While terms like “bong,” “toke,” “hit,” “high,” “pre-roll,” “mary jane,” etc. are probably known to most, including even to many non-cannabis users, the world of cannabis has its own lexicon that far extends beyond words and phrases that have been a part of popular culture and mainstream media for decades. Here are ten cannabis terms you might not know or ever heard of before.
Do you know what the difference between live resin and live rosin is? Have you ever been in a dispensary and heard a budtender use a phrase like “This is a great dab for your oil rig” and not known what they meant, but felt a little too shy or self-conscious to ask, and instead just nodded your head knowingly? If you feel “embarrassed” to be looking up cannabis-related terminologies, don’t be! New products etc. are always coming out and every generation creates its own vernacular.
The fact is, it’s likely that even the most seasoned users don’t know every single cannabis slang or definition out there. So, there is no shame in not being familiar with every phrase you hear uttered in a dispensary or come across online. That said, while ignorance can be bliss, knowledge gives you agency and power. As such, I would like to share ten cannabis terms that you’ve either maybe heard before but not fully known what they meant or even some that have never crossed your ears before.
10 Cannabis Terms You Might Not Know
BHO (Butane Hash Oil): While using BHO is not dangerous, the process of making it is. In short, by dissolving the cannabis plant in a solvent via the usage of butane, a thick oil, aka “honey oil,” is created. This said oil can contain as much as 80-90% THC.
BHO goes by many other names such as “honeycomb,” “crumble,” “wax,” “shatter,” “budder,” “sauce” etc. due to the fact that it can greatly vary in terms of texture, consistency, and appearance. All of which fall under the umbrella of the slang “dabs.” Dabbing is the most common method for consuming BHO.
Concentrates: These are potent substances that are created by dissolving cannabis plants in a solvent. The THC content for a concentrate is quite high. BHO is a good example of a concentrate.
Dabs/Dabbing: As previously mentioned, dabs such as BHO, wax, shatter, etc. are most commonly consumed via dabbing. This involves the usage of a special water pipe known as an “oil rig,” where the dabs are flash vaporized and then inhaled. The reason that some users prefer dabbing is that the effects are pretty much immediate.
Dab Nail / Nail: While there are many kinds of dab nails, more commonly–nail, that exist, a nail is basically a shallow dish that is attached to an oil rig. It is heated to an extremely high temperature via the use of a blow torch or electronic heater coil. Once the nail is hot enough you drop your dab onto its surface where it is then vaporized for your inhaling pleasure.
E-Nail (Electronic Nail): This is an electronic concentrate vaporizer that is used for dabs, which makes it possible for dabbers to choose and maintain a specific temperature. It is a much safer alternative to open flame setups for exactly that reason–you’re not having to use a blowtorch to heat the nail and dab.
Live Resin: This is a type of concentrate extracted from frozen cannabis that’s somewhere between a wax and a sauce in terms of its consistency. Live resin is extracted from frozen cannabis. Its popularity amongst dabbers is usually on account of it having a very high THC content and being much richer in flavor than other concentrates. Although not always, it is usually dark yellow in color and is notoriously sticky.
Live Rosin: Usually amber in color, live rosin is considered a high-end “solventless concentrate.” This means that, unlike live resin, it’s extracted from cannabis plants via high heat and pressure without the use of chemical solvents. It is usually cheaper than live resin, as extracting it is less difficult than for live resin.
Medibles: While plenty of folks know what edibles are, depending on where you live, you may not have come across this word before. Medibles is slang for “marijuana” + “edibles” that was coined as a way to connect with medical cannabis users as it sounds so similar to “medicine.”
Oil Rig: Also known as a “rig,” this is a specialized water pipe used for dabbing BHO or crumble, etc. Dabs are set on a nail that’s attached to the oil rig and are heated by a blowtorch in order to flash vaporize them. If the thought of using a blowtorch sounds a little too next level for you, you could also get a torch-free dabbing setup like an e-nail.
Terpy: Short for “terpenes,” which are the naturally occurring compounds responsible for how a strain tastes and smells, and sometimes even its coloration. When you hear something described as being “terpy,” the person is usually talking about the flavor of the strain or product they’re using.
