What Are Cannabis Concentrates: Uses, Types & More

Cannabis concentrates are potent products derived from the cannabis plant. Through processes that extract cannabinoids and terpenes, cannabis concentrates are made to hit you hard, delivering a potent high.

From waxes and oils to shatter and live resin, concentrates vary in texture and intensity, but all have one thing in common: a little of it goes a long way.

Marijuana concentrates can be smoked, vaporized, or eaten. The most common way to consume concentrates is via a smoking process called dabbing. Dabbing requires a special type of water pipe, called an oil rig. 

A titanium, quartz, or glass “nail” is heated to temperatures between 315 and 900℉ to properly dab. A small amount of concentrate is applied to the heated nail as the consumer inhales from the water pipe. 

Cannabis concentrates can also be used in vaporizers and to fill favor pen cartridges. Similarly, they can be added to drinks and foods to make fast-infused edibles. Both cannabis and hemp oils are also added to balms and lotions for topical application. 

There are many different types of cannabis concentrates with varying extraction methods.

A popular concentrate used in vape cartridges and oral syringes, similar to BHO but often loses terpenes during extraction. To offset this, terpenes are typically added back into the final product after CO2 extraction occurs. 

A glass-like BHO variant. Post-extraction, it’s purged in a vacuum oven to remove impurities, giving it its distinctive texture. Agitation can change its structure, making it cloudy. Bloomble’s D8 Shatter delivers smooth, potent effects that craft a stimulatory experience for users.

A type of BHO, budder is whipped and heated following extraction to produce its creamy consistency. Badder is more oily and loose, similar to the actual cake batter. Dabblicious Extracts offers an award-winning budder, like the Lemon Banana concentrate with over 61% THC, providing a truly top-tier dabbing experience, especially when used with a clean rig. 

A BHO or propane hash oil (PHO) derivative, wax has a dense consistency and notoriously high THC levels. Post-cooling agitation gives it an opaque, granular texture. Binoid’s high-potency Delta 8 THC wax dabs, with 92% D8 distillate, come in six distinct strains. 

Yet another BHO, live resin is produced by flash-freezing cannabis flower following harvest to preserve cannabinoids and terpenes. It varies from a thick honey-like substance to a more granular form depending on the curing process used. Oregon-based Dirty Arm Farm offers tasty, high-quality live resin. 

A non-solvent product, bubble hash uses cold temperatures and agitation to separate resin glands from plant material. It has a soft, mousse-like consistency with an amber-to-brown coloration.

Another solventless cannabis concentrate, rosin is produced via extraction techniques utilizing extreme heat and pressure. It presents an amber, semi-translucent substance.

A standard cannabis concentrate – best when free of harmful additives like PG and PEG. 

A notch below pure THC. Highly potent and produced through a complex process involving solvent extraction, ethanol treatment, and heat distillation. ‘The Clear’ offers a potent, nearly colorless, and tasteless THC distillate.

The purified form of THC, akin to pharmaceutical-grade THC. Guild Extracts is a reliable source for your high-quality THC isolate purchases.

Akin to THC isolate and a 99.9% pure THC concentrate, produced using advanced techniques. Once again, Guild Extracts pioneers the space with their offering of a THC-acid crystalline product with powerful potency when heated.

Mirroring THC crystalline, but featuring CBD. It’s extracted from high-CBD plants and processed into purified CBD crystals. CBDistillery’s high-purity powder would be an excellent isolate CBD choice for consumption, easily added to your favorite drinks and foods!

Also known as terp juice, terp sap retains all terpenes and crucial cannabis molecules. This concentrate has various unnecessary axes and lipids removed, leaving behind potent, terpene-rich juice and cannabinoid crystals. British Columbia-based Elevated Extracts offers an excellent terp sap with impressive cannabinoid and terpenoid concentrations. 

With many names, Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) is a full-spectrum cannabis concentrate resulting from the crude extract of dried cannabis plants, often using grain alcohol or ethanol. This black or dark brown oil is a favorite amongst medical cannabis users for its diverse-ranging benefits. 

Imagine your favorite fruit juice concentrate, filled to the brim with the flavor of fresh fruit without any of the pulp. That’s the essence of cannabis concentrates – they distill the most delightful elements of the plant, packing a potent punch of cannabinoids and terpenes while leaving out unwanted plant material. When you weigh out a gram of raw cannabis flower and a gram of concentrate, you’ll discover the concentrate is the true powerhouse of cannabinoids and terpenes. 

The secret behind these captivating concentrates lies in tiny, gleaming formations called trichomes – the guardians of the cannabis plant’s prized compounds, including aromatic terpenes.

Cannabis concentrates are a versatile bunch. You can enjoy their purest form, add a sprinkle to your joint for a potent twist, or fold them into your culinary creations for a precise cannabinoid dose. Created through a process involving the mechanical separation of THC and CBD from plant material, cannabis concentrates can take on many final forms, such as kief, hash, or rosin. Separation techniques can include hand-sifting or water and ice methods to isolate resinous compounds. 

Cannabis extracts are a type of cannabis concentrate that relies on solvents to extract desirable compounds. Just as alcohol is used to draw the delicious vanillin flavor from vanilla beans to create a vanilla extract, varying solvents can be used to craft cannabis extracts. Solvents range from butane to propane, which separates important oils from plant matter. Following this, solvents are then purged which results in products like shatter, wax, and oil. 

In contrast, not all concentrates are extracts as some skip the solvents altogether, opting for a more mechanical or physical method to extract the trichomes. Rosin and Kief are great examples of such solventless concentrates. 

Comparing cannabis concentrates to extracts– they share many common traits, although textures and appearances can vary greatly. The cannabis extracts separation methods allow for greater removal of contaminants from the desired compound and also tend to have more consistent cannabinoid profiles, making them ideal for consumers preferring a consistent dosage. Concentrates lean on physical processes and tend to gain more of the plant’s natural components, including flavonoids and lipids that can affect overall flavor and experience. 

Choosing between cannabis concentrates and extracts often comes down to personal preference, the desired experience, or specific medical needs. 

For a truly enjoyable dabbing experience, your e-rig must meet (maybe even exceed) the quality of your concentrates.

Make the most of your dabs with the Yocan Black SIP. This is a highly functional, impressively discreet concentrate vaporizer that looks just like a fancy beverage cup.

But inside that cup is a water reservoir for maximum filtration, a powerful 1800mAh battery, and a Cloud² Chamber for the smoothest, most delicious dabs you’ll ever try.

It also features RGB lighting and a vibrating alert system to help you keep track of everything from temperatures (490°F to 545°F) to session time.

Coming complete with a dab tool, a glass straw, and a metal straw, the Yocan Black SIP has to be one of the most convenient and discreet e-rigs on the market.

Order yours today and experience these standout features for yourself.

Given the strength of cannabis concentrates, understanding dosing can be critical for a safe and enjoyable experience. This section aims to guide you through the basics of dosing and the effects you can expect to experience following consumption. 

Size does matter when it comes to the power-packed punch concentrates can deliver – start low and go slow definitely applies here. Think of starting with a small crumbly piece for your dab, vape, or a sprinkle of kief or wax on your joint or bowl – just enough to make your regular smoke feel like it’s been hit with a delightful, flavor-enhancing spike. 

Remember, fellow thrill-seekers, your perfect dose is as unique as you are. Dosing can be akin to picking out your ideal amusement park ride – some enjoy the adrenaline rush that a rocket ride can give, while others prefer the more gentle touch of a merry-go-round. There’s no right or wrong, just different levels of thrill. Listen to your body, experiment, and find your ideal!

Depending on the specific product and consumption method, the effects of cannabis concentrates can range from subtle to intense and can onset slowly or rapidly. 

Immediate and potent effects are typical following dabbing or vaping of cannabis concentrates due to near-instant absorption. More subtle and gradual effects are typical following the consumption of edibles infused with cannabis concentrates, taking anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours for it to kick in. Contrastingly, topical application of cannabis concentrates can offer localized relief.