Medical cannabis concentrates are highly potent products created by extracting the desirable compounds (cannabinoids and terpenes) from the cannabis plant, leaving behind excess plant material. They are significantly more potent than traditional cannabis flower, with THC levels often ranging from 40% to over 90%, compared to flower which typically measures around 10-25%.
Common Types of Concentrates
Concentrates come in a wide variety of textures and consistencies.
Shatter: A hard, translucent, and brittle concentrate that easily breaks into pieces, resembling glass.
Wax (Badder/Budder/Crumble): These concentrates have a soft, malleable, wax-like, or crumbly texture. The consistency can range from a creamy butter to a dry, honeycomb structure, depending on how they are processed.
Oils (Hash Oil, RSO, Distillate): These are viscous liquids that can be used in vape cartridges, taken orally, or used to make edibles and topicals. Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), for example, is a full-plant extract often used by medical patients.
Rosin: A potent, solventless concentrate produced by applying heat and pressure to the cannabis material. It is prized for its purity and rich terpene profile.
Live Resin: Made from flash-frozen cannabis plants, this type preserves a high amount of the plant’s original terpenes, resulting in a product with a strong aroma and flavor.
Common Consumption Methods
Dabbing: This is the most potent and fast-acting method, using specialized equipment to vaporize the concentrate.
Equipment needed: A dab rig (water pipe), a “nail” or “banger” (heating surface), a torch (or an e-nail for precise temperature control), and a dab tool.
Process: Heat the nail with a torch (or e-nail), let it cool to the ideal temperature (around 450°F-650°F), apply a tiny amount of concentrate (half a grain of rice is a good starting point) to the nail with a dab tool, cover with a carb cap, and inhale the vapor.
Vaping: A more discreet and portable option that uses a concentrate vaporizer or pre-filled vape cartridge.
Equipment needed: A compatible vape pen/vaporizer device.
Process: Load the concentrate into the heating chamber (for dab pens) or attach a pre-filled cartridge to the battery. Heat the device and inhale the vapor through the mouthpiece.
Adding to Flower: For an extra potency boost, some concentrates (like wax, kief, or crumble) can be sprinkled into a joint or on top of a bowl of traditional cannabis flower.
Process: Sprinkle the concentrate evenly with the flower before rolling or lighting. Be aware that concentrates burn differently than flower, which may result in an uneven burn.
Edibles and Tinctures: Concentrates can be infused into oils or butter for homemade edibles, or purchased as pre-made oils, tinctures, or capsules.
Process: Ingest them orally. Note that the effects of edibles take longer to kick in but are more intense and last longer.
Topicals: Concentrates can be mixed into creams or balms for localized relief of muscle and joint pain, without typical psychoactive effects.