The world of medical marijuana is full of different niches, terminologies, techniques, and cultures, and for patients with a medical cannabis certification in West Virginia, navigating all the ins and outs of the cannabis space can take some time and effort.
One specialized niche in cannabis is dabbing, which is a cannabis consumption method where concentrates or hash products are vaporized and inhaled.
Dabbing is a consumption method that cannabis connoisseurs and long-time cannabis patients favor for its effectiveness and potency, and it’s come under its own fair share of controversy in the media.
Dabbing is a subset of cannabis culture with its own rules, doses, and effects and is one of the few cannabis products that isn’t often recommended for new patients or patients with a low tolerance to THC.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about dabbing, whether it’s safe or not, and how dabbing sets itself as a competitor to traditional cannabis consumption methods.
West Virginia Medical Marijuana – What is Dabbing?
Dabbing is the Process of Taking a “Dab”
A dab usually means a “dab” of hash or concentrate.
It’s known as a dab because only a little dab will do you.
“Dabbing” is the process of taking a dab, which is usually done through vaporization.
For a long time, dabbing typically involved using a butane torch to heat a dab rig’s nail (a waterpipe with a special bucket shaped bowl for concentrates) to high temperatures in order to effectively vaporize the concentrate.
While this is still the preferred method for connoisseurs and enthusiasts, it’s likely less favorable for medical marijuana patients looking to achieve the most convenient and quick results.
Nowadays, there are more convenient options like e-rigs that offer premium vapor production without the safety hazard of using a torch, making e-rigs the most favorable option for medical cannabis patients.
What Makes an Old-School Dab Rig Better than an E-Rig?
Old school dab rigs are still the favored tool for patients and enthusiasts looking for the best flavor from their hash and the largest vapor production, and they’re also favored for their collectability.
Electronic dab rigs or vaporizers are still relatively new technologies, and while there are some great options out there, an old-school dab rig offers precise control over temperature, custom percolation through the rig itself, and can handle larger dabs (1 gram+).
Dab rigs or hash pipes are often very collectable, especially when they are constructed with unique designs or made by famous and talented artists, the secondary market for dab rigs can reach well into hundreds of thousands of dollars and even into millions for the most exclusive pieces.
And while dabbing from an old-school dab rig often requires using a butane torch, the biggest danger is often just accidentally burning yourself. There are some devices designed to replace a butane torch with a safer heating element, allowing you to still use your old-school rig but without a torch.
Why Dabbing Got a Bad Rep
The Biggest Safety Risk with Dabbing is Accidentally Burning Yourself
Dabbing is ultimately just vaporization, and it’s really the butane torch flame that makes it particularly scary for someone unfamiliar with the technology.
Despite the mainstream media’s vilification of cannabis and a slew of negative headlines when dabbing first became popular, the actual process of vaporizing a concentrate is probably one of the healthier options for cannabis consumption.
Most of the headlines that have circulated about the dangers of dabbing usually are related to one of three things:
1. Homemade Concentrate Operations
2. Extremely High Potency
3. Vaping Related Lung Issues from Black-Market Cannabis Products
Making Solvent-Based Concentrate at Home is Dangerous
To address the number one safety concern with cannabis concentrates and dabbing, concentrate production is a complex field that requires significant education in several industries. It is not recommended for beginners or at-home chemists.
There are many ways to produce solventless extracts safely at home, such as water hash, which doesn’t require using any chemicals or equipment other than water, filters, ice, and cannabis.
Rosin can be made by using a heated-press and squishing cannabis flower into a gooey extract.
Charas, one of the oldest forms of cannabis in the world, is made by simply rubbing cannabis plants on your hands until there are enough trichomes accumulated on your palms to make a small amount of hash, which can take hours.
Solvent-based extracts are another category altogether and require detailed knowledge of equipment, safety standards, and chemical science, and should be avoided by everyone except for industry professionals. Cooking up a batch of BHO soup from your kitchen can result in explosive consequences and poses the same extreme dangers that any at-home chemical lab does.
Is Dabbing Too Potent?
Dabbing is certainly one of, if not the most potent way to consume cannabis.
Concentrates are isolated parts of the cannabis plant, like THC or CBD, and most concentrates range between 60% - 90%+ THC, making them much stronger than most other cannabis products.
Concentrates are not really designed for beginner patients, patients with a low tolerance to THC, or patients who get anxiety from too much THC (which is probably most people).
Concentrates are designed for patients with a high tolerance to THC who have severe symptoms and need extraordinary relief immediately.
Is Dabbing Safe?
Tainted Black-Market THC Vaping Cartridges Can Seriously Harm You
The biggest circulation of news headlines concerning dabbing (and vaping altogether) came from bad vaping cartridges that contained vitamin E acetate, causing serious health complications for many users.
This problem caused an influx of “Vaping is Killing Teenagers”, “Cannabis Kills for the First Time”, and “Why We Should Ban Vaping” related articles.
In truth, it was black-market THC cartridges that caused so many lung issues in users, certainly not dabbing or vaping cartridges bought legally from dispensaries or pharmacies.
When a dab is taken at appropriate temperatures, it’s possibly one of the healthier ways to consume cannabis because you are only consuming a vapor made of cannabinoids rather than all components of the plant.
Dabbing is comparable to using an inhaler, and if you’re going to inhale anything, vaporization is considered a positive alternative method for consuming cannabis in a healthier way.
Get Your Medical Marijuana Certification in West Virginia
West Virginia offers medical marijuana certifications for patients who have been diagnosed with a qualifying condition. Patients with a medical marijuana certification in West Virginia can legally purchase and possess up to a month’s supply of cannabis purchased from a pharmacy.
Take the steps to schedule your medical marijuana evaluation appointment today and get access to legal marijuana products available at dispensaries!
Being a West Virginia medical marijuana patient allows you the freedom to take your medication the right way for you. We’re dedicated to helping patients every step of the way! Feel free to give us a call at 877-303-8424 and we can answer your questions about getting a medical marijuana card in West Virginia.
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
West Virginia Marijuana Card’s mission is to help everyone achieve
wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana.
Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for
our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
If you have any questions, call us at 877-303-8424, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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