What are the Different Types of Cannabis Products?
Today there are many different types of cannabis products on the market and we are here to help you learn about them.
Below are descriptions of the most common cannabis products that are available.
If you have any questions after reading this article, please comment below and a Kanteeva team member will be back in touch with you shortly.
Flower or “Bud”
Whether you have heard the term cannabis ‘flower’ or ‘bud’ these names are synonyms for the product that most cannabis patients find themselves smoking. Harvested from mature plants, the flower is dried, cured and is then commonly sold in imperial increments (⅛ oz, ¼ oz, ½ oz, 1 oz), or sold by the gram in smaller quantities.
CO2 Oil
CO2 Oil is a concentrate that is created by using carbon dioxide as a solvent. It is most commonly used in vape cartridges, vape pens and similar devices. It is also used in edibles and creams.
Vaping CO2 oil is a relatively new and popular way to consume cannabis as it allows you a convenient and concealed alternative to smoking. There has been some concern about the safety of vaping CO2 oil, and because of this, it is important that you only purchase CO2 oil from reputable vendors.
RSO (Rick Simpson Oil)
RSO, Phoenix tears or Rick Simpson Oil, is a cannabis concentrate made with dried and cured cannabis flowers and an alcohol based solvent like isopropyl alcohol or ethanol.
This concentrate was developed by Canadian, Rick Simpson, in the early 2000s.
Rick Simpson’s website, http://phoenixtears.ca, has a much more in-depth explanation of RSO for those who want to know more about the process.
RSO has become very popular in the medical cannabis community because it is a full-spectrum concentrate that typically contains anywhere from 50-90% THC.
To learn more about RSO, click here.
BHO/PHO Products
BHO, or Butane hash oil, is a cannabis concentrate that has become a very popular product in the cannabis community. It is the focus of today’s “dab culture” where BHO extracts are smoked or vaporized to unleash their extremely potent effects.
BHO products include: Shatter, Budder/Wax and Honey Oil to name a few.
While most cannabis concentrates on the market are derived using BHO as a solvent because of its widespread availability and low cost, there are health concerns related to the danger of consuming cannabis concentrates that contain trace solvents.
Always purchase BHO cannabis products that come from a reliable and legal source!
To learn more about BHO products, click here.
Rosin
Rosin is created by applying pressure and heat to cannabis flower, kief or even hashish in order to produce a high quality cannabis extract that is organic and solvent free. After applying pressure and heat, the Rosin that results is a sticky dark green oil that is full of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids.
Rosin retains a more robust terpene profile compared to other cannabis concentrates that use solvent based extraction methods.
Solvents can degrade the quality of trichomes and terpenes available in the end product, that is why Rosin has a much more natural flavour and aroma profile, making it closer to smoking flower than solvent based cannabis extracts like BHO.
Live Resin
While BHO and Rosin are both made with dried cured cannabis flower, Live Resin is made from cannabis flower that has been frozen directly after harvest.
Live resin is highly prized by cannabis connoisseurs and medical patients because after the extraction process there are significantly more ‘‘live’’ terpenes found in the cannabis concentrate.
Current scientific research has shown that the cannabis plant’s terpene profile may be directly associated with its medical efficacy.
In comparison to other concentrates, live resin has a more pronounced flavour and aroma profile and is considered to be one of the highest quality cannabis extracts on the market.
Edibles
Edibles are exactly that, edible! Most commonly known to the average citizen in the form of brownies, cookies or gummies, today there are literally as many possible types of edibles as one can think of: caramels, soda pop, chocolates, marshmallows, mints, cotton candy, nuts, popcorn, beverages, pop-rocks, lollipops, butter, cannabis infused oils, and so many more! The process through which edibles are made will differ based on the product, recipe, type of cannabis extract used and the person or company producing it.
Just as edibles can come in a large variety of products, the cannabinoid content of edibles can have a large variation as well. It is extremely important to know the exact levels of cannabinoids in the edibles that you want to consume, especially the THC content because THC is the cannabinoid responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis.
Overconsumption of THC can lead to the extremely uncomfortable experience known as a “cannabis overdose”, which is not acutely fatal but can last several hours. Remember a 5mg gummy and a 200mg brownie are worlds apart and it is always of paramount importance to double check the THC content before ingesting any type of edible.
Alcohol Tinctures
A cannabis alcohol tincture is simply a cannabis extract that has been diluted in an alcohol solution. These alcohol based tinctures generally come in 30ml - 200ml bottles, and dosing is quite easy and accurate because the application usually involves an eye dropper for delivering precise dosages for sublingual consumption.
Glycerine Tinctures
Glycerine tinctures are oil-based cannabis products that are made by taking a decarbed cannabis concentrate and diluting it with vegetable glycerin. When compared to alcohol based tinctures, which are harder to use for sublingual administration due to the harshness of the alcohol that is used as the carrier medium, glycerine based tinctures are easier on the body. Glycerine tinctures are more gentle because they use a plant based carrier oil and can be used by patients who are sensitive, particularly to strong alcohol.
Salves & Creams
Cannabis salves and creams are produced in a plethora of ways, often they are a mixture of a cannabis concentrate which is infused into a carrier oil like coconut oil, shea butter or other plant based moisturizers.
Carrier oils infused with cannabinoids can be complemented with a variety of essential oils which increase the medical effects provided by the cannabis concentrate found in the mixture.
For example, CBD and arnica are a powerful combination in providing relief from localized inflammation in joints of the body, while THC and black spruce are phenomenal for the relief of chronic pain. Cannabis infused topical creams have been credited with reducing the size of skin related cancers by attacking and destroying the cancer cells.
THC Isolates
Isolates, or distillates, are single molecule compounds that are created by extracting one specific cannabinoid. THC isolate is generally a cannabis concentrate made up of only THC-A, which is the precursor of THC, the cannabinoid responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis.
In its isolated form, THC-A is effectively non-psychoactive, however when heat is applied, aka decarboxylation, THC-A activates and turns into THC. THC isolates are extremely potent and can have over 90% THC content.
CBD Isolates
CBD isolate is simply a cannabis concentrate made up of only CBD.
CBD isolate is a white powdery substance and is often mixed with carrier oils to create CBD isolate oils.
To learn more about CBD oils, please read this article.
CBD isolate is most commonly used as an anti-inflammatory, an anti-anxiety or a gastric mobility regulator. CBD is also an effective antioxidant and can be used as a preventative measure for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
Milled Flower
Milled cannabis flower is simply dried and cured cannabis flower that has been pre-ground, or “milled,” before being purchased by the end consumer/patient.
Pre-Rolled Joints
Pre-rolled joints are commonly sold by weight denomination, anywhere from 0.5 - 1.0g per pre- roll. Specialty joints are also very popular, where the rolling paper can be dipped in cannabis concentrates like BHO or honey oil, while hashish or kief can also be added to the joint as well.
Sublingual/Oral Sprays
As the name describes, sublingual and oral sprays are used by patients by spraying a cannabis concentrate mixture into your mouth or under your tongue. The sprays are usually made by diluting a cannabis concentrate with a carrier oil like MCT oil or olive oil. Flavours can be added to the product to make it more palatable. Sublingual cannabinoid absorption occurs quicker than ingesting cannabis so patients can expect to feel the effects from their oral spray around 10-20 minutes after holding the spray under the tongue for 45 seconds to a minute.
Beverages
Cannabis infused beverages are relatively new and are not always readily available where cannabis is legalized, however where you can find them, they are made by infusing beverages with THC and/or CBD. Cannabis infused beverages usually have somewhere between 5-200mg of THC.
Live Plants (Clones)
There are typically two ways to obtain live cannabis plants; seedlings that have been grown directly from a seed, or clones purchased from a reputable breeder.
Growing a cannabis plant from seed is the best way to ensure strong healthy genetics, but can be challenging for novices.
Live plants or ‘‘clones’’ are fantastic for first time growers who do not have the time, knowledge or experience to grow cannabis from seeds by themselves.
Clones are perfect for growing a live cannabis plant because they are already guaranteed to be feminized.
Seeds
Seeds are the foundation of all plant life, and whether you are growing carrots or cannabis, seeds are where you start. Most cannabis seeds come in one of three types that are listed below.
Autoflowering Seeds
Autoflowering seeds are guaranteed to provide flowering of the cannabis plant after a specific time period, generally 3 months. The cannabis plants will begin to flower without needing to alter the light cycle, meaning that cannabis grown from these types of seeds “automatically” flower independently from the available photoperiod. Autoflowering seeds mature to harvest quicker than regular seeds and these cannabis plants grow squatter and smaller than other seeds, making them great for low profile and indoor cultivation.
Feminised Seeds
Feminised seeds are probably the best seeds for first time cannabis growers. They are usually found in packs of 10 seeds which will have the specific breeders name or branding on the package. It is important to remember that reputable cannabis breeders will always supply high quality seeds and are the best way to guarantee great genetics. Feminised seeds can turn dioecious (hermaphrodite) if they are severely stressed out before the flowering period. Cultivating cannabis with feminised seeds is time efficient and a great way to guarantee a big harvest from all female plants.
Photoperiod Seeds
Photoperiod seeds are all natural male and female seeds. After growing into a seedling and entering the vegetative state, the cannabis plant can be sexed to determine whether it is male or female. Male cannabis plants must be separated from the female plants to ensure that the males do not pollinate the females during the flowering cycle.
If the female cannabis plants are pollinated, then the quality and amount of cannabinoids will be severely degraded and the flowers will develop seeds that further decrease the quality of the cannabis flower. On the other hand, if you are breeding your own cannabis strains, then the male plants will be left with the female plants to produce the next generation of cannabis seeds.
Although separating males from females can be a tiresome process, photoperiod seeds are the most natural form of cannabis seeds and result in superior cannabis genetics. A guide for identifying the gender of your plants can be found here.
Kief
Kief is simply a collection of the trichome glands produced by the female cannabis flower, which are full of cannabinoids and terpenes. Kief has many nicknames such as “Hippie Crack,” THC crystals, “poor man’s hash,” pixie dust, etc.
Kief is usually left over from milled cannabis or is collected on purpose from harvested cannabis flowers using a variety of techniques. Anyone with a 3 chamber grinder is well acquainted with this product, as the third chamber is designed to collect the leftover kief from your ground flower.
It is important to remember that Kief is a concentrated form of cannabis and is extremely potent when smoked or vaporized in comparison to cannabis flower.
Hash
Hash or Hashish is a cannabis concentrate created by pressing the trichomes from the female cannabis flower together using pressure. Hash is compacted into a dense brick that has a dark brown or almost black appearance. Hashish is the original cannabis concentrate and its history can be traced back thousands of years to Mesopotamia, Egypt and India and is a precursor to the cannabis extracts that we see today.
Hash is very popular with the old school cannabis culture and for patients who prefer a more ‘‘natural’’ and earthy taste compared to the chemically altered cannabis concentrates that dominate the market today.
Today hash is underrated due to all of the other options available, although some experts believe when processed properly it can be an amazing medical cannabis product.
Final Thoughts
There are a plethora of ways that cannabis can be consumed. While many people think that cannabis is strictly a smokable product, this misconception is based on a lack of research or believing the propaganda and misinformation that has been spread about the cannabis plant over the last 50+ years.
Consult with your healthcare provider when considering medical cannabis therapy and do not forget to join the Kanteeva Community to hear testimonials from patients who suffer from similar ailments and to connect with people who have found relief using cannabis.
However you would like to consume/use cannabis there is an option for you!
How do you use cannabis? What’s your favourite cannabis product type?
Let us know by commenting below.
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