Dabbing is a method of using cannabis in a concentrated form. Known as “dabs,” these concentrates of marijuana typically appear as wax-like substances with a dark brown or yellow hue and possess a sticky, gummy texture.
Dabs, highly potent cannabis concentrates like shatter, wax, budder, crumble, live resin, or pull ‘n snap, can contain THC levels ranging from 50% to 90%. This high concentration of THC can lead to nearly instantaneous highs, hallucinations, extreme behavior changes, and even overdoses.
According to NIDA;
Solvent-based products tend to be especially potent, with THC levels documented at an average of about 54-69% and reported to exceed 80%, while non-solvent-based extraction methods produce average THC levels between 39-60%.In comparison, the THC content in marijuana plant material, which is often used in marijuana cigarettes, is lower—with samples seized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency averaging just over 15%. Not only do concentrates have high levels of THC, but dabbers inhale the entire amount all at once—in a single breath.
As a result, concentrates can deliver extremely large amounts of THC to the body quickly. The risks of physical dependence and addiction increase with exposure to high concentrations of THC, and higher doses of THC are more likely to produce anxiety, agitation, paranoia, and psychosis
To put it into perspective, a single “hit” or “dab” of wax, equivalent to the size of a pinhead, may be roughly equal to one or more joints of traditional marijuana.
Weed dabbing involves vaporization rather than combustion, potentially reducing the inhalation of harmful byproducts from smoke. To dab, a nail, usually made of materials like titanium, quartz, or ceramic, is heated to an extremely high temperature using a torch. Once hot, a small amount of cannabis concentrate, such as THC dab or wax DAB, is applied to the nail. The resulting vapor is then inhaled through a water pipe.
How Addictive is Weed Dabbing?
Weed dabbing, or smoking dab, is described as highly addictive, and like pot on steroids, this practice is associated with a significant risk of psychological addiction, particularly among young people.
The intense high experienced from dabbing weed can be so enjoyable that individuals may find it difficult to quit. Over time, tolerance to THC can develop, necessitating larger amounts of the concentrate to achieve the desired effects. This tolerance build-up further increases the potential for dependence on weed dabbing, emphasizing the addictive qualities of the practice.
How Does Smoking Dab Make You Feel?
Smoking dabs can instantly make you feel high, bypassing the slow build-up commonly associated with smoking joints. Along with this intense high, dabbing can have various effects:
- It slows down your cognitive processes and physical movements, as the high THC levels can impair your ability to think and react quickly.
- Triggering intense thirst and hunger, commonly known as dry mouth and the munchies, due to THC’s effect on the brain’s appetite and salivation controls.
- It causes unique sensations in your stomach, ranging from fullness to discomfort or nausea, especially if the dab’s potency is underestimated or if consumed in large quantities.
- Besides intensifying sensory experiences, dabbing can also distort your perception of time, making minutes feel like hours.
Types of Dabs: Dabs, Shatter, and Wax
Cannabis concentrates, often referred to as dabs, come in various forms such as shatter, wax, budder, crumble, cannabis oil, hash oil, and resin.
Among these, shatter is recognized for its purity and high potency, whereas wax, akin to shatter, is a bit less potent and has a softer texture.
Budder stands out with its creamy, butter-like consistency.
Cannabis oil, though not as potent as dabs or shatter, is still significantly stronger than traditional smoking of buds or flowers.
Cannabis wax, a type of dab, is known for its waxy texture and high THC content. Variants like shatter and budder differ in consistency and appearance but share the common trait of high potency. These forms of cannabis wax are becoming increasingly popular, especially among young adults, for their strong effects and the unique experience they offer compared to traditional marijuana.
Each type of concentrate offers a distinct combination of properties and appearance, making them highly potent variations of marijuana. The extraction process, commonly involving butane and known as BHO (butane hash oil), carries substantial risks due to the flammability of butane. Dabbing, a popular method for consuming these concentrates, encompasses the use of any of the mentioned forms, regardless of whether dab wax is specifically involved.
Side Effects of Dabbing
The side effects of dabs and weed dabbing can be quite severe due to their high THC concentration. Some of the harmful effects and risks of dabbing include:
Physical Effects
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- Coughing and wheezing due to inhaling toxic compounds
- Rapid heartbeat and increased blood pressure
- Blackouts
- Trembling and shaking
- Decreased coordination
- Vomiting
- Fainting
- Changes in sensory perception
Psychological Side Effects
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- Uncontrollable anxiety and paranoia
- Unexplained violence or agitation
- Memory problems
- Psychosis
- Depression
- Confusion
- Irritability
- Tension
- Visual or auditory hallucinations
- Panic attacks
It’s important to note that the side effects of dabs are more pronounced and extreme due to the elevated levels of THC. Long-term and heavy dabbing can lead to psychiatric disorders, psychosis, or chronic illnesses. Anyone with an existing mental health condition is at heightened risk from dabbing.
Dangers and Risks of Dabbing
Dabbing with THC dab, wax dab, or smoking wax significantly intensifies the experience beyond regular marijuana use. It is essential to be fully aware of the risks and dangers associated with concentrates such as dabs weed, cannabis wax, marijuana wax, and smoking dabs before engaging in this practice.
Here are the crucial dangers of dabbing:
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- Rapid Tolerance Growth: Concentrates like dab wax and shatter introduce high THC levels quickly into your system, leading to fast tolerance buildup. The result is needing increasingly more marijuana to feel high, potentially evolving into an addiction as costly as harder drugs.
- Dose Management Issues: Figuring out the right amount of these potent concentrates is tricky. What looks like a small dab can pack a much stronger punch than expected, leading to highly unpleasant effects. Dabbing is not for those seeking a lighter experience.
- Unknown Ingredients Exposure: If you’re not making the concentrates yourself, you’re in the dark about potential harmful additives. Inexperienced production can introduce dangerous substances, and even old equipment can contaminate the product.
- Severe Physical and Mental Side Effects: Overdoing dabbing can cause nausea and intense paranoia,
particularly for newcomers or occasional users who aren’t used to strong highs. - Extraction Process Risks: Extracting concentrates, especially with butane, is fraught with dangers like explosions, leading to severe injuries or property damage. As per DEA reports, there have been significant injuries and fatalities in California from butane hash oil extraction accidents since 2014.
Dabbing demands a high level of caution and awareness due to its intense THC levels, the difficulty in dosing correctly, and the risks in production. It’s a practice that should not be taken lightly.
Can You Overdose On Dabs?
The potency of THC extracts like dab wax and shatter raises concerns about the possibility of overdosing on concentrates. While it’s impossible to die from a cannabis overdose, consuming an excessive amount of shatter can lead to seriously unpleasant physical and psychological side effects, including sickness and waves of paranoia.
Due to the lack of long-term data on the effects of dabbing, the ongoing use of dabbed extracts, cannabinoids, and residual solvents will be the subject of research in the coming years, providing a clearer understanding of the long-term risks associated with dabbing. For more information read our blog post about greening out
How to stop dabbing?
Frequent dabbing or smoking dabs often lead to rapid tolerance buildup and potential addiction. This typically results in the need to increase consumption to achieve the same effects, fostering a stronger reliance on dabs.
Dabbing Withdrawal Symptoms
For those trying to stop or quit dabbing, being aware of the withdrawal symptoms is crucial. These symptoms vary based on how long and how much one has been dabbing. Common withdrawal symptoms experienced when stopping the use of shatter, a type of dab, include:
- Anxiety and Depression: Emotional and psychological responses such as these are common during this transition.
- Cognitive Challenges: Difficulties in clear thinking or concentration are expected.
- Sleep Disturbances: Changes in sleep patterns often occur during this period.
- Confusion: This may manifest as difficulty in making decisions or feeling disoriented.
- Paranoia: An increase in distrust or irrational fears is common.
- Tension and Irritability: These symptoms typically arise as the body adjusts to lower THC levels.
Regular dabbing significantly impacts the brain’s cannabinoid receptors, increasing their dependence on THC. Excessively using concentrated dabs can heavily affect the central nervous system, leading to these withdrawal symptoms. If you’re finding it challenging to stop or quit dabbing, it could be due to the physical and psychological dependencies that have developed over time.
Seeking Help for Stopping Dabbing
For those seeking to stop dabbing, several resources are available, including counseling, support groups, and treatment programs that specialize in managing cannabis dependency. These resources can offer personalized support and strategies to help you navigate the withdrawal process and reduce your reliance on dabs.
Remember, reducing or stopping the use of potent THC concentrates like dabs and marijuana wax is a significant step toward managing your overall cannabis use. It’s important to approach this process with caution and seek professional help if needed.
- Professional Drug Rehab Programs: Professional drug rehab programs, including BHO Butane Hash Oil addiction treatment, aim to help individuals overcome dabbing addiction. These programs offer comprehensive treatment and support to assist individuals in managing withdrawal symptoms and achieving lasting sobriety from dabbing addiction.
- Support Groups: Support groups, such as Marijuana Anonymous (MA), provide resources, workshops, and meetings for individuals struggling with marijuana wax addiction, including dabbing. These support groups offer a supportive and understanding environment for individuals to share their experiences, receive encouragement, and work toward recovery.
- National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCAAD): The NCAAD hotline provides information and referrals to appropriate resources in the community for individuals struggling with drug abuse, including dabbing. This hotline can help individuals find the support they need to overcome their addiction and achieve lasting sobriety.
Dabbing Glossary
710: This number reads as OIL when flipped upside down, symbolizing cannabis concentrates that often resemble an oily substance.
Alcohol dab extraction is A technique for extracting THC from cannabis using alcohol as a solvent.
Banger Hanger is a popular device used in dabbing setups.
Butter, Budder, Badder: These terms describe cannabis concentrates with a butter-like consistency, owing to their appearance and texture.
Blasting: A slang term referring to the process of extracting cannabis concentrates using butane. The term may have originated due to the potential explosion risk associated with this method.
Butane Extraction is a method for concentrating THC by employing butane as a solvent.
Butane Hash Oil (BHO)also known as BHO, this term refers to highly concentrated cannabis extract produced using butane.
Butane Torch is used for vaporizing dab concentrates, making them inhalable.
Carb Cap: A component of dabbing devices that helps trap vaporized cannabis concentrates within the apparatus.
Crumble weed is A slang term for concentrated cannabis, named for its crumbly texture, commonly found in certain concentrate types.
CO2 Extraction: The process of concentrating THC using carbon dioxide.
Concentrate weed is a high-potency form of cannabis.
Concentrate THC is a high-potency form of cannabis.
Concentrate Pipe: A pipe designed for inhaling cannabis concentrates.
Dabber: A slang term for tools used in the dabbing process.
Dab Nail: The part of dabbing devices where cannabis concentrates are placed before vaporization. Also referred to simply as a “nail.”
Dab Oil Also known as “dab” or “dabs,” this slang term describes concentrated cannabis, emphasizing the small amount required for a potent experience.
Dab Pen An electronic cigarette used for dabbing, also called a “wax pen.”
Dab Rig the most common name for the glassware designed for dabbing.
Dabbing dome component of dabbing glassware.
Ear Wax weed slang for concentrated cannabis concentrates, named for their appearance.
Errl: A colloquial term for cannabis concentrates.
Glass: Slang for the glassware used in the dabbing process.
Glycerin Extraction: A method of concentrating THC using glycerin as a solvent.
Ice Hash: A type of cannabis concentrate produced using ice water.
Hash: Also known as hashish, this term refers to the resin extracted from cannabis plants to create concentrates.
Hash Oil: Purified and concentrated hashish in the form of an oil.
Honey: Also called honeycomb or honey oil, slang for concentrated cannabis due to its resemblance to honey.
Ice Wax: Also known as water hash, a term for cannabis concentrates made using ice water.
ISO Oil: Slang for concentrated cannabis produced using isopropyl alcohol.
Kief: The resinous part of the cannabis plant that is high in THC.
Knife Hits: An older method of consuming dabs that involves heating two knives and using them to vaporize and direct cannabis concentrates.
Liquid Gold: Slang for concentrated cannabis, named for its golden appearance.
Live Resin: Cannabis concentrates made from fresh, uncured plants.
Nug: A term for the high-THC flower of the cannabis plant.
Nug Run: Cannabis concentrates made exclusively from the flower of the cannabis plant.
Oil Rig: Slang for a dab rig, often due to the use of oil-like concentrates in dabbing.
Pressed Hash: Slang for mechanically extracted concentrated cannabis.
Reclaim: Residue left after dabbing, sometimes reused.
Resin: Also called sap, refers to the THC-rich resin of the cannabis plant.
Seasoning a Nail: Applying cannabis concentrates to a “nail” component of the dabbing device.
Shatter: A common slang term for concentrated cannabis.
Quick Wash ISO (QWISO): A method for concentrating THC using isopropyl alcohol.
Vape Oil: Slang for concentrated cannabis used for vaping.
Vapor Rig: Slang for a dab rig used to inhale cannabis concentrates.
Vapor Straw: Simple, one-piece glassware used to inhale cannabis concentrates.
Wax: Slang for concentrated cannabis, named for its wax-like appearance in certain forms.
Sources:
NIH Cannabis Dabbing
NIH A Little Dab Will Do: A Case of Cannabis-Induced Psychosis
NIH To Dab or Not to Dab: Rising Concerns Regarding the Toxicity of Cannabis Concentrates
Harvard Medical School Cannabis and the Brain
DEA NTF dismantles butane hash oil extraction lab 15 times …
To learn more about the dangers of mixing THC with other substances:
Mixing Codeine (Tylenol) and Weed
