In the previous entry, we discussed the best-known marijuana extractions in Catalonia that don’t need solvents for their preparation. In this post we will learn about the riskier extractions requiring more complex techniques when handling the raw material, that is, the plant buds. By this, we are referring to the world of dabbing and budder, shatter, and wax, and the butane that binds them all!
In the United States, where access to cannabis is already regulated to a greater or lesser degree, cannabis concentrates have become as popular as buds or pre-rolls. We can take this two ways: on the one hand, these products are mostly consumed by vaping, which considerably reduces the risks associated with combustion; however, on the other hand, these products are very strong and very expensive, two variables which may increase the risks, particularly in certain vulnerable groups.
It should be remembered that cannabinoids are not soluble in water, so fats, oils or any organic solvent are needed to obtain the resin. In fact, this is why cannabis metabolites take so many days to disappear from our body after consumption. You can find out more about this in the post “Cannabis and driving: a controversial issue“.
Ethanol, also called alcohol or ethyl alcohol, was the first solvent used to extract cannabinoids. Simply put, by immersing the plant matter in alcohol to dilute the trichomes and then filtering the product, a substance similar to a tincture, a fatty oil or even a wax is obtained, that can then be refined using different techniques. In the 19th century, these extractions figured very prominently in the international pharmacopoeia, but they disappeared in the 1950s–1960s, together with all the plant extracts, in compliance with international standards. However, two or three decades ago, it was still possible to find pots with “cannabis oil” on the illicit market, that consumers usually added to the joint paper (by impregnating it and then leaving it to dry).
CBD extractions with very low THC levels are often found in different oils, for example, hemp, olive or coconut oil. These products are readily available in CBD shops or herbalists’ shops.
About 10-15 years ago, an extraction called “Rick Simpson oil” (RSO) became fashionable for oral or topical use. Initially, it was made with naphtha and, later, with isopropyl alcohol. Neither is recommendable if the intention is to preserve health and reduce risks. In fact, if you are shown an extraction and you’re told that it is made with alcohol, it’s a good idea to ask whether it’s isopropyl alcohol, as it has more added toxic substances than pure ethanol (which shouldn’t have any). Isopropyl alcohol is OK for cleaning utensils and glass pipes. On the subject of Rick Simpson oil, we would only say that all too often what is sold on the non-regulated markets is an opportunistic scam.
Instead of obtaining extractions with ethanol, different gases were used as solvents with the intention of removing more plant impurities and making consumption less harmful. Mainly butane. This change has been the cause of some of the very few deaths related to marijuana, attributed to gas explosions. RdRcannabis absolutely advises against experimenting with such inflammable products. Time and time again, we see that there is neither knowledge nor safe facilities for these extraction processes.
Butane hash oil (BHO)
This extraction method became popular in the United States and Canada at the beginning of the 21st century. The fact that liquid butane is used makes this process dangerous and complex. When it is performed by people with sufficient expertise, the results are highly appreciated for their quality and efficacy. It is not uncommon for THC concentration to reach 90% while capturing a very broad spectrum of terpenes.
The most commonly used method for consuming is by dabbing or vaping. You have to be very careful with the dose, as it can have very intense effects. The levels of cannabis tolerance of every consumer will make a difference when dabbing. Inexperienced consumers should not repeat consumption until 30 minutes after the first inhalation. Neither should they consume it regularly and, much less, compulsively. In such cases, we would be dealing with a problem use and it may be recommendable to seek external counselling.
The products made using the BHO technique have textures reminiscent of butter, honey or icing sugar, and they may be solid or resinous and ductile. Normally, they have golden, orange or yellowish hues, although they may also be completely white. After performing the extraction, it is very important to properly drain the result in order to fully remove any remains of the solvent used, as butane is toxic. This is why it should never be consumed orally. The best place for storing BHO is in the fridge, in a glass container. If the product is solid, BHO can be kept in a piece of unbleached paper or kitchen paper.
As a result of the experimentation performed in this field, an extensive range of techniques and textures have been developed, for example, budder or BHO, wax, crumble, moon rock, shatter, earwax, honeycomb, honey oil, live resin, amber glass, dry oil, rock budder…
Moon rock
This is a marijuana bud impregnated with oil containing THC and coated with Ice-O-Lator, kief or the like. It is visually very attractive and its price is very high.
Shatter
Amber-coloured and brittle, it usually contains a very high THC concentration; the effects can be very strong for someone who isn’t experienced. Careful with recoding. This concentrate form is harder to use because it is both dense and hard. Breaking it is like breaking glass, hence the name: shatter.
Wax and budder
Both have a composition similar to butter and are easy to handle. They can be easily added in a vaping pen.
Crumble
This has a texture that is closer to sugar or the crumbs of a cake or biscuit. Every time a piece is cut off, it breaks up into lots of little pieces. It is easier to handle than the oils but less easy than shatter, wax or budder.
The world of dabbing
Most of the high concentration products are not consumed efficiently using the classic consumption methods, for example, adding them to the top of a joint or heating a knife or in a hookah. However, they are closely associated with the vaping and dabbing culture. When we talk about dabbing, we are referring to the consumption of cannabis extractions using a pipe known as the bubbler, rig or bong.
Dabbing is a method for smoking concentrates by convection heating instead of by conduction heating. Convection heating is healthier, gentler and more effective because it does not “burn” or spoil the extract’s or concentrate’s essential active ingredients. The concentrate is heated at a lower temperature by indirect heat, and not by direct flame. To give an analogy, it is like when we bake a pizza in the oven at home.
On the other hand, conduction heating consists of heating the cannabis by direct contact with a surface at a high temperature. Following the analogy of the previous paragraph, in this case it’s what happens when we grill a steak.
Technology moves apace and there are already vapers that combine both techniques (convection and conduction). However, dabbing is all about convection heating.
Dabbing is an emerging culture that is intimately related to the realities of medicinal cannabis and the search for consumption methods that have the lowest possible risk for health, that is, avoiding the combustion of plant matter and inhaling vapours. However, it has expanded to a much broader culture and, among other factors, it has contributed to reviving the art of glass blowing and making it fashionable. Thousands of glass craftspeople are making a living all around the world using this rediscovered art.
Dabbing has its own jargon; one of the most typical elements is the “nail”, which is used to deposit the concentrate sample so that it starts to vaporise inside the pipe. The nail can be made of glass, titanium, quartz or ceramic. Nowadays, there are cannabis-related events that focus solely on dabbing and the panoply of glass pipes. One important precaution to take when dabbing is not to burn yourself, as a lighter with a high-temperature flame is used to melt the sample and various parts of the pipe become very hot.
One of the features around which the cannabis culture increasingly gravitates is the terpene kingdom. In part, it is related to the vaping experience and the potential it offers to appreciate the different terpene profiles in cannabis. As the high temperatures are not conducive to enjoying the terpenes, vaping and dabbing technology has evolved continuously during the last five years. In fact, it has only just started. We leave for future blog posts a discussion of supercritical extractions (CO2), molecular separation or BHO distillates that can reach cannabinoid concentrations of 99.8%.
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