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The cannabis community has evolved significantly throughout the centuries. Today, we have the option of enjoying cannabis in different forms, giving us individualized properties and highs that are unparalleled to dried cannabis flower. Marijuana concentrates like weed wax are somewhat new within the cannabis world. This sticky, oily form of cannabis is growing in popularity every day, raising questions for newer, less experienced consumers. What is weed wax? What makes it different from flower? How do you even smoke it? If you’re curious as to what weed wax encompasses and how it differs from the other cannabis products around, we have all your questions answered. From wax’s muddy origin to its many medical benefits, everything you need to know about this potent extract can be found below.
Wax’s UniqueProperties
Weed wax can be found in a variety of different shades of yellow and brown. In fact, no two waxes truly look identical! Every shade that’s created is a result of environmental factors during the extraction process, such as moisture or light. Its texture is similar to regular candle wax but can be thicker or thinner, again, depending on the manufacturer’s choices.
Typically, your cannabis wax is going to have a sticky consistency that can be stretched and molded in practically any way you want– though, wrapping it around a dab tool is probably best.
The unique smells and tastes that you receive from your cannabis and cannabis products come from the plant’s natural terpenes. When you have traditional marijuana flower, the smells are incredibly potent due to the terpenes being left untouched and preserved. For concentrates, on the other hand, the rigorous extraction process tends to destroy most of the plant’s terpenes, leaving not much smell or taste for most concentrates. However, when dabbed, the high temperatures can bring out the remaining terpenes, allowing you to experience subtle, distinct flavors and smells.
Weed wax’s potency depends on the product itself, but its THC levels can range anywhere from 60% to 90%. The higher the potency, the more expensive the wax typically is. Because of this potency and high concentration of THC, consuming wax consistently will result in lingering THC in your system for weeks at a time. One dab for someone who doesn’t dab often, however, may not stay in your body for too long. It totally depends on how often you dab concentrates, your fat content, and a few other factors, too.
Weed Waxand Its Origin
If you’ve heard of any type of cannabis concentrate it is probably wax. Also commonly called weed wax, this viscous substance is one of the most consumed forms of concentrate on the market. Because of its availability, affordability, and potency, wax has only exploded in popularity since its emergence into the cannabis community.
The world’s first formal introduction to weed wax cannot directly be pinpointed, as people across the globe have been extracting oils from cannabis for centuries. However, this specific form of concentrate started becoming a bit more familiar after author D. Gold wrote about a “cannabis honey oil” in his book. This honey oil was described as very similar to the wax we have today, leading the cannabis community to believe that Gold had, in fact, created weed wax.
Wax has come a long way since Gold’s description, with extensive new technology being created to almost effortlessly extract the natural oils, terpenes, and cannabinoids from the cannabis plant. Today, our wax is purer than ever before.
Most concentrate consumers choose to dab their sticky weed wax. This comes down to factors like taste, potency, and malleability, as wax has such unique properties, making it tough to consume in other ways. But, when dabbed, the flavors and properties are easily and fully experienced.
DifferentTypes of Waxon the Market
The number of different types of waxes we have on the market is growing every day. While the names used to identify the different types are used to differentiate shape and texture, these forms of concentrates still stem from wax.
Whether you’ve heard it as budder, badder, or batter, this soft form of wax is all the same. Budder refers to a type of concentration that has been whipped to perfection after extraction, resulting in a moldable, butter-like substance.
Crumble wax, as the name suggests, is a lot more crumbly than your traditional weed wax. This type of concentrate is more similar to sand or brown sugar and must be more tightly packed together on your dab tool for the sake of ease. This type of wax can also be called “honeycomb,” if the crumble contains more holes than usual.
Shatter wax is the most fragile form. Shatter is glass-like in appearance, typically coming in a translucent golden color. This form is one of the more pure ways of smoking wax, as the concentrate undergoes strict extraction and filtration processes to ensure its form.
How Weed Wax is Made
The process of crafting weed wax is not a simple one, and it requires advanced, expensive equipment to be done correctly and safely. It is strongly urged not to attempt to make your own wax at home, as it can be extremely dangerous. At-home concentrate labs can easily result in house fires and even death, so it is best to avoid the process overall, and, instead, purchase your wax from
professional manufacturers.
Making wax begins with choosing a solvent. Most choose to utilize butane, but CO2 or other alcohol-based solvents are often used as well. These solvents help to break down plant matter and isolate the cannabinoids and oils that cannabis contains.
The dried flower is soaked in or blasted with the chosen solvent to make the
separation. After the hash oil has been isolated, it then undergoes a purging
process to rid the substance of the leftover solvent. This helps to ensure that you’re not smoking any harmful chemicals, only all-natural oils and terps.
After the solvent has been extracted, it is then up to manufacturers what happens next. They can choose to mix or stir the substance, which creates the classic waxy structure we’re used to. Or, the wax can undergo more filtration and be crafted to form delicate shatter. It’s completely up to the maker what happens after the solvents have been purged.
Safely StoringYour Weed Wax
Luckily for you, your wax has quite a long shelf life if properly taken care of, so you can keep it stored for as long as you need to. While it is not suggested to keep your wax on the shelf for years at a time, you can definitely get away with storing it for months and won’t see any noticeable differences in structure, consistency, or taste.
If you need to extend your wax’s shelf life, start by keeping your concentrate in a place where it isn’t exposed to fluctuating temperatures, moisture, or light. Places like fridges or freezers are ideal, as their environments stay constant all day long. Also, try storing your wax in a vacuum-sealed jar instead of the silicon container they so often come in.
It’s crucial not to move your wax around too much when storing it, as changes within the environment can be detrimental. Being exposed to too much moisture can cause your wax to change structure, so avoiding this is crucial.
Comparing WeedWax to OtherCannabis Products
As was mentioned, the biggest difference between crumble, budder, and shatter versus regular wax is the structure. The THC levels tend to be similar within the different forms but concentrates like crumble, budder, and wax do have a higher terpene content. This could result in the high from these concentrates feeling a bit more potent than with extracts like shatter.
Cannabis and weed wax are quite drastically different. Even though wax comes directly from the cannabis plant, their potencies, method of consumption, and appearance are poles apart. Cannabis flower typically contains a THC content somewhere in the 20s, with “luxury” cannabis testing in the low 30s. This creates quite the juxtaposition between wax’s typical 70% THC levels. Because of this high concentration of THC, the high that you get from wax is going to be much more powerful than you’re used to with
flower. The effects will be experienced tenfold and can last for up to a couple of hours.
When it comes to edibles and wax, both cannabis products produce a long-lasting, powerful high. However, an edible high tends to be more body-focused due to the way the cannabinoids travel throughout the system. When it comes to potency, though, wax still has cannabis edibles beat. When dried flower is baked down into a treat, it loses some of its potency and compounds, making it less powerful than it could be.
Other extracts like weed or hemp oil are quite different from wax, as well. THC oil can be sublingually applied or placed within your food and beverage, which we know is not the case for wax. Hemp or CBD oil also does not contain levels of THC like wax does, so they will not provide you with a high, either.
Different Waysto Smoke Wax
As was mentioned, the most popular way of consuming wax is by dabbing. With wax’s unique properties, scooping it up with a dab tool is by far the easiest way of handling the concentrate. Plus, the high temperatures that come with dabbing allow for full flavors to be tasted and full effects to be experienced.
Vaping weed wax is also an extremely popular method. Having a wax pen allows for both ease and accessibility, as you don’t have to get your rig and torch to enjoy your wax. Flavors are also easily tasted through this method as well.
Adding wax to your joint or blunt is doable, though it isn’t incredibly practical. While it is easy to wrap a string of wax around your joint and smoke it that way, the heat from your lighter is simply not hot enough to fully vaporize wax the way it needs to be. This will cause your flower to be smoked much quicker than the wax and you simply won’t get the strong effects you would have felt otherwise.
As is the case with joints and blunts, putting wax atop of your bowl can be tricky. Again, a regular lighter cannot melt the wax properly, and a torch would completely ruin the flower within the bowl. To accomplish this, you can try smoking your wax-infused bowl incredibly slowly and carefully.
When considering functionality and efficacy, vaping or dabbing your wax is definitely ideal. These methods make it as easy as possible to enjoy this sticky, potent substance.
Different Waysto Smoke Wax
Due to weed wax’s high potency and combination of cannabinoids and terpenes, the health benefits that come from consuming this type of cannabis is groundbreaking. Great at relieving both physical and mental pain, this potent wax is ideal for health complications of all degrees.
When it comes to the physiological benefits of wax, they are vast. Many find that both their chronic and acute pains are often alleviated after dabbing, as well as any appetite or even digestive issues. Recently, more studies are being aimed towards cannabis’ efficacy towards stroke-related symptoms, and we are finding that the high levels of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids may be extremely beneficial. From Parkinson’s-related tremors to debilitating lower-back pain, weed wax may be able to give you the relief you need.
Wax’s medical benefits don’t stop at physical pain. The cannabis plant contains the cannabinoids needed to stimulate creativity, motivation, positivity, and so much more. Not only that, but cannabis’ anti-psychotic properties can help with a myriad of psychological disorders, from PTSD-related symptoms to generalized anxiety. As long as too much isn’t consumed, wax can be incredibly beneficial for the brain and any imbalances we may be experiencing. relief you need.
Possible Side Effectsand How to Combat Them
This form of cannabis is both highly concentrated and extremely potent, making it not the best choice for new cannabis consumers. Because of these factors, there’s a chance that consuming too much can cause an uncomfortable wax experience. While proper doses and research can easily help prevent this, unfortunately, a poor experience can still occur if precautions aren’t taken.
It is important to note that you cannot overdose from weed wax, nor can it be fatal in that capacity. However, when you take too big of a dab, it can be difficult to remind yourself of that. Feeling panicked due to a bad experience has been reported, as well as feeling dizzy or nauseous. You may also feel extra sleepy or fatigued if you smoke more wax than your body is comfortable with.
If you do accidentally take a bigger dab than you intended, don’t worry. Your high will not last long, and feeling like yourself again may be easier than you realize. If you begin to feel uncomfortable, it’s important to do activities that will ground you. Drinking water or even taking a shower can help sober you up, and talking with a trusted friend can help remind you that this is only temporary. Also, it has been said that smelling or even sucking on black peppercorn can help combat any negative side effects felt by consuming too much cannabis.
PurchasingYour Own Wax
Your Weed WaxExperience
So, what’s the best way to consume cannabis? What we do know is that cannabis can be used in more ways than one and furthermore, the effects experienced when consuming cannabis will always vary by each individual which includes factors such as genetics, physical health, medical history, age, etc.
Every person’s experience pertaining to weed wax is going to be different. This is why it’s crucial to do proper research into correct dosing, properties, and effects. Once you’re comfortable with this novel form of cannabis, occasionally enjoying a few dabs will allow you an experience totally unique from traditional flower.
Start small, wait for effects to kick in, and enjoy the all-encompassing effects that weed wax has the potential to provide for you.
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