concentrate debate
A high-temp debate on the potent product
By: Amber Craig
With the release of more product formats in the legal cannabis market, concentrates are finally making their way into the spotlight. For those with black market experience, this has been a long time coming!
If you’ve never used a concentrate or are unfamiliar with the buzz about them, here is a quick breakdown before we dive into a high-temp debate on the topic (… and that joke will make more sense later).
Cannabis concentrates refer to the extraction of concentrated cannabis products using solvents. Cannabis concentrates in the market come in many forms like kief, hash, rosin, shatter or waxes. The draw for concentrates is that they provide intense, high-potency effects with a small amount of product.
Concentrates aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but the die-hard cannabis connoisseurs swear by them. To give you the full picture, here is a recap of a robust debate I moderated between two sides of the coin—a regular concentrate user and someone who has never used them at all.
For perspective, our commentator on the pro side is Crystal Gooding, Product Specialist for FOUR20. On the anti-concentrate side is an anonymous perspective from someone we will call, Mr. Skeptic.
Has your opinion on concentrates, good or bad, changed at all since legalization?
Crystal: “There wasn’t education out there when I started dabbing, but I’m more health-conscious about the effects than previously.”
Mr. Skeptic: “I’m not going to discourage people from doing it, but if someone asked my opinion, I would tell them. But if people are doing it, it’s their bodies and they should go ahead and do it.”
What do you think are the greatest misconceptions about concentrates?
Mr. Skeptic: “People think using a dab, it’s just like using strong flower. It’s not. Recovery rate is 27 per cent from flower, meaning 27 per cent of the THC is coming into your body. With concentrates, it’s up to 75 per cent.”
Crystal: “When you don’t understand the product you can get a hero complex. Some people can have a bad time if they are a beginner and don’t ease into concentrates. Start with hash, add some hash to your joint and after that take some oil and add it to your joint. If you enjoy that and aren’t experiencing adverse effects from that, then graduate to a small dab.”
What do you personally look for when buying concentrates?
Crystal: “For me, it’s about flavour. I love the sauces and concentrates that are full of flavour.”
If you had a friend who was determined to try concentrates, how would you encourage a safe experience?
Mr. Skeptic: “If the person is new, I would tell them to start with a different format instead of going to high-potency cannabis like concentrates.”
Okay… but they are really determined. How can you give them advice on a safe and comfortable first ride?
Mr. Skeptic: “A low-temp dab is 350 degrees Celsius. At 322 degrees Celsius, terpenes start to convert to methacrolein, which is an irritant. Even at a low-temp dab, you are destroying terpenes. Keep it at the lowest possible temperature if you are going to do it.”
Crystal: “Stay hydrated! For your very first time, it’s best to be in a controlled environment like at home or with someone you trust to be there through the experience when you’re not sure how you will react during you first time.”
In speaking of the legal market, Health Canada has stringent regulations for products, so do you agree that regardless of opinion on concentrates, it’s safer to purchase them from a legal source?
Mr. Skeptic: “Without question. They actually moderate the process in the legal market. Heavy metals are an example. People using things like solidifying agents to make products more appealing in the illegal market, that doesn’t happen in the legal market.”
Crystal: Agreed!
Wow, we found some common ground! Let’s stick to this line of questioning. Are there any brands in the legal market that are doing a great job with concentrates so far?
Crystal: “Premium5, and there are more coming out too! Good Buds also comes to mind. Super great feedback on their products so far.”
What opportunities are there with legal concentrates for producers and retailers to seize?
Mr. Skeptic: “One of the biggest things they can do is start dropping the price, so less people are shopping in the black market. We also need more education.”
Crystal: “The quality of shatter could still be improved in the legal market. Definitely room for improvement on pricing and efficiencies.”
Just to be clear, no persons or cannabis product was harmed during the moderation of this debate. I love a good debate on a “sticky” topic. As you can see, there are differing views on concentrates, but we all agree that education is key so make sure you source out a legal source and a reputable knowledge base when you’re shopping.
