By Rebecca Victoria Olmos

July 10 is also known as 7/10, a cannabis holiday dedicated to concentrates.  It is the second most celebrated day for canna-sseurs, right after the ever so popular 4/20. 7/10 upside down spells OIL, which is a term that is interchangeable with dabs, wax, concentrates, or extracts.

There are a few different ways to consume concentrates. You can add them to your joints, blunts, or top your bowl off with them. Vape cartridges also contain concentrates, which are popular ways to consume them because of their discreetness and limited smell. However, the most popular way to enjoy extracts is to dab them.

So let’s learn to dab! It can be a little overwhelming, but once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s a great way to get a potent, flavorful smoke.

You’ll Need:

• A torch: Like for crème brulee. You’ll use this to heat your nail.
• A rig: it’s like a bong, but for dabs.
• A nail: you’ll use your torch to heat this and place your extract here.
• A dab tool or dabber: You’ll need this to scoop the concentrates from their original container into the nail.
• Concentrates: Choose a strain or flavor that suits the vibe you’re trying to catch.

Optional:

• Carb cap: This helps regulate airflow

How to:

1. Spark the torch and aim it directly at the nail. Most people wait till the nail turns red. You need it to be hot enough to melt the concentrate.
2. Turn off the torch.
3. Wait about 45 seconds.
4. Use the dab tool to place the concentrate of choice into the nail. Since you’re a beginner dabber, a small amount will do. Remember, start low and go slow. If you got yourself a carb cap, you could place this on the nail at this time.
5. Inhale and enjoy!
6. It’s good stoner etiquette to clean the nail after each dab session.

See, it’s not as intimidating as the torch makes it look. Happy 7/10 and happy dabbing!

By Rebecca Victoria Olmos

So you want to try dabbing. You’ve got your rig/torch combo ready, or maybe your new Puffco Peak all charged and ready to go. But what should you smoke? There’s wax, rosin, shatter, oh my!

All these terms fall under ‘concentrates’ or ‘extracts,’ meaning precisely that: they are concentrated forms of cannabis extracted from the plant through various methods, which give them their unique texture and consistency. Without the plant material attached to them, they can provide users with a more flavorful and potent experience.

Which is better? That’s all subjective. The beautiful part of having access to legal cannabis is that you have a plethora of choices. Below is some knowledge that might help you make the best choice for yourself and your rig. 

Wax– A broad term for all concentrates is ‘wax.’ Technically, it’s a soft waxy concentrate extracted using solvents like butane or hydrocarbon. 

Shatter– Shatter is a hard glass-like consistency. It undergoes the same extraction process as wax. The only difference is that shatter is left alone to harden, and wax is agitated to achieve its softness, according to Leafly. 

Rosin- Rosin is extracted using just heat and pressure, no solvents. You can get rosin by pressing flower or hash. It’s more of a sticky, sappy consistency. 

All of these are dabbable on their own. However, you can enhance the potency of your joints and bowls by infusing them with these concentrates. Wax is malleable and easy to scoop, shatter can be a little more difficult to manipulate but it is known for its high potency and rosin is a pure solventless form of cannabis that some users prefer. All of them will provide high levels of cannabinoids and terpenes for a potent experience.