There’s so many things to learn about cannabis when you’re thinking about trying it for the first time. Even if you’ve smoked weed for years, you still might have questions about today’s marijuana terms.
At Blackstone Valley Cannabis, we want to be your one-stop shop for what you need to know about cannabis. Here’s our introduction to some of the most popular marijuana terms to get you started.
Dispensary/Retailer
You’ll visit a cannabis dispensary to purchase legal cannabis products. Some dispensaries are adult-use for people 21+, while others accept medical patients only.
Blackstone Valley Cannabis is the best cannabis dispensary in Uxbridge, MA, and we’d love to help you learn more about cannabis and pick out the best products for you.
Dispensary Agent
A dispensary agent, also called a budtender, is an employee at a cannabis dispensary. Dispensary agents do more than just ring up your purchase. They’re cannabis experts who can answer your questions about marijuana terminology, different strains, and how to use their products.
All of the dispensary agents at Blackstone Valley Cannabis are ready to help you learn about our products and make sure you leave the dispensary with cannabis products you’re excited about.
Cannabis
“Cannabis” is an umbrella term for the dried leaves of the cannabis plant. It will get you high and can also have therapeutic effects. Cannabis can come in a variety of forms, including flower, concentrates, edibles, and more.
Some other words for words for cannabis include:
- Weed
- Marijuana
- Ganja
- Pot
- Mary Jane
- Grass
- Herb
- Dope
- Reefer
- Hash
- “?” emoji
Hemp
Hemp comes from a type of cannabis plant. It is grown for its fiber, oil, and seeds because its leaves don’t contain enough THC to produce psychoactive effects.
Cannabinoid
Cannabinoids are naturally-occurring chemicals that can be found in many plants and animals. The cannabis plant contains many cannabinoids that contribute richness to your overall experience with smoking or taking an edible.
Scientists have identified over 100 different cannabinoids, but there are two that are most well-known: THC and CBD.
THC
THC is the cannabinoid in marijuana that gets you high. It binds to your brain’s CB1 receptors, which produces a sense of euphoria and a range of other unique sensations. THC can be found in cannabis flower, as well as edibles, concentrates, tinctures, and more.
CBD
CBD is another cannabinoid that affects your brain, but it won’t get you high. Most people use CBD to relax and treat medical issues like anxiety, pain, or inflammation. You can also take THC and CBD together, which may increase the effects of both, creating a unique experience.
Strain
A cannabis strain refers to a variety of weed that’s been specifically bred to be the same every time. Strains can differ in THC/CBD ratios, potency, aroma, appearance, and effects.
There are over 700 strains of cannabis. Many of them have unique names like Ghost Dawg, Bio-Jesus, Gorilla Breath, and Jolly Green Giant. You’ll find only the top cannabis strains at Blackstone Valley Cannabis. Check out which strains we have in stock right now!
Sativa
One of the most useful ways to categorize cannabis strains is using these marijuana terms: sativa, indica, and hybrid.
Sativa strains will make you feel energized, creative, and happy. It’s best to use sativa cannabis strains in the morning or during the day to get the most out of its signature boost. You can take sativa when you’re going to a party, brainstorming a creative project, or watching a funny movie.
Indica
Indica cannabis strains are much more relaxing than sativa strains. You can use indicas at night to help you relax after a long day or right before heading to bed. Indica strains are also the most popular option for medical patients.
Hybrid
“Hybrid” is a marijuana term for strains that are a cross between sativa and indica plants. Using hybrids will give you the best of both worlds: the relaxation of an indica with the energy of a sativa.
There’s a huge variation between different hybrid strains, because each one has its own concentrations of THC, CBD, trichomes, and terpenes. These all work together to create a unique experience every time you smoke or use cannabis.
Trichomes
If you look closely at a nug of cannabis flower, you’ll see tiny crystals stuck to the leaves. These sticky and shiny deposits are called trichomes. Trichomes produce and hold marijuana’s cannabinoids and terpenes, making them an invaluable part of your flower.
Terpenes
Terpenes is the marijuana terminology that refers to the aromatic compounds found in cannabis. They are responsible for the distinct smell and taste of each strain of weed. They work together with other chemicals to make each strain distinct.
Some of the most common terpenes include:
- Myrcene
- Beta-Caryophyllene
- Limonene
- Pinene
Entourage Effect
The entourage effect is a theory that all of the compounds in the cannabis plant work better together, including THC, CBD, other cannabinoids, and terpenes. Consuming the whole cannabis plant can be more powerful than THC alone.
Breeding
Cannabis breeding involves cross-pollinating two plants. When you breed marijuana plants from two different strains, you end up with a hybrid, which will produce unique effects.
Cannabis Flower
Flower is the cannabis term for the smokable part of the plant. It consists of large green buds. Trichomes cover the nugs, which look like shiny crystals. You can also see small, colorful hairs poking out of the buds, which collect pollen during the growing process.
Each strain of cannabis has its own flavor, smell, and appearance. They can also produce very different effects depending on whether they’re a sativa, indica, or hybrid, as well as their terpene and cannabinoid properties.
You can use cannabis flower in a variety of ways, including:
- Smoking a joint
- Smoking a bowl
- Smoking a bong
- Using a dry herb vape
- Making edibles
Blackstone Valley Cannabis carries only the freshest cannabis flower in Uxbridge, MA. We only sell cannabis that was harvested less than 120 days before to make sure you get the best experience out of your flower.
Kief
Kief is the most potent part of the cannabis flower. It’s made of trichomes, the small crystals on the tip of each leaf. These crystals contain lots of terpenes and cannabinoids, so smoking kief can get you extremely high.
If you’ve ever opened the bottom section of your weed grinder, you’ve seen what kief looks like. It resembles powdered cannabis with a sticky texture. It loosens from your buds during the grinding process and collects under the bottom of your grinder, leaving you with some extra strong kief for later.
Pre-Rolled Joints
Rolling joints takes practice, and many people don’t want to go through the hassle. Blackstone Valley Cannabis offers pre-rolled joints that are ready to smoke, no effort required.
You can also purchase infused pre-rolls. They’re infused with cannabis concentrate, varying from kief to hash to rosin. These joints will be much stronger than normal pre-rolls.
Vapes/Vaporizers
Vaping involves heating cannabis concentrate to a high enough temperature that the active cannabinoids and terpenes are turned into vapor. In some cases, you can experience the nuances of cannabis more when you’re vaping over smoking.
You can purchase either a battery that holds vape cartridges or a disposable vape. Disposable vapes are convenient, while cartridges allow you to explore more flavor and strain options.
Vaping may be the easiest cannabis delivery method. It’s not as harsh on your lungs as smoking, and it tastes better, too. It’s discrete and odorless, making it easy to use throughout the day. Overall, it’s a great option for first-time users.
Cannabis Concentrates
Concentrates are one of the strongest ways to consume cannabis. Weed concentrates distill down the THC, cannabinoids, terpenes, and other natural elements of the cannabis plant to create a very powerful substance.
There are a wide variety of marijuana terms for different types of concentrates, which you can learn about below.
Live Concentrates
Live concentrates contain all of the terpenes from the original cannabis plant. When you dab or vape live weed concentrate, you’ll experience the full taste and smell that you’d experience from smoking flower. Preserving the terpenes in a live concentrate can produce a fuller, richer cannabis experience.
Non-Live Concentrates
By contrast, a distillate is marijuana term for a non-live concentrate. When you inhale a non-live concentrate, you’ll taste a neutral flavor. Many vapers like this because it allows extra flavor to be added. However, there aren’t any terpenes in distillate, which doesn’t allow for the entourage effect.
Resin
Resin is a cannabis concentrate with a malleable texture that’s similar to taffy. It looks like it contains grains of sugar. It’s made from marijuana plants that are frozen immediately after harvest, which are kept frozen during the extraction process.
You consume resin by dabbing or vaping it. Live resin preserves the terpenes in your cannabis, leading to a potent smell and taste that many people love.
Rosin
Rosin is a marijuana term for a cannabis concentrate that’s been extracted using heat and pressure. No solvents are used during this process, so many see it as a more natural alternative to resin.
Rosin can vary widely in texture, from syrup-like to creamy to chunky, depending on the plant used. It is full-spectrum, containing all of the terpenes and cannabinoids of the original plant.
Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)
Rick Simpson created RSO after he was diagnosed with cancer, and he believes it cured him. It’s still used by many cancer patients today.
Rick Simpson Oil is derived from cannabis. Unlike many cannabis oils, RSO contains all of the cannabinoids, terpenes, and natural compounds in the cannabis plant, which may make it more effective for certain conditions.
Dab/Dabbing
Dabbing is a marijuana term for a way of vaporizing cannabis. You drop concentrated forms of cannabis onto an extremely hot surface, which allows it to vaporize so you can inhale it. You need a special dab rig to do this.
Some people call a serving-size portion of cannabis concentrate a dab, especially when it’s being consumed with a dab rig.
You can dab a wide variety of marijuana concentrates, including:
- Shatter
- Wax
- Rosin
- Resin
- Crumble
- Sauce
- Badder
- Budder
Nail
To dab, you place a piece of cannabis concentrate on a flat surface attached to your dab rig, which is called a nail. You heat the concentrate with a blow torch while it’s sitting on the nail, then inhale.
Infused Edibles
“Edible” is the common marijuana term for a food or beverage that is infused with cannabis. They contain THC, so they can get you high. They’re usually made using weed-infused butter or oil.
Cannabis edibles are a slower delivery method because of how your body processes the THC in your stomach. It can take 1-2 hours before an edible fully kicks in. However, they’re incredibly convenient, discrete, and tasty!
There are many different types of cannabis edibles, including:
- Chocolate
- Cookies
- Brownies
- Gummies
- Drinks
- Capsules/tablets
- Hard candy
Blackstone Valley Cannabis carries an extensive collection of cannabis edibles. Our dispensary agents can help you find the right dosage and flavor for you at our Uxbridge, MA location.
Tinctures
A tincture is a marijuana term for a cannabis extract that’s meant to be used sublingually. The THC is absorbed into your body when you hold the tincture under your tongue for up to a minute.
It’s an easy delivery method for people who don’t want to smoke but also don’t want to wait an hour or more for an edible to kick in. It doesn’t have a great taste like edibles, though.
Final Thoughts on Cannabis Terminology
Still have questions about marijuana terms and cannabis in general? Our expert dispensary agents can walk you through what you need to know about cannabis so you feel great walking out with your first products.
Blackstone Valley Cannabis sells a wide variety of cannabis products, including flower, edibles, topicals, tinctures, concentrates, and more. Place an order online or stop in today!
