If you are on the email lists for any cannabis dispensaries, you are likely seeing products advertised under the subheading of “concentrates”. It’s a category of marijuana products that can seem intimidating, especially for seniors who are newer to incorporating cannabis into their lifestyles.
The potential negatives with concentrates should be recognized and similar to with edibles, they center around overconsumption. Concentrates, as their name implies, are stronger than most other cannabis products. Their THC content may not be as high as some vape cartridges, but it packs a more powerful punch, so proceed quite slowly.
Here are some common types of cannabis concentrates along with what makes them unique:
Hash:
It’s typically a dark brown or greenish compact substance. It’s made by compressing the resin (kief) of the cannabis plant. Compared to some of the stickier concentrates below, hash can be more easily sprinkled onto a joint or on top of flower in a bowl or joint.
Kief:
It resembles the fine particles that accumulate in the bottom of a cannabis flower grinder. It’s a powdery substance that makes an intense add-on topping on flower before smoking.
Budder/Wax:
As the name implies, this is a soft (mushy, yellowish) texture. The consistency can be likened to butter or wax. It’s produced using a solvent (such as butane) extraction method.
Shatter:
Unlike most of the other concentrates, Shatter can typically be broken apart into distinct pieces. This enables you to place it’s hard, glass-like consistency in a bowl on top of flower or into a concentrate smoking apparatus.. Shatter is a particular texture of a butane hash oil (BHO) extract.
Distillate:
This usually is sold in a syringe. It’s a highly refined oil containing pure cannabinoids with almost no terpenes or other plant compounds. Like Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) mentioned below, many people (start by) squeezing out an amount equivalent to a grain of rice and ingesting it on a cracker (or some other food).
Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)
This is a thick, tar-like oil that can be ingested or applied topically. It’s a full-spectrum extract, meaning it contains all the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds found in the plant. Many use indica RSO to assist with sleeping.
Each type of concentrate has its own methods of consumption. Some are best suited for dabbing, others for vaporizing, eating, or even applying topically. Go slow and figure out which forms of concentrates are best suited for you.
Lastly, please keep in mind that most (not all) concentrates are strain specific. So, it’s not just a question of which form factor you prefer, but strain and type (Sativa, Hybrid, Indica) are key factors in how you’ll feel as well.