available: 10 grams, 50 grams, 100 grams, 500 grams, 1kg
2. Denex Co – CBN Distillate
With up to 99% CBN, Denex Co’s distillate is mighty and an ideal base for broad-spectrum CBN products. The presence of minor cannabinoids, terpenes, vitamins, antioxidants, and plant waxes promotes additional therapeutic effects.
Denex Co’s distillate does not have any detectable THC, so it will not cause any drug test issues. Moreover, this distillate is 100% natural, free from pesticides and residual solvents, and third-party lab-tested. Ready to start making CBN products? Denex Co. is a great place to start.
Sizes available: 5 grams, 10 grams, 25 grams, 50 grams, 100 grams, 250 grams, 500 grams, 1kg
3. KND Labs – CBN Distillate (98% CBN)
Boasting a whopping 98% CBN and 0% THC, the CBN distillate available at KND Labs is not to be missed. Manufactured with organically grown hemp cultivated in the United States, this CBN-isolate is completely free of contaminants. Produced in liquid form, KND’s CBN distillate works well in topicals, edibles, and tinctures.
KND Labs sells its CBN distillate in 10-gram batches but also accepts inquiries for bulk purchases. This crystalline CBN isolate product has passed third-party checks and has undetectable levels of THC.
4. Best Life Hemp – CBN Distillate 90%+
This CBN distillate is more than 90% pure and entirely derived from the industrial hemp plant. Part of the Best Life Hemp collection, the CBN distillate on sale at Buy CBD Oil Online can be used to formulate edibles, tinctures, topicals, concentrates, and more.
The manufacturers do note that, due to its very high potency, there is a chance that this distillate will crystallize in the syringe. While a nuisance, that’s just a sign of its superb quality. Third-party tested and approved by Botanacor, Best Life Hemp’s CBN distillate is dependable and perfect for making CBN products.
5. Skyhio – CBN Isolate (Distillate)
With more than 98% purity, Skyhio’s CBN-isolate is seriously impressive. While not as therapeutic as full or broad-spectrum distillate, CBN-isolate is ideal for making products that guarantee a negative drug test. While it may solidify during transit, Skyhio notes the isolate will stay in oil form when diluted, making it great for tinctures and e-liquids.
The third-party lab report from TX PharmLabs speaks to the purity and safety of this CBN-isolate. Even better, Skyhio’s CBN-isolate distillate is created with US-grown hemp.
Sizes available: 1 gram, 5 grams, 10 grams, 100 grams
What is CBN Distillate?
CBN distillate is a highly concentrated form of cannabinol (CBN) used as the base ingredient in several CBN-rich products, including tincture oils, topicals, edibles, and e-liquids. Distillate is primarily marketed at companies manufacturing CBN products rather than users.
CBN distillate comes in a few forms. CBN-isolate products have the highest purity and can reach more than 99% CBN. Meanwhile, broad and full-spectrum CBN distillate has a little less CBN but a variety of minor cannabinoids and terpenes for the entourage effect. Broad-spectrum distillate doesn’t have any THC; full-spectrum distillate may have up to 0.3% THC.
What is CBN?
CBN is one of more than 100 cannabinoids present in cannabis. From relative obscurity, CBN has risen to prominence in recent years following the federal legalization of hemp (cannabis with less than 0.3% THC). Companies sell hemp-based CBN products as dietary supplements, usually recommending them for sleep.
CBN is legal in the United States, but products must be derived from hemp, not marijuana. Federal law defines marijuana as cannabis with more than 0.3% THC on a dry-weight basis. CBN products must have less THC than this, or the law classifies them as Schedule 1 drugs.
CBN bears chemical similarities with THC, although it doesn’t make you stoned or intoxicated. That said, CBN is still regarded as mildly psychotropic, thanks to being a weak, partial agonist of the CB1 receptor in the endocannabinoid system (ECS). CBN also binds to CB2 receptors with a higher affinity.
Scientists have known about CBN since the late 1800s but disregarded the substance as a nuisance until recently. Psychoactive THC degrades into non-intoxicating CBN due to light degradation and oxidation.
From a recreational perspective, cannabis with above-average CBN levels is low-quality, so CBN had a bad reputation for a long time. However, CBN has become a cannabinoid of interest among therapeutic users.
Why do people take CBN?
CBN’s popularity is somewhat surprising, given the lack of scientific research on the substance. But it speaks to the experimental stage that we are in with the hemp industry. All kinds of new products are emerging from innovative brands, and people can’t get enough of them!
Most people take CBN products to help them relax and sleep better. While the more common CBD does have sedative effects, these are outweighed by the deep relaxation many people claim to experience from CBN. There hasn’t been much research into CBN’s benefits for sleep, but a study from the 1970s found that CBN induces drowsiness.
CBN also has anti-inflammatory properties, which is no surprise given that the cannabinoid is a CB2 receptor agonist. Research on rodents indicates CBN may alleviate inflammatory symptoms in arthritis patients.
Several cannabinoids have demonstrated neuroprotective effects and antibiotic potential, and CBN is no exception. In the future, CBN could help treat neurodegenerative disorders and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Finally, CBN may also relieve the intraocular pressure associated with glaucoma. Preclinical research is underway to determine whether CBN could be part of an eye drop formulation to treat glaucoma symptoms. Researchers have also looked at CBD and THC as possible glaucoma treatments, but CBN appears to have the most potential.
I hope this section was interesting and informative, but please do not take it as medical advice! CBN has no approved medical uses yet, and products such as CBN distillate are not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
What to Look For When Buying CBN Distillate
If you’re planning on selling CBN products, acquiring legal, pure, and high-quality distillate is imperative to your success. Get the extract wrong, and you’re inevitably going to be stuck with below-par products and unhappy customers.
So, let’s make sure you get this part right! Buying CBN distillate from one of my top five will put you in good stead. But if you’re going into the CBN industry, you need first-hand knowledge of what to look for.
Third-party certificate of analysis
The only way to know if your CBN distillate is the real deal is with a relevant third-party certificate of analysis. Several manufacturers claim to follow Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards, and while they might do so, it’s crucial to remember that the industry is ultimately unregulated.
Therefore, CBN distillate producers can technically say what they like without the threat of legal repercussions. Third-party testing is used to validate that companies are telling the truth and making safe and potent distillates.
It’s easy to determine whether a CBN distillate producer is third-party approved. Genuine companies have no qualms about showing certificates of analysis, while grifters and scammers can’t do so and get exposed.
Cannabinoid concentrations
Check the cannabinoid concentration of your product to find out what type of hemp extract is in the distillate and whether or not you are getting a good deal. CBN-isolate distillate should have at least 90% CBN. Full and broad-spectrum distillates will likely have around 80% CBN and a mixture of minor cannabinoids accounting for another 10 to 15%.
If the distillate you’re considering has lower percentages than this, you should question what’s in it and if it’s worth it. The difference between an 80% and 90% distillate is 100mg of CBN per gram, which quickly adds up when you’re purchasing in bulk.
Extraction method
The extraction method used by companies gives a clue to the purity of the distillate. Generally, the CBN is first extracted from the hemp using denatured ethyl alcohol or supercritical CO2 extraction. The distillate then undergoes a process known as chromatography.
The best CBN-isolate brands usually reference chromatography in their product descriptions. The process involves separating the cannabinoids and turning them into liquid form. The liquefied extract can then be used to make tinctures, topicals, and more.
How to Store Your CBN Distillate
Keep your distillate in cool, dark, and dry conditions to prevent a loss of potency. Both oxygen and light exposure can destroy CBN cannabinoids due to oxidation and light degradation. Ensuring your CBN distillate stays as fresh as possible is essential to making high-quality CBN products.
I recommend storing CBN distillate in a vacuum-sealed bag and keeping it in the fridge or freezer. Concentrated products take more effort to store than regular CBN products, but you cannot afford to neglect storage. Allowing your distillate to degrade would be a very costly mistake.
How Long Does CBN Distillate Last?
The duration of CBN distillate effects depends on what product it ends up in. E-liquids, tinctures, edibles, and capsules all work in different ways. Here’s a quick overview.
E-liquids: CBN in vape juices lasts for up to three hours and kicks in almost immediately. Inhalation is the fastest way to enjoy the benefits of CBN.
Tincture oils: CBN tinctures’ effects should last between three to four hours. Sublingual absorption is slightly less efficient than inhalation but a safer method of consumption.
Edibles and capsules: CBN distillate in edibles and capsules can remain effective for up to eight hours, but the slow absorption rate means the effects may take an hour or more to show. CBN edibles and capsules are excellent if you find it difficult to stay asleep.
Purchasing CBN Distillate Online vs. Shops Near Me
Unless you have a hemp wholesaler nearby, you probably won’t be able to purchase CBN distillate at a local store. Since distillate is for manufacturers, not CBN users, health and wellness stores tend not to stock these products.
Yet even if there is a brick-and-mortar store near you selling CBN distillate, it’s still in your best interests to buy from a reputable online retailer. Firstly, online stores can sell you distillate at a better price, as they don’t have to fork out as many operating costs.
Furthermore, from a safety perspective, it’s easier to validate the legitimacy of CBN distillate online. That may sound contradictory, but you’d be surprised at how often physical stores don’t have the relevant paperwork. Trusted and genuine online CBN distillate retailers will always have third-party certificates of analysis ready for you to peruse.
