Let’s talk about the mysterious medusa stone. No, we are not talking about the adventure novel by Jack Du Brul. We are talking about the medusa stones that are being created by cannabis extractors. The mystery is that cannabis extractors have yet to find out exactly what causes medusa stones to form.
What is a Medusa Stone?
Medusa stones are cannabis diamond extracts that have a chalky tint. Cannabis diamonds are usually clear and are isolated through extraction following crystal precipitation of pure cannabinoids. They look like diamonds, hence the name. Medusa stones are different. They look like regular diamonds but with a milky appearance. This makes them look more like stones and is how the medusa stone got its name.
How are Medusa Stones Made?
This is the big mystery. Cannabis extractors aren’t 100 percent sure what causes diamonds to take on the chalky tint. Everyone wants to know though because whatever the culprit is, it turns valuable diamonds into medusa stones.
Discussion on extraction forums [1] indicates that hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) may be what causes media stones to form, but there is still no definitive answer. Several other medusa stone theories have been suggested, including potential contamination of solvents, water, extraction equipment or inclusion of impurities in the crystal structure due to an excessively fast precipitation process. [2] Some theories suspect the cause to be related to contaminated cannabis flower used as starting material for the extract.
No matter what is causing the medusa stone phenomenon, extractors aren’t happy with it. Many extraction operators have changed their standard operating procedures (SOPs) for producing diamonds to avoid the medusa stone phenomenon from happening. Although extractors have found ways to make diamonds without turning them into medusa stones, the exact cause of the medusa stone phenomenon has yet to be discovered.
It may be a while before we uncover the truth behind the media stone phenomenon. As for now, many extractors are still collaborating and sharing research to pinpoint exactly what causes medusa stones.
References:
[1] https://future4200.com/t/h2o2-shown-as-probable-cause-of-rapid-crashing-medusa-stone/167241/181
[2] Millar SA, et al. Towards Better Delivery of Cannabidiol (CBD). Pharmaceuticals (2020); 13(9):219. doi:10.3390/ph13090219 [journal impact factor = 5.68] [times cited = 43]
Image: medusa stone_by Green House Healthy
