Cannabis concentrates have some of the highest amounts of THC you can ingest. You can use them in various ways, but if you are unfamiliar with them, you may feel lost about how to start. Or, worse, you may misuse it and cause yourself to have a bad high.
At Cannabis & Glass, we not only dispense THC products but also educate our customers on the different forms of THC and how to use THC concentrate. This article will focus on what is in this consumable and the best ways to use it!
Start shopping online or call our Oregon dispensary location at (541) 907-1234 to learn more!
What Is Marijuana Concentrate
Marijuana concentrate, also called weed or THC concentrate, is the chemical product of the plant without the plant material. Manufacturers and homemakers create it by distilling the plant to different components through either solvent-based or solventless extraction methods. Without the additional plant parts, the results produce higher THC levels with a cleaner taste and stronger effect.
The concentrate comes from trichomes, the small, clear crystal-like structures you often see on the leaves of high-quality, well-maintained cannabis plants. There are various methods to remove those pale structures and change them into different concentrated forms. The crystals contain the cannabinoids and terpenes that cause the high we experience.
There are many types of concentrate, from inhalants to edibles to dabs and many more. For the sake of this article, we will focus on the production methods, whether solvent-based or solventless. Each type helps determine how to use THC concentrate and your consumption method.
Solvent-Based Weed Concentrate
Also called weed extracts, these concentrates use a solvent to come to form. These often have a waxy or more malleable consistency and texture. Some of the most common solvents used to make these are:
- Ethanol
- Butane
- CO2
- Propane
Manufacturers specify the solvent used to make their products, including Butane Hash Oil (BHO) or Propane Hash Oil (PHO). The extract can be semi-solid or liquid. They can also be gooey wax or shatter wax, the former often simply called wax and the latter called shatter.
Solventless Weed Concentrate
Solventless weed concentrates are not extracts because the makers did not use a solvent to extract the trichomes. Instead, manufacturers and homemakers use pressure, heat, sieves, and other physical methods to remove the trichomes from the plant. Most, like kief and bubble hash, do not have a waxy texture like rosin, being crumbly and sugar-like in composition.
Solventless concentrates are the original forms that started before THC production and distribution became more commercialized. People made and still make them with hot irons, cold water baths, and wire meshes. Nowadays, many dispensaries have more solvent-based concentrates than solventless.
The Best Methods for Using Concentrates
The kind of marijuana concentrate you want to use helps determine how you use it. For example, it is better to smoke some concentrates and extracts and dab or cook with others. Here are the most well-known concentrate consumption methods and which work best with each type of concentrate.
Inhalation or Smoking
If smoking a blunt, you would be better off topping it with either shatter wax or a dry solventless concentrate. However, if you are using a vape pen, there are many solvent-based THC oils you can use with different flavors and smells.
Dabbing
Dabbing is similar to smoking, but you flash-vaporize the concentrate and inhale the smoke. Additionally, you use specialized dabbing tools, like dabbers and rigs. Solvent-based concentrates work best for dabbing, as the waxy substance heats and evaporates quickly with a torch.
Edibles
Making edibles is process of cooking your concentrate into the food you eat for later. You should only use solventless concentrates for edibles because you would not want to eat propane or butane. Kief and bubble hash work great for making cannabutter for weed brownies.
Where You Can Get Your Marijuana Concentrate
Not only do we know how to use THC concentrate, but we also sell them. Cannabis & Glass is Ontario, Oregon’s largest dispensary, with hundreds of products to choose from. Our menu is available online for you to view at your leisure.
Call our Oregon location at (541) 907-1234 for any questions! We are here to help you enjoy your high safely and responsibly.
