Editor's note: This article has been reviewed and updated for accuracy in 2026. There are many techniques that are applied to separate all the different components of cannabis. Using these extraction techniques, the many different parts of cannabis – all containing different chemicals – can be isolated. This helps in bringing out the more desirable compounds present in cannabis so that they can be used for a wide variety of applications. There are over 113 cannabinoids that can be separated from the cannabis plant. Of these, the more popular ones are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In addition to these, there are many cannabis compounds that include more than one of these cannabinoids and have been referred to as whole plant extracts. [caption id=attachment_2284 align=aligncenter width=572] The lovely final result[/caption] The process isn’t simple. It is an exact science and cannot be likened to cooking or making cannabutter for example. In addition to specific knowledge about the plant, this process requires laboratory equipment and proper safety measures. The process needs to be carried out with great care so that the final product is safe for use by human beings. Supercritical CO2 extraction is one of the many techniques applied to the extraction of cannabis. Before delving into more details about this form of extraction, it is important to briefly understand the other techniques that are popularly used for cannabis extraction. Common Types of Cannabis Extraction Methods Compared There are many different methods that are commonly used for c