With all the types of cannabis, slang terms, and acronyms relating to weed, even experienced users could do with a marijuana glossary. While most users know what a cannabis strain is, the differences between indica, sativa, and hybrid make it a little more complex. Beginner users might be even more confused when you start mentioning budder, shatter, and all the other different kinds of concentrates.
But don’t worry, we’re here to help. Whether you need to know what CBD is short for or what exactly dabbing involves, here’s our Marijuana Glossary covering many of the common terms when it comes to cannabis.
420
When you think of 420, you might think of April 20th, the national holiday for marijuana lovers to celebrate by lighting up. It can also refer to 4:20 P.M., seen as the prime time to start smoking weed. However, 420 refers to cannabis culture in general. For instance, if a café or apartment is advertised as 420 friendly, it means it’s safe to use cannabis there and you’re likely to meet other like-minded smokers.
BHO
BHO stands for Butane Hash Oil. Butane Hash Oil is one of the most potent concentrates, created by dissolving marijuana flower in butane until you’re left with a high-THC, amber-colored substance. Butane is used in the creation of many different concentrates, and you may also see BHO referred to as shatter or wax.
Blunt
A blunt is very similar to a joint, although it uses a cigar wrap instead of regular rolling papers. You can use blunt wraps to roll your weed and make a blunt. They’re also often made by hollowing out cigars and filling them with weed.
Bong
A bong is a large pipe used to smoke cannabis. Bongs are usually made out of glass or ceramic, although you can also get plastic bongs. You use a bong by placing some cannabis in the bowl, lighting it up, and inhaling through the mouthpiece. Many smokers prefer to use bongs over joints as they give you stronger and longer-lasting effects. They’re also simple to use and make smoking weed quicker.
Bowl
When referring to a bong or other kinds of smoking equipment, the bowl is the part of the device where you load your weed and light it. However, a Bowl can also refer to a small pipe used for smoking marijuana.
Bud
Bud is a term often used to refer to cannabis flower. Buds are the dense nuggets of weed that you grind up and smoke or vape.
Budder
Budder is one of the most popular types of cannabis concentrates. Budder is a high-THC concentrate extracted from cannabis that’s known for its yellowish-brown, buttery form. It’s easy to break apart and use in a dab rig, vaporizer or vape pen. It can also be added to a joint or bong for stronger effects. You might also see budder sometimes referred to as wax.
Cannabinoids
Cannabinoids are the chemical compounds responsible for the effects of marijuana. When you consume cannabis in any form, cannabinoids interact with the cannabinoid receptors in your body to produce a range of effects. THC is the psychoactive cannabinoid which delivers psychoactive effects, otherwise known as getting you high. There are also other cannabinoids such as CBD, CBN, and CBG which are non-psychoactive but provide medical benefits such as pain relief and anti-anxiety effects.
Cannabis
Cannabis is the name of the plant species which marijuana and hemp belong to. However, colloquially cannabis is used simply to refer to marijuana in its many forms. Buying cannabis usually refers to buying weed, and there are various other cannabis products such as cannabis oils and cannabis edibles. All of these come from the extracts of cannabis plants.
CBD
CBD stands for cannabidiol. Cannabidiol is one of the many cannabinoids found in marijuana which provides medical effects. It’s known to help with pain relief, anxiety and sleep, seizures, and many other medical symptoms. CBD is often extracted from marijuana and hemp plants for use in products such as oils, edibles, and vape cartridges. Many people use CBD to get the medical effects of cannabis without getting high.
Concentrates
Cannabis concentrates are a range of products made from marijuana which extract the THC and terpenes from the rest of the plant. Concentrates are known for having extra high levels of THC, giving users an extra strong high with just a small amount. Popular forms of concentrates include hash, shatter, budder, and wax. Concentrates are made in many different ways- some using solvents and some simply extracting the resin from the plant directly. Many users buy cannabis concentrates online for their powerful effects.
Dabbing
Dabbing is a method of marijuana consumption used primarily for cannabis concentrates. It involves taking a small amount of concentrate and applying it to a dab rig or dab pen before lighting it with a blowtorch and inhaling. Dabbing produces seriously strong effects, much more so than vaping or smoking. A “dab” often refers to the concentrates used.
Dab Rig
A Dab Rig is the tool used to dab concentrates. It’s similar to a bong with features designed specifically for use with cannabis concentrates. It’s usually made out of glass, with a “nail” that you use to apply your concentrates to. You use it by applying a small dab to the nail and lighting it with a blow torch.
Edibles
Edibles are edible products infused with marijuana. Marijuana edibles come in many different forms, including gummies, chocolate bars, brownies, and practically any other kind of food product. Edibles give you a much stronger high than other products as your liver converts the THC in edibles to 11-hydroxy-THC, a more powerful form that lasts for many hours. As such, some users prefer edibles for their intense effects. You can even make your own edibles by cooking marijuana into butter and using it in food products.
Eighth
An eighth is a measurement used to measure weed and cannabis concentrates. An eighth refers to an eighth of an ounce- approximately 3.5 grams. This is often the smallest measurement of cannabis that marijuana stores sell.
E-Juice
E-Juice is another term for vape-oil. These products come in small bottles which you can apply to the chamber of a vape pen, vaporizer or e-cigarette. E-Juices come in many different flavors and can include THC, CBD or both. There are also many E-Juices which don’t contain cannabis.
Flower
Flower is the term marijuana stores often use to refer to strains of weed. The cannabis flower is the part of the plant which contains most of the cannabinoids and terpenes which give you the effects of weed. Flower is the most popular kind of product users buy to grind up and smoke or vape.
Grinder
Before rolling up your weed in a joint or blunt, you have to grind it first. While you can use scissors, most users use a grinder to grind up their bud. There are many kinds of grinders, but most people use a simple mini hand grinder to make it quick and easy.
Hash
Hash, also known as hashish, is a solid, brick-like cannabis concentrate. It’s made by compressing the resin extracted from cannabis flower together. You can make a block of hash simply by rubbing the resin from your weed together, although more complex processes are used to make high-quality hashish. There are many popular forms of hash, including Afghani Hash, Moroccan Hash, and Lebanese Hash.
Indica
Indica cannabis is one of the three main species of cannabis plants. When consumed, indica strains give you soothing and relaxing effects. They’re commonly used as evening chill out strains to help users mellow out with a calming body high. Indica strains are also particularly useful for treating pain, inflammation, headaches, and other forms of physical tension.
Joint
Marijuana users often smoke their weed in a joint. A joint is made by rolling ground up weed in a rolling paper. Smoking a joint is one of the most popular and common ways to use cannabis flower.
Kief
Kief is a kind of cannabis concentrate that comes naturally from cannabis flower. Kief comes from the trichomes of weed and users will often find a lot of kief in the bottom of their grinder as it falls off of their bud. Kief can be pressed together to create hash. It can also be added to a joint or bowl to add an extra kick of THC.
Marijuana
Marijuana is the plant which, when harvested and dried, contains high levels of THC and other cannabinoids which get users high and give them medical benefits. The term “marijuana” is usually used to refer to flower strains, as well as many other products which come from the plant such as concentrates and edibles.
Pot
Pot is another slang term used to refer to marijuana. Regular cannabis users are often referred to as potheads.
Potency
The potency of marijuana refers to how strong the effects of the product are. The potency of marijuana is often determined by the levels of THC in the product. For instance, cannabis concentrates are known to be potent due to their extra high levels of THC. Users who want stronger effects often check the potency of cannabis strains and other products.
Pre-Roll
A pre-roll is a joint or blunt that has been prepared for sale. These are available in many marijuana stores, and many users to prefer to buy pre-rolls to save the hassle of grinding and rolling their weed themselves. You can get pre-rolls of all kinds of strains.
Resin
Marijuana resin is the brown, sticky substance which comes from the trichomes of marijuana. Users will often end up with built-up resin in their bowl or pipe from extended use. It can be scraped up and added to a joint or bowl for stronger effects
Sativa
Sativa cannabis is one of the main types of species of cannabis plants. While indica cannabis strains are known to give users a relaxing body high, sativa strains give you more of an energizing and stimulating head high. Sativa strains are known as fantastic wake-and-bake strains due to their uplifting effects. They’re also particularly helpful for depression, stress, and anxiety.
Strain
A marijuana strain refers to the specific species of the plant. There are many different cannabis strains with different genetics. Each strain has its own unique properties when it comes to taste, smell, and effects. As such, users often look for specific strains when buying cannabis. Strains are generally classified into three broad sub-categories, indica, sativa, and hybrid strains.
THC
THC is short for Tetrahydrocannabinol. THC is the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in marijuana. In other words, this is the chemical in marijuana products which makes you high. THC is often extracted from marijuana for use in other products due to its enjoyable recreational effects. THC also has various medical benefits, such as helping with pain, inflammation, headaches, anxiety, depression, and more.
Tinctures
Cannabis Tinctures are often also known as Cannabis Oils. These are products which you can use by applying the tincture underneath your tongue and holding it there to absorb the cannabinoids. You can use THC Tinctures as an alternative method to consume THC and get high. You can also use CBD Tinctures for fast-acting medical effects. Some tinctures come with a mix of both THC and CBD to provide both recreational and medical effects.
Topicals
Cannabis Topicals are liquid-based cannabis products which come in the form of creams, balms, salves, lotions, and various other topicals. You use these by direct application to the skin. Topicals won’t get you high as they don’t reach the bloodstream. However, they can be useful for relieving pain and inflammation and can also help with skin conditions.
Trichomes
Trichomes are the crystal-like glands found on cannabis buds which produce resin. The trichomes are the part of the flower which contains most of the cannabinoids and terpenes, making them particularly important.
Vaping
Vaping, also known as vaporizing, is a smokeless method of marijuana consumption. It involves using a vape pen or vaporizer to heat up your product to create vapor. You then inhale the vapor to get the effects of the cannabinoids. You can vape cannabis strains, concentrates, and specially designed vape-oils and e-juices. Some users prefer vaping to smoking as it’s perceived as less harmful to the lungs. Research also suggests that vaping produces stronger effects.
Weed
Weed is another slang term used to refer to strains of cannabis flower. It’s one of the most common colloquial terms used for marijuana.
