As marijuana has become legal in a lot of states, cannabis concentrates have gained popularity as well. Medical marijuana patients are turning to concentrates for their pain-relief. It is also an economical and fast-acting solution. Cannabis concentrates are more condensed than loose leaf cannabis, which is why medical marijuana patients prefer to use them with a vaporizer. Those patients, who need powerful medicine with pain relief, are recommended to use concentrates as they are much more efficient.

Before we tell you more about the many cannabis concentrates, you need to know more about concentrates.

What Are Concentrates?

Cannabis concentrates are extracts that are derived from cannabis. They contain concentrated amounts of the psychoactive compound THC and other cannabinoids and terpenes.

The concentrate products are extracted from the plant with the help of solvents like CO2 or ethanol. After the completion of the extraction, we are left with a condensed product comprising a powerful dose of medicine.

In short, Cannabis concentrates are the products that have the cannabinoids and terpenes, minus the unnecessary plant material. Small amounts of concentrates have more cannabinoids and terpenes as compared to dried flowers. Most of the flowers have 15-20% of THC, while concentrates contain 80-90% of THC.

Concentrates contain what is within the plant. In case a plant has any pesticides, they will also become concentrated. This is why you should always buy concentrates from a reliable source, a brand that makes concentrates from plants that are pesticide free.

Concentrates exist in a lot of cannabis products including edibles, oils, and tinctures. Cannabis concentrates can be highly potent as they contain strong doses of cannabinoids. You can also consume them in their purest form with dab rigs and vaporizers.

 

What Are The Different Types Of Concentrates?

There are different types of concentrates available in the market. We have broken down some common cannabis concentrates below.

Shatter

Shatter concentrate is probably the most popular form of cannabis extracts. Its consistency is like a colored piece of glass (hence the name shatter), which makes it easy to handle. Shatter is available in parchment paper because of its sticky form. This extraction is not safe for any DIY projects. You need to eliminate the solvent before you can safely consume the concentrate.

Shatter is in a solid form, and that is why it is hard to work with. You can use the final product with the help of dab rigs, vapes, and bongs.

 

Crumble

The texture of a crumble concentrate fits its name. You can easily handle it with your hands as it crumbles. It is advised that you keep the crumble in a sealed container at a cool place. However, storing crumble using parchment paper is not recommended. A silicone or a glass jar would be better suited for the purpose.

 

Rosin

Rosin doesn’t use any solvents, which makes it a different kind of concentrate. It is also the most natural extract that you will get your hands on. Rosin is created by squeezing the dry cannabis buds with the help of heat and pressure. This process is done with an industrial press but some people make it at home with the help of a hair straightener. A popular method of using rosin is by applying it to the outside of a joint.

 

Wax

We all know what wax is. However, we are talking about the wax that is a sticky form of cannabis concentrate. Wax is extremely sticky and is sold in small containers or glass jars. Because of its sticky nature, wax can be messier to handle if you don’t have any dabbing tools.

 

Cannabis Oil

Cannabis oil is famous for a lot of benefits. One of them is its effectiveness in body massage as it relieves any muscle pains. Cannabis oil is available in vaporizer pens. The cannabis oil is often made by CO2 or Butane, which makes its texture runny.

 

Budder

Budder concentrate is very much like wax but has opaque taffy-like texture. Most of the people opt for budder because of its tasty smoke. It is not as solid as shatter and it is more like wax, which makes it much easier to use. You can use budder by putting it in a bong or a pipe. You can also add it to a joint or blunt, like most of the other concentrates.

 

Tinctures

Tinctures use decarboxylated cannabis and are stored in a jar with alcohol. This mixture is stored for many weeks before it is strained and consumed. Tinctures are in a liquid form, in the color green, and have all the good stuff that has been extracted from the plant. Tinctures look like oil but are not the same. Tincture may be a concentrated form of CBD. However, the CBD is added in a small amount of distilled alcohol.

 

Live Resin

Live Resin is extracted from live plants and contains a higher percentage of terpene profiles as compared to other concentrates. While other cannabis concentrates use dry plants, live resin uses the aroma of living plants and converts it into a flavorful extract. The production process of live resin demands more work, which is why it is also a little bit more expensive.

The extraction method of live resin is complicated and as mentioned earlier, requires laboratory equipment. It is not something you can do at home and it is better to get live resin from a dispensary.

Hashish

Hashish is the most well-known cannabis concentrate. Hashish, or hash, is a cannabis concentrate that is created by separating trichomes from the plant material. After that, the resin is formed into a coherent mass. Some types of Hashish are Bubble Hash, Lebanese Hash, Super Nepalese Hash and Moroccan Slate Hash.

You can either smoke hashish or consume it in the form of an edible. If you don’t want to smoke it, then the latter option would suit you. A very common way of taking it is in brownies, which are called hash brownies. If you want to smoke it, you can roll it into a joint with some tobacco. You can also smoke it with a pipe or a hookah.

Kief

Kief is also sometimes called as pollen or dry sift. It is a powdery substance that is made from the resin glands of the cannabis bud. Kief consists of pure trichomes, hence, it is considered super potent. Kief always contains some plant particles, so it is not always 100% pure. Hash is also made from kief. You can sprinkle the kief in a joint or mix it with weed. Apart from that, you can also consume it with a hookah and pipe.