Dabbing smoking is one of the newer ways of smoking marijuana, but it’s quickly gaining in popularity. However, if you’re unfamiliar with the process, it can be a bit confusing. Here we’ll break down the basics of dabbing so you understand what it is and how it differs from other methods of consuming cannabis and maybe you’ll decide you want to smoke dabs yourself!
What Is Dabbing?
Dabbing is the process of inhaling vaporized cannabis concentrates through a dab rig. This method involves using a heated surface (usually titanium or quartz nails) to vaporize cannabis concentrates such as dab wax, shatter, oil and budder. The user then inhales the vapor through a glass piece that typically consists of a water pipe with an attached nail or bowl. It can provide a more intense high than smoking joints due to the high levels of THC – the psychoactive chemical found in cannabis – in each hit.
How Does it Differ from Other Methods of Smoking Marijuana?
The major difference between smoking dabs and other methods of smoking weed is that dabs are a highly concentrated form of cannabis that contain very high levels of THC compared to regular marijuana flowers. This means that users can experience more intense effects in less time than they would with smoking regular weed.
More Advantages
Additionally, because dabs are made from cannabis concentrates, they require less product to achieve the same effects as smoking weed; this makes them more cost-effective for consumers who want to get the most bang for their buck as well as providing faster relief for those using medical marijuana to treat chronic pain or mental health.
Different Methods
Another difference between dabbing and other methods lies in its delivery system. When smoking flower buds, users must light their material using a lighter or matchstick; however, with dab rigs users must use an external heat source such as an electric nail or blow torch to heat their material before inhaling the resulting vapor. This makes dabbing slightly more involved than other methods but also allows for greater customization when it comes to potency and taste.
How Are Cannabis Concentrates Made?
Weed concentrates are made through a variety of extraction techniques, but butane hash oil (BHO) is the most advanced method. BHO starts with a blend of butane and plant material that is put into an extraction tube. The butane serves to strip terpenes and THC from the botanical material, leaving behind a sticky, dark concentrate. Following this extraction process, the butane has to be purged or boiled off for the oil to be safe to consume; most manufacturers accomplish this through vacuum purging. Post-purge, they add additional ingredients like terpenes or other cannabinoids as desired.
What Are the Different Types of Concentrates?
Cannabis concentrates come in many forms. Each type has major differences in texture and consistency depending on the extraction method, which can directly impact the overall experience. All are extremely potent.
The Types
- Wax is a soft, buttery concentrate produced by rapidly whipping marijuana extracts with a solvent on low levels of heat.
- Shatter is an especially potent concentrate derived from cannabis flowers and ordinarily appears as an amber-colored slab or sheet that shatters easily when dropped; it’s made through a process called vacuum extraction followed by agitating the sap.
- Cannabis oil is usually created after distilling concentrated forms of wax or shatter using fractional distillation. It can be used in vape pens.
- Budder – also known as “badder” – is created after purging butane hash oil at lower temperatures than shatter or wax are typically purged at and results in a creamy textured absorbent concentrate.
Choosing a Type
When selecting which type is right for you consider not only personal preference but potency levels too! Waxes tend to be more malleable than their counterparts making them ideal for those new to dabbing who want an easier time manipulating their product without compromising on potency levels too much while shatters provide increased potency at lower temperatures making them ideal for experienced users looking for stronger effects from their sessions than normal weed.
What is a Dab Rig?
Dab rigs are specifically crafted water pipes created to house and vaporize cannabis concentrates – dabs. Dab rigs are usually made from glass or silicone, and can range in size from mini to large. The main components of any dab rig include a nail or banger, carb cap, downstem, and water chamber.
The Nail
The heated nail is the most important element because it’s what produces the heat that melts the cannabis concentrate for inhalation. Nails typically come in one of three materials: titanium, quartz, or ceramic. Each material has its own set of advantages and disadvantages but titanium nails are the most common choice due to their durability and ability to get hot quickly.
The Carb Cap
The dome is an optional piece that fits over the nail once your concentrate has been placed on it. The purpose of a dome is to keep any vapor produced by your dab inside so you can inhale it more easily. It also helps retain heat for better vaporization. Carb caps also play a role in directing air to the dab to maximize the vapor – they come in many forms
The Banger
The banger is another type of nail that can be used with a dab rig. They are typically made of glass or silicone. You heat them up with a torch. Bangers have larger surface areas than standard nails which means they require less energy to heat up and produce larger vapor clouds when used correctly.
The Downstem
The downstem connects the nail or banger to the water chamber which helps filter out toxins from the vapor before you inhale it. A good quality downstem should fit snugly and securely onto both end pieces for optimal performance.
The Water Chamber
Finally, there’s the water chamber which sits at the bottom of the dab rig where you add filtered/distilled water to cool down and filter out any impurities in your vapor before you take a hit – nobody likes hot smoke! Having too much or too little water in this chamber can result in poor results so make sure your levels are correct each time before using your rig!
Smoking Dabs
To use a dab rig, start by filling the water chamber with filtered or distilled water. Make sure not to overfill it — having the right amount of water helps cool the vapor before it reaches your mouth. Then attach your nail to the downstem and heat it until it’s red hot – be aware of extreme heat levels. Use a carb cap to help keep heat trapped inside after you drop your dab onto the hot nail or into the banger. Inhale slowly and evenly, as this will give you more control over how much vapor you take in at once. Once you’re done inhaling, release the carb cap and let any remaining vapor dissipate. You are smoking dabs!
Dosing
To avoid too much vapor when dabbing, make sure to start with a smaller dose of concentrate. Allow the concentrate to heat evenly on your surface and don’t hold the blow torch too close or for too long as that could cause your dab to ignite or have more vapor than you want. Once you’ve applied the appropriate amount of heat, move the torch away and take a few deep breaths before inhaling. This will help you regulate how much you inhale and will ensure that you don’t end up with too much vapor in each hit.
Types of Dab Rigs
There are many different types of rigs available for cannabis concentrates. These include mini rigs, the traditional dab rig, and electro-rigs. Mini rigs are perfect for those who prefer to move around with their rig as they are small, lightweight, and easy to transport. Standard rigs come in a variety of sizes and styles depending on your preference and can be used for things like water filtration, percolation, and aeration.
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Electro-rigs are larger versions of the traditional dab rig that electronically heats the nail to vaporize concentrates. This means they require less energy than traditional rigs while still producing big clouds of tasty concentrate vapor. They also tend to have more features than regular rigs such as adjustable temperature controls which give you more control over the experience.
Cold Start Dabbing
Cold start dabbing is a method of consuming cannabis concentrates without the use of a traditional dab rig. This method requires heating a flat surface like a quartz banger with a butane torch and then dropping the concentrate directly onto that heated surface. This eliminates the need for a nail so you can conserve your cannabis concentrates and enjoy an incredibly flavorful experience compared to smoking traditional marijuana. This method of smoking dabs dishes out huge clouds from just one hit, making it ideal for more experienced smokers who don’t want to waste their product. Remember to always be safe when using torches and try to keep the flame away from your skin or any flammable objects around you.
How Much of a Dab is Too Much?
When it comes to dosing dabs, it is important to start slow and small. Typically, the average dab size should be about half the size of a grain of rice or smaller – a tiny dab is plenty! You can use a bit more if you need a stronger hit, but remember that cannabis concentrates are very potent, so it’s best to start low and go slow when using them. Generally speaking, one gram of cannabis concentrates contains about 500mg of THC, so adjust your dose accordingly.
Be Careful!
Smoking cannabis extracts can be potentially dangerous. As well as the usual risks of marijuana use people can get hurt if they do not do it the right way. The high heat of the nail may cause severe burns if your skin comes into contact with it, and consuming high concentrations of cannabis in a single hit has been linked to a higher risk of wheezing cough, and lung injury.
Highly Potent
It’s also important to keep in mind as you smoke dabs that it is much more potent than traditional methods of smoking marijuana. Concentrates can contain up to 80% THC – these are very high levels of THC concentration – which can lead to cannabis overdose effects produced when consumed in large amounts such as paranoia related behavior, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, nausea, panic attacks, uncontrollable shaking, uncontrollable behavior, and uncontrollable vomiting. This is why it’s important to start small and gradually work your way up so you don’t overconsume concentrate-based products.
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Conclusion
At the end of the day, it’s just another way of imbibing the medicine of the marijuana plant. When done correctly, taking advantage of all that dabbing has to offer can be an extremely rewarding experience! Not only do regular users get access to higher potency products than smoking weed directly can allow but they also enjoy improved flavor profiles as well as faster-acting effects and an intense high thanks to increased cannabinoid absorption rates. Whether you’re just getting started with smoking dabs or already consider yourself an experienced user make sure you stay safe and know exactly what kind of product you’re working with before getting started each time!
