If you’re new to the world of medical marijuana, you might be wondering what cannabis concentrates are. And if you’ve been using concentrates for a while now, they’re probably pretty familiar to you. Cannabis concentrates, just like concentrates of anything else, are obtained through an extraction process and contain all the good parts of medical marijuana without the excess packaging (flowers, stems, etc.). They are available in a wide array of forms such as oils, wax, glass, shatter, and oral tinctures. Keep reading to learn 5 things you may not know about cannabis concentrates.
Cannabis Concentrates Are Made from Frosty Strings
Concentrates are made from the part of the medical marijuana plant called trichomes, which are small growths on the plant’s surface. These small growths look like frost-covered strings. Inside of these trichomes are the cannabinoids (CBD, THC, etc.) and terpenes. These are the parts of the plant that create different aromas and effects in different strains. Without trichomes, you would not be able to benefit from the effects of medical marijuana.
Not All Concentrates Are Extracts
While all extracts are concentrates, not all concentrates can be considered extracts. What’s the difference? The way trichomes (those frosty strings) are obtained. Extracts are created using alcohol, carbon dioxide, and other solvents to extract the trichomes. Cannabis concentrates that are not extracts include rosin, dry sift, and kief. Straight concentrates are created by physically removing the trichomes from the plant.
There are 7 Concentrate Textures
Cannabis concentrates come in seven different textures. One texture is called shatter, which is a brittle texture, much like glass. However, shatter can also be a taffy consistency. Concentrates can also come in a batter or budder texture. These are easy to manipulate and will remind you of cake batter and butter. Crumble is a texture that is just what it sounds like — a crumbly texture. Concentrates can also come in a sugar texture (think the sugar you put in your coffee) and sauce texture (stickier than other textures). The final texture is crystalline, which are literally crystals made from the trichomes.
Cannabis Concentrates Have a High Potency
Did you know there are benefits to using concentrates? One of the benefits of cannabis concentrates is the potency. Flowers have a potency of about 10–25% THC. Concentrates can have a potency percentage of anywhere between 50 and 90%. It’s best to speak with licensed medical marijuana pharmacists or Patient Care Consultants (PCC) at any of our PA medical marijuana dispensaries about concentrates in order to get the right dosage for you.
There are Multiple Ways to Ingest Concentrates
If you’re reading this, you probably want to know how to ingest concentrates. A popular way to ingest cannabis concentrates is with vaporizers, including pre-filled vape pens and handheld vapes with batteries. Vaping with a pre-filled vape pen or handheld is a more discreet way of ingesting them. If you feel comfortable using a vaporizer, make sure to stay up to date on our tips for vaping for beginners and patients with more experience.
Cannabis concentrates are just one of the ways that medical marijuana is available to you. It’s important to educate yourself on the available types of medical marijuana so that you can have informed conversations with your pharmacist or PCC at your local medical marijuana dispensaries.
Visit us at LA Rush of our locations or check out our cannabis concentrates menus to see what cannabis concentrates are available to you.