What Are Cannabis Concentrates And How To Use Them

It is believed that we have been using cannabis concentrates for over 12,000 years. Several millennia ago, the ancient Chinese used the cannabis plant in their medicine. However, cannabis concentrates have only recently reached mainstream consumers.

When it comes to cannabis concentrates, you may encounter a world of confusing cannabis products. What are they? How many varieties are there? How are they extracted? These are the first questions that come to your mind.

Cannabis concentrates have different chemical compositions. THC, CBD, or terpenes can vary significantly from one product to another. The chemical makeup depends, primarily, on how the concentrate is extracted. Other important questions are: how is it refined? What are the remaining compounds in the final product? In the diverse world of cannabis, concentrates are an essential part whether they are in full view, like weed oil in vaporizer cartridges or flying under the radar in edibles. 

Below, we’ll take a look at cannabis concentrates, joint types, and different ways to use them.

Cannabis Concentrates; Basic Facts

The surface of cannabis plants is covered with fine outgrowths or appendages called trichomes. They are microscopic, mushroom-shaped, hair-like, glistening structures that mainly surround the budding marijuana flower and produce cannabinoids. Trichomes are used to make cannabis concentrates containing very high amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC, the psychotropic ingredient in marijuana.

“Cannabis concentrate” refers to various products with extremely high THC content. Any product derived from the hemp plant can be distilled into a concentrated form. It includes all cannabinoids and terpenes that are naturally produced in cannabis flowers.

Because cannabis concentrates come in a range of textures, it’s not always possible to tell them apart just by looking at them. The texture of the cannabis products (extracts and concentrates) determines how you process or ingest the product. You may dab or vaporize wax concentrates or sprinkle them on a blunt or joint.

Production of Cannabis Concentrates

A cannabis concentrate is the product of the distillation process that aims to remove unnecessary chemicals of the original plant and retain the most desirable parts– i.e., all the cannabinoids and terpenes. The goal is to preserve the popular compounds that play a role in potency, flavour, and aroma during the process. 

Cannabis concentrates, sometimes called marijuana, contain more terpenes and cannabinoids than raw cannabis flowers. The distillation process concentrates the plant into a much smaller, often gooey substance.

Cannabinoids

Scientists have detected over 110 different cannabinoids and over 120 terpenes in Cannabis sativa. Cannabinoids have unique physicochemical properties. Here, we’re interested in their interaction with the human body’s endocannabinoid system. THC and CBD are by far the best-known cannabinoids.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

THC is a psychoactive ingredient in the cannabis plant, and it’s primarily responsible for the euphoric feeling associated with cannabis products. Cannabis concentrates are usually very potent because they contain high levels of THC (around 50-90%), while the original flower contains only 10-25% THC. 

Consumers can use the THC-rich concentrates by vaporizing and inhaling with a vape pen or dabbing. Some other concentrates contain even higher doses of THC for heavy users, such as Mota Magnum THC Tincture 10,000 Mg. 

Terpenes

The effects, aroma, and flavour associated with any cannabis product are due to the cannabinoids and terpenes. The marijuana terpenes not only give the different cannabis strains their particular taste but can also alter or enhance the psychoactive and medicinal effects.

Concentrates, Extracts, and Dabs; What’s the Difference

Although not all cannabis concentrates are extracts, all extracts are concentrates.

When it comes to cannabis, there’s a subtle difference between the terms concentrate and extract; therefore, we refrain from using them interchangeably. Cannabis concentrates are made without using solvents but mechanical/physical methods to accumulate trichomes. 

Concentrates are made without solvents and include, for example, dry sift (kief) and rosin. Concentrates are a broader class of substances and refer to all products extracted from the cannabis plant.

On the other hand, cannabis extracts are a particular concentrate made using a solvent. For instance, in the production of vanilla extract, alcohol is used as a solvent to draw the favourable flavour component, vanillin, from the vanilla pods. When making a cannabis extract, you can also use alcohol as the solvent. 

Also, other solvents can be utilized, such as butane in butane hash oil (BHO) and supercritical CO2 in cannabis wax extracts. Dabs refer to products made from BHO only; colloquially, dabs are sometimes used instead of concentrates extracted in other ways. Moreover, post-processing methods also lead to further variations in products and terms.

There are various types of cannabis, e.g., different textures, and can also be taken in different ways, including orally, topically (transdermal patches), and as edibles. Depending on the composition, cannabis concentrates and extracts can be consumed pure, sprinkled into a joint to alter potency, or incorporated into edibles.

Well-Known Types of Cannabis Concentrates

When it comes to cannabis concentrates, where each variant has its unique characteristics and level of effectiveness, the world is your oyster. There are various methods to extract cannabis; there are also many different concentrates and extracts to choose from.  

Solvent-Based Extraction

There are strong objections to solvent-based concentrates because it is believed that the corresponding end products aren’t clean (pure). In particular, the use of butane or propane also carries some risk.

Solvent-based extractions can be risky in a DIY sense. However, advances in methodology mean that companies can use certified lab technicians and hi-tech equipment to manufacture clean, safe, pure cannabis concentrates utilizing solvents to extract the plant material. 

These companies use closed-loop approaches to avoid airborne chemicals during the extraction process. Solvent-based extractions are considered more potent and result in a full spectrum of cannabinoids and terpenes. Since the flower extract isn’t agitated, the bud’s chemical composition remains intact, preserving the terpenes.

It is expected to solve the problem of impurities through a process called “purging.” Whether you use CO2, butane, propane, or alcohol as a solvent, you should ideally purge after extraction to remove all residual solvent. “purging” can refer to vacuuming, hand-whipping, or evaporation.

Let’s analyze the famous solvent-based cannabis concentrate products.

CO2 Oil: Oil concentrates are liquid, thick, and commonly made with CO2. This extraction method is very fashionable because it doesn’t need high temperatures for the extraction process. The extraction process also retains more terpenes, which helps to preserve the pure flavour and aroma. 

The extraction process involves using CO2 to extract oil from the cannabis plant. Oil concentrates are sometimes called CO2 oil and are often used in disposable vapes and vape cartridges. 

Extracting CO2 oil requires using a process known as supercritical extraction, which involves significant pressure and carbon dioxide to break down and separate the plant material. High-quality CO2 concentrates have an amber colour and a low residual solvent. However, most producers add different ingredients to modify (reduce) the overall potency of the product oil.

Some cannabis concentrates come in oral forms, such as edibles and tinctures; Mota 1:1 Sleep Tincture is an excellent example of such products.

Butane Hash Oil (BHO): Butane hash oil, also called hydrocarbon extracts, are cannabis concentrates that, as the name suggests, use butane and propane as a pressurized chemical solvent. The physicochemical properties of these solvents allow for a closed-loop process that separates the essential oils from the hemp plant. 

The extraction is done by forcing butane through the hemp flower. The butane is removed from the trichomes by heating until a waxy material is formed.

Hydrocarbon extracts are popular with extraction experts because they preserve the original cannabinoids and terpenes better than other approaches that can ruin the plant’s chemical composition. BHO extracts vary in potency, but the most common type of product is used in dabbing. 

Distillate: The distillates are produced by molecular distillation. In this process, the cannabinoids and terpenes of the marijuana flowers are heated and vaporized using high-tech scientific equipment. The vapour is transported to a cooling system and collected in containers.

Butane or CO2 hash oil is refined with ethanol or other alcohols, cooled to extreme temperatures, and then further distilled to increase THC concentration. The process is done in a loop with relatively pure cannabinoids and the least amount of solvent residue.

Wax: This one is perhaps the most common cannabis concentrate and is usually consumed by dabbing. This concentrate is made using a closed-loop extraction network and a solvent. The wax is processed like shatter with a butane extraction. The substance has a sludgy form and is processed (heated) at low temperatures to protect the cannabinoids and terpenes.

The key difference between the resulting concentrates is consistency. The differences in inconsistencies are due to the level of moisture and heat in the extraction process. Wax is crumbly and dry, while budder looks similar to wax but has higher water content and looks like butter (yellow and golden).

There are striking similarities between wax and shatter; the wax is much softer, has a gooier texture, and feels very sticky to the touch. Due to its stickiness and waxiness, this texture concentrate often needs a dabbing tool, dab rig or vape.

Shatter: Shatter is an amber-coloured, sometimes cloudy concentrate whose preparation resembles wax, i.e., it involves a closed-loop approach and solvent chemical. In this case, the slurry is placed on parchment paper, and a vacuum oven is used for purging.

The resulting material is continuously and repeatedly “burped” to remove the remaining solvent and eventually lay down over the paper. Ultimately, the resulting shatter can be easily broken into pieces. The resulting material is called “taffy” if not adequately cleaned. Both taffy and shatter have an amber colour. 

This concentrate is produced by BHO hydrocarbon extraction and resembles glass; it can be “broken” into several pieces. Shatter is a sticky, hard, candy-like substance that is claimed to be the purest form of cannabis concentrate; shatter is typically pushed through another filtration process to obtain its very high potency.

Solventless Cannabis Concentrates

Solventless concentrates are made without solvent chemicals. You can further process these concentrates through various stages of filtration. Let’s look at the common types of solventless concentrates:

Rosin: Most solventless concentrates are made by applying pressure and heat to cannabis flowers– or more commonly, just the buds, and rosin is no exception. Rosin is a thick syrup-like yellowish texture that significantly preserves the plant’s terpenes and aromas.

Rosin is often produced with a hydraulic press, which can be operated even at home, making it a popular method for DIYers.

Budder: Budder-sometimes referred to as batter, worse, or even cake batter-is a solventless hash oil made by manipulating rosin and heating it slightly to obtain its dough-like texture. It is believed that this creamier consistency makes it easier to dab, and the flavours are more decadent.

Potential Risks & Side Effects of Cannabis Concentrates

We need additional research to understand how different cannabis concentrates affect the brain and body thoroughly compared to smoking dried marijuana buds. It’s almost certain that any marijuana use has adverse effects. Cannabis concentrates contain very high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). 

Solvent-based concentrates tend to be particularly potent, with a documented average THC content of around 50-70% and sometimes even over 80%. These THC levels are compared to those of non-solvent extraction methods, where the average THC content is between 40-60%.

Not only do concentrates contain high levels of THC, but consumers (e.g., dabbers) can inhale the entire THC dose in a single breath. Therefore, concentrates can quickly deliver enormous amounts of THC to the body.

The risk of physical and mental dependence increases with the ingestion of high THC concentrations. Higher THC doses are more likely to cause paranoia, anxiety, and agitation.

In addition, impurities in cannabis concentrates are a growing concern. One study showed that 80% of concentrate samples tested were contaminated to some degree, not only with pesticides (a problem with dried bud) but also with residual solvents that were not eliminated during the manufacturing process.

Users of butane hash oil (BHO), for example, are most likely inhaling some butane with the vaporized THC, among other contaminants. Inhaling concentrated butane directly poses several risks; be careful!

How to Consume Cannabis Concentrates

You can consume concentrates in various ways, including smoking, vaping or infused products such as topicals or edibles. These days, the easiest method to enjoy a concentrate is to use a prefilled cartridge. 

The most favourable ways to ingest cannabis concentrates are:

• dabbing
• adding to flower 
• vaporizing.

Let’s analyze these methods.

Dabbing

The process of heating and inhaling the vaporized cannabis concentrates using a dab rig is called dabbing. Traditionally, dabbing was done with a water pipe and a blowtorch. However, with the introduction of e-rigs and dab pens, the consumption method has become more straightforward than ever.

Dabbing is the primary method of using concentrates. This method requires a dab rig, a device made for dabbing. Consider buying a small rig as you will enjoy a better flavour. 

The first step in dabbing is to fill the rig with water. It is recommended to fill the rig so that the water is up to five inches above the downstream or diffuser. Test the water level by inhaling through the mouthpiece; if you inhale some water into your mouth, you have filled it with too much water!

Second, insert your nail (also called a banger) into the joint; the rig’s joints come in sizes like 10mm, 14mm, and 18mm. Then, heat the nail with the torch until it glows. Put a little concentrate on the nail and repeat the process at least twice while the nail cools.

Put some cannabis concentrate on the glowing nail and inhale the vapour when ready to dab. You don’t need a large concentration to get high, so use small amounts at first to test your tolerance.

owl Topping

Bowl topping involves adding cannabis concentrate to the flower to give it an extra kick. This way, you enjoy the potency without overdoing it or repeating it.

If you are using a bong or pipe, you can sprinkle a little concentrate into the bowl with the flower. If you are more into joints or blunts, sprinkle in a little concentrate as you roll; this method is called “twaxing.” If your concentrate has a stretchy consistency, you can draw a line around the outside of the blunt or joint!

Consumers usually prefer bubble hash as far as toppings go, as the burn characteristics are similar to the flower. Remember that bubble hash can stay lit if too much heat is absorbed, so extinguish the flame as soon as possible. It is highly recommended to keep the flame close enough to melt the bubble hash but does not combust.

Adding cannabis concentrates to flowers is an attractive option. You can start with a layer of flowers, then sprinkle on a dose of concentrate, and finally add more flowers on top. The top layer prevents the concentrate from self-igniting and burning off any potentially beneficial cannabinoids before inhaling. The bottom layer prevents the sticky residue from clogging the bowl.

Vaporizers

You can still have a desktop vaporizer, but a growing number of users are opting for portable vape devices like pens. Basic vape pens allow you to concentrate into the chamber and turn it into vapour; all you have to do is inhale! Special instruments are available that will enable you to set a specific temperature. This option is crucial if you get as many cannabinoids and terpenes as possible.

How to Properly Store Cannabis Concentrates

Although cannabis concentrates seem to have a shelf life, they are temperature sensitive, so you should store them properly. It would be best if you stored concentrates in an airtight container in a cool, dark place to best keep them from deteriorating (more specifically, drying out). 

If you do not store your concentrates properly – in a warm or permeable container, for example – they would melt and lose their cannabinoids, terpenes, and aroma. These two tools will help you store your concentrates properly:

• Parchment Paper: To prevent the sticky consistency from sticking to surfaces.
• Silicone Containers: They’re unbreakable, reusable, non-stick and easy to clean.

It may happen that the glass or plastic containers provided by dispensaries aren’t non-stick, and the concentrate sticks to the surface. In that case, you can use a container made of heat-resistant tempered glass.

Bottom Line

If you would like access to concentrates – such as tinctures, shatter, budders, etc. – please get in touch with us and try out our high-quality products.