Dabbing: Enhance your experience

Dabbing refers to inhaling vapours of ‘cannabis concentrates’. It is a further step in the concept of convection vaporisation, using a ‘bubbler’/‘rig’ or portable e-cigarette-type device to vaporise extracts rather than buds, releasing very potent and flavourful vapes. In a sense, it is a potentially healthier way of consuming cannabis, as nicotine and combustion are wiped out, but only if precise conditions are met... Otherwise, the practice carries its own risks, such as over-consumption, burns or toxicity if the extract is not properly purged of its solvents. In this post, we point out the good harm reduction practices linked to dabbing.

710: Love the aroma

The word dabbing refers to the act of vaporising cannabis extracts/concentrates. This practice is associated with number 710, which is both the approximate vaporisation temperature of the extracts in Fahrenheit degrees (approx. 375°C) and can also be read as ‘OIL’ in reverse (a popular way of referring to concentrates).

Dabbing uses convection heat, which means zero combustion. That's a big improvement compared to smoking joints, as you inhale harmful compounds as part of the smoke.

[Remember our post ‘Vaporise it’? The aim of vaporisation is to avoid the harmful toxins that result from pyrolysis, or the burning of plant matter (at over 500 °C).]

The potential offered by dabbing is to appreciate the diverse terpene profiles of different hemp strains. The high temperatures (associated with combustion) largely destroy the terpenes present in the buds, which are the main class of molecules responsible for the strain-specific aromas and odours. 

With vaporisation, more terpenes are retained in the vapour emitted, resulting in a more pronounced and characteristic flavour than with combustion. But with dabbing, you also vaporise a ‘concentrate’ product which, because it has much less plant matter, has comparatively more terpenes and more cannabinoids (THC, CBD, etc., responsible for the unique effects of cannabis).

What are we talking about?

"Concentrates" are nothing more than high-quality extracts from the tips of hemp (Cannabis L.). They are known under a multitude of names that can be classified according to the refining method (BHO, rosin, live resin/live rosin) or the final texture (budder, shatter, wax...).

For decades, they have been referred to as cannabis ‘oils’, a problematic name because the product in question is an extract of hemp resin (in scientific terms: oleoresin of Cannabis L.) and not an ‘oil’ (because the only oil that can be obtained from this plant is the oil from hemp seeds, the name given to the seeds of Cannabis). 

[Read more about the different types of extracts in An updated cannabis catalogue: types of extractions and main trends: part 1 and part 2]

From a scientific point of view, both ‘hashish’ and ‘concentrate’ (or whatever it is called) are still the same thing: a resinous material (oleoresin) that is dissolved in alcohol (ethanol-soluble) and contained in the inner part of the glands at the tip of the trichomes of Cannabis sativa plants. The only difference between “hashish” and a “concentrate” is the greater or lesser or presence of plant matter: hashish is an extract with more plant matter residues (trichomes, parts of the buds, manicure leaves, etc.) whereas a “concentrate” has less.

The less plant matter an extract contains, the more refined it is. For the refining process, in most cases chemical solvents are used to dissolve the buds of the hemp plant (or an extract with a lot of plant material). The result is a mixture of solvent + oleoresin on the one side, and the separate plant material on the other, which is discarded. 

The challenge is then to separate the refined oleoresin from the solvent, i.e. to ‘clean’ the extract. And this is where the problems arise.

Dabbing: the next level, but carefully!

But beware, like almost everything else in life, dabbing is not without risks. And it is always better to know about them beforehand and be able to avoid them than to have regrets.

First of all, the extraction process itself, by the fact of handling potentially dangerous solvents, involves a series of risks of ignition or explosion that require a solid laboratory methodology to avoid them (which is why making hemp concentrates with solvents at home is not recommended under any circumstances).

But that is not the most remarkable risk of dabbing. The ‘cleaning’ phase of solvent-refined extracts is the most critical and difficult. In a context of lack of regulation of cannabis, it is unfortunately common to find concentrates with solvent residues. Types of extracts such as BHO may contain traces of butane, the solvent, which is not always completely purged. Dabbing concentrates with traces of butane is highly toxic. This and other solvents expose consumers to gas-phase degradants such as methacrolein, benzene and methylvinylketone, with a multitude of respiratory and other risks, as these are highly hazardous substances.

It is a pity to risk consuming them. It is therefore important to look at the type of extract and to be aware that there are concentrates obtained without any solvents, in particular rosin, which is becoming increasingly popular, and rightly so! Rosin is everything you are looking for in a concentrate without the potentially risky residues.

[An updated cannabis catalogue: types of extractions and main trends: part 1 and part 2]

Finally, because these concentrates are so potent, it can be easier to overdo them without realising it, especially if you're new to it. We are talking about THC levels that can be quite high (up to 80-90%). The more THC a concentrate has, the less terpenes. Sometimes the real pleasure and enjoyment of a good marijuana strain comes not from the THC but from all its components: not only from the ‘entourage effect’ created by the presence of other cannabinoids, but also from the aromatic effect of the terpenes. Dabbing concentrates very high in THC can lead to risks of psychosis, neurotoxicity and cardiotoxicity that are often associated with the THC molecule and with chronic cannabis use in general. In addition, inhaling concentrates can lead to lung problems.

Maximising pleasures, minimising risks

So, don't start dabbing without knowing what you are doing! Although research is still limited on harm reduction measures for dabbing, the following recommendations can already be advanced:

• Inform yourself: First of all, inform yourself, ask friends or your association, and find out about the source and quality of the concentrate. Don't necessarily go for the concentrate with the highest THC content, and remember to find out about rosin!
• Start slowly: To avoid overdoing it, or getting a violent cough that incapacitates you and annoys everyone, it is better to take several small dabs, with time between each one, rather than dabbing a large amount all at once. 
• Less is more: Dabbing can be an amazing experience, but respect its power. Remember: with dabs, less is more! The whole idea of ‘concentrates’ is to get more effect and better flavour with less. Keep this in mind, you don't need to overdo it to enjoy dabbing!
• Be aware of your mental state: If you are dealing with anxiety, paranoia or taking psychiatric medication, it may be best to avoid dabbing or do it very cautiously, starting with small amounts and observing how you feel.
• Avoid burning yourself: If you are using a bubbler, rig or bong, make sure you don't burn yourself on the nail (the titanium, quartz or ceramic piece that is preheated and on which the concentrate is applied).
• Keep it clean!: In addition, the good hygiene practices applicable to bongs also apply to bubblers: change the water regularly, clean the bubbler mouthpiece with alcohol or specific products available from the associations.

As with any activity with associated risks - cannabis, alcohol, other psychoactive products, risky sports, etc. - always inform yourself, ask questions, be aware of the risks... and know your limits! We all have them. The best way to enjoy yourself is to stay safe and dab responsibly.