What is Dabbing?

Dabbing: it’s not just the hottest trend in the cannabis industry. It’s here to stay. And no, we’re not talking about the dance move… we’re talking about smoking or vaporizing concentrates.

What are dabs?

“Dabs” are powerful weed concentrates. Manufacturers get all the “good stuff” out of the plant using solvents, resulting in a thick oily substance that is rich in THC, terpenes, CBD, and the other active compounds in the plant. Dabs can come in a variety of forms like wax, oil, and shatter. To use dabs, you would normally use a dab rig (also called an oil rig). However, you can also use a vape made for concentrates

What is dabbing?
Dabbing is a way to smoke marijuana. First, you place a “dab” of an ultra-concentrated cannabis substance onto the hot surface of a dab rig. Or, if you’re vaping the concentrate, you place it in your vaporizer. Then, you inhale the resulting vapor.

What kind of effect does dabbing have?

If you’re using “regular” concentrates designed to simply give you a high, then you’ll get high. (As a side note, the high from dabbing can feel quite different from smoking a joint, so be aware of that and don’t overdose!) But these days, there are innovative concentrates and blends that don’t get you high at all! That’s because you can get concentrates with the THC removed. If you’re using concentrates designed for pain management, stress management, better focus, or any other effects, then that’s the effect you should expect.

How do dab rigs/oil rigs work?

Dab rigs are water pipes that are designed especially for concentrates. They have three main parts: the holder, the nail, and the dome. First, you place a small dab of concentrate on the holder (see where it got its name now?) Then, you use a torch to heat up the nail to a red-hot temperature, which instantly warms the concentrate and creates vapor that you can inhale. This vapor is loaded with the stuff that makes cannabis popular (THC, terps, etc.), but without any of the smoke that can be hard on your lungs.

What about dab vapes?

You can also vaporize wax, oil, and shatter with a vape pen/dab pen or a desktop vape. They’re similar to a dab rig, but you don’t have to use a torch—they have their own heating element that warms the concentrate to the right temperature.

Are dabs stronger than smoking weed?
Yes, in general, dabs are much stronger than smoking dry herb. There’s a reason why the material is called “concentrate.” It’s literally an ultra-concentrated version of the marijuana plant. So, if you’re new to using cannabis, take caution! Even the tiniest dab has a lot of powerful compounds that can give you intense effects.

Are dabs better for pain management?
Since concentrates are stronger than dry herb, dabbing can definitely help with pain management. You can get CBD isolates that are specifically designed for pain management. And you can get THC-free concentrates that don’t get you high at all!

Do dabs taste like weed?
Yes—or they should, anyway! They’re made directly from weed, so they should have the aroma and taste of the strain that they came from. Some low-quality concentrates might not taste the greatest, but if you get good-quality ones, they should taste like weed—plain and simple. These days, you can get flavored concentrates that taste great!

What do dabs look like?

It depends on the type of concentrate. Oil looks similar to honey or light maple syrup. High-quality shatter looks like pale yellow stained glass or hard candy. Wax can be crumbly or it can be waxy—it often looks like brown sugar.

Keywords: what is dabbing, terpenes