A Lil' Dab Will Do
By Paysen Hamilton - Shift Lead & Paraphernalia Specialist
In the ever expanding cannabis industry there are a multitude of way to get THC into your body. In recent years the act of flash vaporizing more commonly known as "dabbing" has become popular among the younger generation of stoners.
Dabbing consists of placing concentrated forms of cannabis or "hash oil" on a hot quartz, titanium or ceramic nail then inhaling the vapor as the concentrate melts. So what is this concentrate you might ask?
Cannabis concentrates come in many forms with differing effects and potency
Taking the form of glass like shatter, soft sugar wax, dry honeycomb and everything in between, hash oil is extracted by separating the cannabinoids in the plant from the actual plant material.
There are a variety of ways extracting these precious oils but most commonly a solvent such as butane or CO2 is used. Solvents pass over the plant material in a closed loop system, extracting the oil from the plant. The oil is then purged and refined in a vacuum oven until all residual solvents are removed. What remains is the potent hash oil so many seek.
Benefits of Hash Oil
Besides being so potent, what are the benefits of hash oils? When you smoke a bowl or a joint, the majority of smoke inhaled is combusted plant material which can cause irritation in the lungs. When dabbing, nothing actually combusts, as the heat from the nail turns the solid concentrate into a gas making a more enjoyable experience.
On a personal note, I prefer dabbing as opposed to more conventional ways of smoking mostly because the effect dabbing gives me. Although it is definitely more potent, it still feel clear headed and can still formulate thoughts easier than I do from smoking a joint.
Either way if you are on the fence about taking your first dab I recommend you do it with an open mind and not play into the same stereotypes that have been holding our culture back for decades. Check out all the concentrates we have available at Higher Leaf in Kirkland on our menu.