How to Speak Cannabis

Want to be more fluent in Cannabis?

At 2020 Solutions, we want all of our customers to be comfortable and informed when it comes to their cannabis purchasing options. We hope you find this pamphlet useful. Our budtenders are both knowledgeable and patient. They are prepared to answer all of your questions and make recommendations on specials or new product.

Let them know your likes and needs.

Cannabis: Otherwise known as marijuana, weed, flower, pot, reefer, grass; cannabis generally refers to the flower of the plants cannabis Indica and cannabis Sativa.

Cannabinoids: A class of diverse chemical compounds that are found in the cannabis plant. Most notable are THC and CBD.

THC: Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol is the chemical name of the primary cannabinoid that produces the psychoactive effect in cannabis flower, usually shortened to THC.

THC-A: Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid is the precursor to THC. It’s found in the raw and live cannabis plant and is non psychoactive. However, when enough heat, light and/or pressure is applied, THC-A ‘decarboxylates’ to become THC.

CBD: Cannabidiol is the other primary cannabinoid found in cannabis plants. It tends to have a relaxing effect and is said to have many medical applications.

Indica: Cannabis flower or oil harvested from the various strains of the cannabis indica plant. Indica plants tend to be shorter and bushier, with larger flower buds. Indica strains tend to provide relaxation and calming effects when consumed.

Sativa: Cannabis flower or oil harvested from the various strains of the cannabis sativa plant. Sativa plants tend to be taller, with smaller but more numerous flower buds. Sativa strains tend to provide an energy boost and lift the mood, and many are said to also provide focus and creativity.

Hybrid: Cannabis flower or oil harvested from hybridized cannabis plants. Hybrids come in a huge variety and can be Indica-dominant, Sativa-dominant, or balanced between the two.

Edibles: Food or drink products that have been infused with cannabis oil. Edibles can take up to two hours to take effect and tend to last significantly longer than other methods of consumption.

Kief: The term ‘kief’ refers to the crystals of resin on the cannabis flower, which is extracted typically by grinding or sifting the dried flower.

Trichomes: When referring to cannabis, the crystalline monstrosity on a flowering top, which house the majority of the resin found in the flower, as well as the primary location of cannabinoids and terpenes.

Decarboxylation: A chemical reaction that removes naturally occurring CO2 molecules from cannabinoids, primarily used to turn non-psychoactive THC-A into the psychoactive THC.

Terpenes: A class of organic compounds found in cannabis plants that provide each strain its unique taste and smell.

Concentrates or “Dabs”: Highly concentrated oils extracted from cannabis flower via a variety of methods, consumed primarily with the use of a “dab rig”. Concentrates provide a significantly stronger effect than standard methods of consumption, such as smoking.

Dab Rig: A type of glass bong that uses a super-heated nail to instantly vaporize concentrates, which are then inhaled. A process generally referred to as “dabbing”.

Rosin: A concentrated oil extracted from dried cannabis flower or kief via heat and pressure. Generally considered a ‘safer’ option, as it is extracted without any chemical solvents.

Live Resin: A concentrated oil extracted from fresh or flash-frozen cannabis flower via heat and pressure. Since the original product is fresher, live resin tends to preserve more terpenes and have a “fresher” taste.

CO2 Oil: A concentrated oil extracted from dried flower or kief, using a process that involves highly concentrated carbon dioxide. The CO2 is then removed from the final product, leaving concentrated cannabis oil.

BHO: Butane Hash Oil is a concentrated oil extracted from dried cannabis flower using butane as a solvent to extract the THC and CBD-rich oil from the plant. Once extracted, the butane is removed from the final product, leaving an oil that is safe for consumption. This method tends to be cheaper to produce, but can be highly dangerous and is best left to professionals with the proper equipment.

Hash: Tends to have many meanings often referring to any extract. We tend to define it as pressed keif, usually presented into a brick form.

Caviar or “Moon Rocks” or “Golden Nuggets”: Cannabis Caviar is a potent nugget created by taking the choicest buds, coating them with rosin or oil and then dusting them with kief (trichomes). The result is glistening cannabis gems so beautiful they could be considered works of art. Caution: A little goes a long way.

Wax: Cannabis wax refers to the softer, opaque oils that have lost their transparency after extraction. Unlike those of transparent oils, the molecules of cannabis wax crystallize as a result of agitation. Light can’t travel through irregular molecular densities, and that refraction leaves us with a solid, non-transparent oil.

Just as transparent oils span the spectrum between shatter and sap, wax can also take on different consistencies based on heat, moisture and the texture of the oil before it is purged (the process in which residual solvents are removed from the product). Runny oils with more moisture tend to form gooey waxes often called “budder,” while the harder ones are likely to take on a soft, brittle texture known as “crumble” or “honeycomb.” The term “wax” can be used to describe all of these softer, solid textures.

Shatter: Shatter, with its flawless amber glass transparency, has a reputation for being the purest and cleanest type of extract. But the consistency and texture of oil comes down to different factors entirely. The reason shatter comes out perfectly clear has to do with the molecules which, if left undisturbed, form a glass-like appearance. Heat, moisture, and high terpene contents can also affect the texture, turning oils into a runnier substance that resembles sap (hence the commonly used nickname “sap”). Oils with a consistency that falls somewhere between glassy shatter and viscous sap is often referred to as “pull-and-snap.”