Cannabis concentrates are made by stripping the cannabinoids and terpenes out of the plant and leaving most of the plant material behind. What's left is far stronger by weight. Flower usually tests between 15% and 30% THC, while concentrates commonly land between 60% and 90%. That gap is the one thing to understand before you buy. Start with the smallest amount you can measure, and treat every new jar as a different product, because it usually is.
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Types of concentrates on a dispensary menu
Solvent-based extracts
These use a solvent like butane or propane to pull cannabinoids from the plant, then purge the solvent out. Labs test the finished batch for residual solvent, so a clean test result matters more than the method itself.
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- Shatter: thin, glassy sheets. High THC, brittle, and easy to overdo because it's hard to break into small pieces.
- Wax, budder, batter: the same idea, whipped or heated into a softer texture. Easier to scoop.
- Live resin: made from fresh-frozen plant, which keeps more of the original terpenes. Often tastes closer to the flower it came from.
- Sauce and diamonds: a terpene-rich liquid with THC crystals in it. Very potent, very flavorful.
- Distillate: refined down to mostly THC, with terpenes added back later. Neutral taste, used in vape carts and edibles.
Solventless extracts
- Kief: the trichomes that fall off the flower. Mild compared to other concentrates.
- Hash: kief pressed and heated into a solid. Around long before dispensaries were.
- Bubble hash: ice water and screens separate trichomes from plant matter.
- Rosin: heat and pressure only, no solvents at all, which is why it commands a premium.
Ready-to-use formats
- Vape cartridges and disposable pens
- Tinctures and sublingual drops
- RSO or FECO, a thick oil often taken in edible form
How potency math works
Labels list THC as a percentage of total weight. One gram of concentrate testing 80% THC contains roughly 800 mg of THC. For comparison, a standard edible dose is 5 to 10 mg. That's the whole story right there: a dab the size of a grain of rice can carry as much THC as a full pack of edibles. This is why “start low, go slow” isn't a slogan with concentrates, it's the actual instruction.
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How people use them
Dabbing is the most common method: a small amount goes onto a heated surface and gets inhaled. Temperature matters, since very hot dabs burn off terpenes and hit harsher. Vaporizers with temperature control give you more room to dial it in. Others top a bowl of flower with a pinch of concentrate, or stir distillate into food. Smoking or vaping anything irritates the lungs, so keep that in mind.
What to check on the label
- THC and CBD percentages, plus total cannabinoids
- Terpene content, if the brand lists it
- Extraction method, and whether it's solventless
- Batch number, harvest date, and test date
- Residual solvent and pesticide test results
- Child-resistant packaging and storage instructions
Safety points worth repeating
- High-THC products are linked to anxiety, paranoia, and a greater chance of dependence. That risk climbs with daily use and with products above 60% THC.
- Don't drive after using. Coordination and reaction time drop before you feel impaired.
- Avoid dabbing at extreme temperatures. Low-temp dabs taste better and irritate less.
- Skip cannabis entirely if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, under 21, or managing a heart condition or a history of psychosis, unless a doctor says otherwise.
- Buy from licensed shops only. Vitamin E acetate in illicit vape carts caused a nationwide lung injury outbreak in 2019.
- Store everything locked, labeled, and away from kids and pets. Concentrates are small and easy to mistake for something else.
Buying concentrates at a shop
Ask the staff what the batch actually tests at, not what the strain name promises. Ask how it should be stored and how long it keeps. Look at the texture: shatter should snap cleanly, rosin should be soft and opaque, and anything dried out or off-color is worth questioning. Buy a small amount of a new product before committing to a gram or more. If a shop can't show you a lab test for the batch, walk.