Methods for removing pesticdes from cannabis products

Abstract

Systems and methods for removing one or more pesticides from a cannabis product are provided. The method includes dissolving, in a solvent, a cannabis product including one or more pesticides, forming a dissolved solution, and cooling the dissolved solution to a cooling temperature, causing the cannabis product to precipitate from the dissolved solution, wherein, at the cooling temperature, the one or more pesticides remain dissolved in the dissolving solution. The method further includes removing the precipitated cannabis product from the dissolving solution. The disclosed method is suitable for removing one or more pesticides from various cannabis products containing natural cannabinoids, cannabinoids acetates, cannabinoid carboxylates, or the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for removing one or more pesticides from a  cannabis  product, comprising:
 acetylating or carboxylating a  cannabis  product;   dissolving, in a solvent, the  cannabis  product including one or more pesticides, forming a dissolved solution;   cooling the dissolved solution to a cooling temperature to cause the  cannabis  product to precipitate from the dissolved solution, wherein, at the cooling temperature, the one or more pesticides remain dissolved in the dissolving solution; and   removing the precipitated  cannabis  product from the dissolving solution.   
     
     
         2 . A method for removing one or more pesticides from an acetylated or carboxylated  cannabis  product, comprising:
 dissolving, in a solvent, an acetylated or carboxylated  cannabis  product including one or more pesticides, forming a dissolved solution;   cooling the dissolved solution to a cooling temperature to cause the  cannabis  product to precipitate from the dissolved solution, wherein, at the cooling temperature, the one or more pesticides remain dissolved in the dissolving solution; and   removing the precipitated  cannabis  product from the dissolving solution.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: after the step of removing, washing the precipitated  cannabis  product with the solvent one or more secondary times. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing any remaining solvent in a reduced pressure. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling temperature is between about 0° C. and about 100° C. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein steps of dissolving, cooling, and removing are repeated until the resulting  cannabis  product has a purity of about 85%. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein steps of dissolving, cooling, and removing are repeated until the resulting  cannabis  product has a purity of about 95%. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises one or more solvents selected from the group consisting of: hydrocarbons; aromatics; halogenated organic solvents;
 amines; and acetates.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is pentane. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the  cannabis  product comprises one or more cannabinoids selected from the group consisting of: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), and cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM). 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the  cannabis  product comprises an acetylated analog or a carboxylated analog of the one or more cannabinoids. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the  cannabis  product comprises THC. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the acetylated or carboxylated  cannabis  product comprises THCA. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the  cannabis  product is a distillate  cannabis  product. 
     
     
         15 . A composition comprising the  cannabis  product with a reduced pesticide content prepared by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 15 , further comprising an additive, a pharmaceutical acceptable carrier, or an adjuvant to the  cannabis  component. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 15 , further comprising a second agent selected from the group consisting of: cannabinoids, terpenes, anti-insomnia, anti-tussive, opioid analgesic, decongestant, non-opioid analgesic/anti-inflammatory drug, anti-migraine drug, anti-emetic, anti-histamine, proton pump inhibitor, H2 antagonist/H2 blocker, tranquilizer, anticonvulsant, hypnotic, muscle relaxant, anti-psychotic, anti-diarrheal, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) drug, anti-Parkinson disease drug, benzodiazepine, benzodiazepine antagonist, barbiturate, barbiturate antagonist, stimulant, stimulant antagonist, antidepressant, nutraceutical, nicotine, BCS Class II active ingredient, BCS Class IV active ingredient, an anti-multiple sclerosis (MS) drug, ethyl pyruvate, melatonin, caffeine, resveratrol, and a combination thereof.