Medical Marijuana Concentrates: The Complete Guide

Trichomes are tiny compounds (or glands) that cover the Cannabis plant. It’s these outgrowths surrounding the marijuana flower that produce a plant’s cannabinoids and terpenes. Trichomes come in different varieties and the accumulation of them is used to create what is collectively called cannabis concentrates. Concentrates are much stronger than the average pre-roll. While the normal tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content in flowers ranges from 10 to 25 percent, concentrates contain 80 percent or more. THC is the psychotropic ingredient in marijuana that causes the ‘high’.

In addition to the more potent high – also called bioavailability – another benefit of using concentrates is rapid and quick onset time. The effects of a concentrate can last anywhere from 1 to 3 hours, depending on the patient.

These THC-rich marijuana products can be vaporized and inhaled using a vape pen or through a process called dabbing (heating then inhaling a concentrated extract of THC using a bong-like device called a dab rig.) Concentrates come in a variety of textures and – as such – can be consumed via a number of additional methods. These include: orally, topical cream, transdermal patch and edibles. 

Concentrates go through a process called “purging” which keeps the desirable parts of plant compounds while removing any excess plant material or impurities/chemicals. Methods of extraction can either be “solvent” – with CO2 or butane – or “solventless” using no additives while making use of heat, filtration  and pressure. Though solventless extraction takes more time and effort, it is considered more natural. The consistency of the concentrate results in liquid or solid – or anything in between. 

There are a number of concentrates to choose from. Below are some of the more well known cannabis concentrates:

Shatter – Medical Marijuana Concentrates

This type of concentrate has a glass-like texture that is brittle and translucent.  It tends to have a golden yellow, amber color. It can also have taffy candy-like consistency. It’s made from BHO and PHO extracts by pouring the raw extract onto a flat surface.The mix is left undisturbed during the purging process. Shatter is known for extreme purity and likely contains 80% or more of cannabinoids.

Shatter is not smoked; it’s normally vaporized. 

Try: ROAR Koffee Cream Cake Clear Shatter 

Budder and Badder – Medical Marijuana Concentrates

The textures of badder and budder are creamy with a frosting-like consistency and yellow to bright orange coloring – similar to butter. It’s known as the cleanest (99% purity on average) and, therefore, most sought-after concentrate. The process is more complicated and difficult as it has to be vigorously whipped under low and even temperatures to introduce and redistribute air molecules during the purging process. Budder is very potent with on average 90% THC. 

It’s creamy consistency makes extract easy to use as a spread in joints or dabbed.

Try: 710 Lab Xtracts Lemon Tart Pucker Badder Budder and Badder are oilier and softer in texture. 

Crumble – Medical Marijuana Concentrates

Crumble is a brittle version of budder/ badder. It has a crumbly-like consistency similar to sand with colors a matted shade of yellow. It’s made by purging the oil in a vacuum oven at lower temperatures. Crumble develops a soft consistency that is still brittle enough to crumble. Though Crumble is highly potent, it is also still flavorful. 

Crumble is normally used in vaporizers or dab rigs. 

Try: Cali Green Gold Lemon Skunk Crumble 

Sugar Wax – Medical Marijuana Concentrates

Sugar wax has a consistency similar to wet and sappy brown sugar – shiny and slightly sticky. Its colors range from a sun yellow to deep amber. It’s processed similarly to shatter using butane extraction and is often made with cannabis strains prone to retaining water. 

Wax concentrates have a very high content of THC and other cannabinoids.  

Caution should be used when vaporizing as it is so potent.The other common method of using it is with a dab rig.

Sauce – Medical Marijuana Concentrates

Sauce is similar to sugar in consistency and color however, it is thicker in texture – much more gooey and stickier. Sauce has a uniform and crystalline-type structure.The color of ranges from deep amber to bright mustard. 

After the initial process, Sauce is left to age causing a separation between the cannabinoids and the terpene-full bit of the extract. This creates both a powerful aroma and increased flavor. Sauce is quite potent. 

Sauce is consumed most often using a Dab Rig

Try: Raw Garden Slymer Sauce

Crystalline – Medical Marijuana Concentrates

Crystalline is quite literally crystals that are made from trichomes resulting in a solid extract. It resembles sparkling sugar candy or salt.The clear crystals that have no aroma or flavor vary in both density and size – from smaller rocks to powder. 

Crystallization is a process where a solid chemical is mixed with liquid. Crystalline goes through many processes and filters while the THC or CBD is extracted and isolated from other cannabinoids. 

Crystalline is the purest form of cannabis and can have up to 99.9% pure THC content. Diamonds

Much like its name, diamonds are one of the more expensive extracts due to its time consuming method of creation. After the extract is purged, it’s left to sit in a cool, dark place for a few weeks. The mix separates and you wind up with crystals that are pure THCa, the precursor to THC, and a liquid that’s full of terpenes. These crystals are extremely potent and prized by cannabis connoisseurs.

Try: Binske Guavana Live Resin Diamonds

Kief – Medical Marijuana Concentrates

Of all the THC concentrates, Kief is the most basic. It’s powder-like substance is found on the flowers of cannabis.

Dry sieving is the method of extraction. Similar to a grinder, the buds and other plant material are rubbed over a fine mesh to release the trichomes. .

Kief is quite potent and it is either smoked or can be used in a vaporizer.

Live Resin – Medical Marijuana Concentrates

Live resin is extracted from fresh, flash-frozen flowers. Through processing it still has a high volume of terpenes which results in both flavor and aroma.

Try: Raw Garden Lime Mojito Live Resin Sauce

Hash – Medical Marijuana Concentrates

Hash or hashish is centuries old and comes in many forms. Color ranges from light golden or brown, to green, yellow, red, black.

Cold Water Bubble Hash comes in a variety of colors and textures – solid, dry,  putty-like or buttery. 

Butane Hash Oil (BHO) is extracted with cold water and filter screens by forcing butane through the cannabis flower. The butane is then removed from the trichomes by heating until a wax-like substance forms. 

Propane Hash Oil (PHO)  is extracted with propane as the primary solvent used during the extraction process. The propane is also removed in the final process and results in a similar product.

These Hash Oils are also known as Honey Oil and contain upwards of 80% THC content.

Traditional Hashish is, for all intents and purposes, pressed kief – or compressed resin. The “kief,” is extracted by using screens to filter it from the flower and then pressed between slabs to create blocks of hash. It is also a product of the full melt concentrate process.

There are also other types of hash like finger hash, bubble hash, and dry sift.

It is highly potent and can be consumed in a dab rig, rolled and smoked. 

Try: Frenchy Cannoli V.S.O.P. – Critical Kush Hash

Rosin – Medical Marijuana Concentrates

Rosin uses heat and pressure for filtration and can also be made from pressing hash.

Try: Hella Dank 5 Star Hash Rosin 

Sap – Medical Marijuana Concentrates

When rosin gets put in a jar and left in the oven it forms a sticky, sappy concentrate.

Rick Simpson Oil (or RSO) – Medical Marijuana Concentrates

RSO is a type of concentrate that is used mostly for medicinal purposes. Unlike other medical concentrates, it’s made from female plants. 

RSO has a high percentage of THC. It is normally used in the form of small pellets placed under the tongue. The pellets can also be vaporized.

Distillate – Medical Marijuana Concentrates

Distillates exposes a winterized and heat decarboxylated extract to heat and vacuum. This promotes the separation of cannabinoids based on their different boiling points. 

Consuming the right amount of concentrate for an individual’s needs can be tricky to navigate. Medical Marijuana patients who are looking into concentrates for chronic conditions can always consult with Dr. Fernando Fandino-Sende and his team at Miami’s LifeCannMD. 

Florida’s top-rated medical marijuana referral clinic has served over 5,000 satisfied patients. For more information, please visit www.lifecannmd.com, email health@lifecannmd.com or call (833) 543-3226.