As legalization continues to trend upward in the United States, it is important to understand the many different forms that marijuana comes in and how they are similar and different. Concentrates are extracted from cannabis, usually using solvents, resulting in substances with extremely high levels of THC. Flower usually ranges between 10-30% THC, but concentrates range anywhere between 80-100% THC. Dispensaries in Florida tend to contain a variety of cannabis concentrates and they have very distinct effects depending on which of the categories you choose. These different kinds of cannabis also have their own unique ways of being consumed, so it is important to know what they are and what are their benefits and/or drawbacks.
Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)
Rick Simpson is a Canadian engineer who developed an oil by washing cannabis buds with a solvent (water, butane, ethanol), which is then boiled, leaving behind the oily substance that can be eaten or applied to the skin. The reason Simpson made the oil in the first place was to treat and cure his skin cancer, which he claims works. You can also apply the oil to food and use it for making edibles. RSO is regularly found in Florida's dispensaries and is usually priced between $50-$70. Those who aren't fans of smoking or vaporizing cannabis and lean more towards oral consumptions, like edibles or tinctures, will love RSO.
Butane Hash Oil (BHO)
BHO comes in many forms and has many different terms/nicknames. It is produced by extracting oils from the buds using butane, resulting in a highly potent oil containing a variety of terpenes and cannabinoids. The final product contains rich flavor and psychoactive effects without any plant material. Consuming BHO is usually done using a rig or vaporizer for concentrates, so a whole setup is needed to smoke. Prices for BHO range anywhere between $50-$70. Because BHO can involve many different techniques in the extraction process, the results can vary into the following:
Wax: The most common kind of BHO sold in dispensaries, it is a sticky, yet solid substance that can be smoked in a rig, a joint/blunt, or used for edibles.
Shatter: Also quite common in dispensaries, shatter is the hardest form of BHO and can be consumed the same way wax can. Its glass-like consistency causes it to be named "shatter."
Crumble: A powdery, yet solid form of BHO. It breaks down easily and its name alludes to its finish, which can be compared to crumbs of food. A very potent form of concentrates, crumble is usually dabbed from a rig or sprinkled in a joint/blunt.
Budder: Its name alludes to its finish as it contains the consistency of butter. A rare and potent form of BHO, budder is usually dabbed from a rig and can only be found at select dispensaries (Harvest and Trulieve I believe were two places that contain budder).
Sap: A syrup-like finish, it is also a rare form of BHO that can only be found at select dispensaries (Rise is one that comes to mind). Sap can be dabbed, smoked in a joint/blunt, a bowl, or used in edibles.
Live Resin
An extremely popular form of BHO, Live Resin is known for its ability to preserve the plant's rich terpenes, resulting in a flavorful and potent smoke. It is a sticky substance and depending on its extraction process, its color can range from gold to brown. The extraction process involves freezing the buds after harvest and the final product can be dabbed, smoked, or vaporized in a device or cartridge. Live Resin is much harder to find compared to most concentrates and its price tends to be higher than wax or RSO. Yet, its potent effects and its unique tastes allows Live Resin to be one of the more marveled categories of cannabis.
Kief
If you look closely at your nug, you'll probably notice its covered in frosty crystals. And when you grind up your nug, these crystals drop to the bottom chamber of your grinder, creating what is known as kief. This flakey substance contains all of the flowers important terpenes and cannabinoids, making it a very potent form of concentrate. Kief is consumed using a bong, papers or blunts, as well as being used in edibles. Select dispensaries contain kief (Fluent and Trulieve) but it is becoming a more popular product among patients in Florida, so most dispensaries should have it by the end of 2021. They usually range from $20-$30 for 1/2 a gram, or $40-$60 for the full gram.
Tinctures
Tinctures have been around for centuries, so this is no new concept of concentrates. The extraction method contains alcohol where the cannabinoids are soaked into the liquid. While marijuana was legal before prohibition kicked in, cannabis tinctures were a very common form of consumption and continue to be so today. This example of concentrates isn't as potent as its counterparts but is still very popular due to its medicinal benefits. Tinctures can be found in ALL dispensaries and range anywhere from $25-$50 depending where you're buying.
Cartridge Oils
Smoking carts is very popular, especially when you can get high in public in the most discrete way possible. It is odorless, but can be flavorful and quite potent, though not as potent as BHO or kief. There are a variety of cartridge oils such as live resin carts, full spectrum carts, and/or terpene-infused carts. Each have their own unique effects and flavors and carts can range anywhere between $35-$60 for 1/2 a gram or $60-$100 for a full gram.
Moon Rocks
An incredibly popular form of cannabis, Moon Rocks are a potent mix of BHO, kief, and flower. Cannabis buds are dipped in BHO (like distillate or sap) and rolled in kief. Moon Rocks are the triple-layered burrito of concentrates and is EXTREMELY hard to find. No dispensaries to my knowledge contain them BUT you can make your own at home. It'll likely cost anywhere between $100-$200. Dispensaries are also beginning to produce joints rolled in distillate and kief, a pretty similar version.
Concentrates are great because there is an entire spectrum of them and each category has its own unique characteristics, making it a versatile form of cannabis and medicine. And also depending on how much you smoke, 1 gram of concentrates may last twice or three times longer than an 1/8 of flower. However, concentrates are an acquired taste where several forms may be suitable for your while others aren’t, and that’s OK. Yet, it is important when shopping for concentrates that you know what you are looking for and what kinds of concentrates fit into that profile. If you are looking for the full experience of dabbing the purest form of cannabis known to man with different gadgets, pipes, and torches, then BHO is perfect for you. If you’re not into that whole setup and think the torches and rigs make smoking weed look a little crackhead-y, but still want a potent and discreet high, then Cartridges, such as the Live Resin carts, are perfect for you. If getting stupid high isn’t appealing and the medical effects are more your lane, then RSO, Tinctures, and perhaps low-THC/high-CBD Cartridges are more for you (just check if the strain is right for you). Concentrates are incredibly useful for medicinal and recreational purposes, and as more and more dispensaries and cannabis growers move to Florida, the market will only grow. They aren’t for everyone, but concentrates are incredibly popular and the demand will continue to increase, so know your concentrates and see which form is right for you!
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