Extracts & Concentrates: 5 Stigmas to Ignore.
Concentrates are coming, in fact, if you are reading this blog post January-2020, they are likely already here.
Yes, those companies that were in a position to create approved products and get through their 60-day waiting period in late-2019 could very well be selling edibles, topicals and extracts in Canadian stores as early as January 2020, and as a company poised to enter the market ourselves in the very near future, we couldn’t be happier about it.
As the market begins to fill with products and competition, it will be important for the average consumer to be able to be as informed as possible to ensure they are making the right decision for their needs.
First things first, let’s cover some of the stigmas that surround these products so that you can receive a proper education, free from dogma, stereotypes and misconceptions.
Nobody knows what’s in those concentrates, and there have been recent deaths from concentrated vape products.
First of all, the problems that have been in the news as of late were black/grey market products that were not subject to the stringent legislation surrounding how we make and test our products in Canada.
A summary of the findings can be found on the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. We’ve outlined the key findings below:
“CDC has analyzed national data on the use of THC-containing product brands by EVALI patients.
Overall, 152 different THC-containing product brands were reported by EVALI patients.
Dank Vapes, a class of largely counterfeit THC-containing products of unknown origin, was the most commonly reported product brand used by patients nationwide, although there are regional differences. While Dank Vapes was most commonly reported in the Northeast and South, TKO and Smart Cart brands were more commonly reported by patients in the West and Rove was more common in the Midwest.
The data further supports that EVALI is associated with THC-containing products and that it is not likely associated with a single THC-containing product brand.
CDC recommends that people should not use THC-containing e-cigarette, or vaping, products, particularly from informal sources like friends, family, or in-person or online dealers. In addition, people should not add any substances to e-cigarette or vaping products that are not intended by the manufacturer, including products purchased through retail establishments.”
The fact is that knowing what’s in your products and how they will affect you personally, is the number one reason the legal market has the potential to eventually drive out the black market — especially when it comes to concentrates.
Canada was slow to legalize concentrates for this precise reason: they wanted to make sure every product was made safe, could be tested and could be delivered slowly to a country amidst a plethora of educational assets and support programs.
Concentrates are too strong for the average user; it’s the equivalent of going from sipping a beer to pounding tequila.
What you need to understand about concentrates, is that they are literally a concentrated form of cannabis. That’s it, so the comparison to beer and liquor isn’t completely wrong, but assuming you have to consume concentrates in mass quantities (pounding tequila) is where this comparison loses its legs.
Yes, most concentrates are a lot stronger than your typical dry flower, but if you are aware of what you are taking (information the legal market offers that the black market rarely does) and can do basic math, you should be able to ensure that what you are consuming will deliver the effects you want, without knocking you off your feet.
You need a special bong to consume concentrates, and the pomp and circumstance surrounding consumption doesn’t suit my lifestyle.
True, when it comes to some concentrates, like shatter, crumble and caviar, you will need to invest in a tool capable of decarboxylation (a delicate process wherein the product is heated for a period of time to activate the THC), but nowadays these consumption tools come in a wide range of shapes, sizes and styles, and can be as discreet as you like. In fact, there are countless adults who have switched to consuming concentrates instead of dry flower because it has allowed them to consume less, quicker, without a lot of the odour that typically follows cannabis smoke, allowing them to live a much more discreet, efficient and family-friendly life that includes the benefits of cannabis.
Check out this blog surrounding the stigmas of parenting and pot to learn more.
Looking for a place that sells the most tech-savvy, innovative cannabis tools and accessories – we recommend checking out our friends at the Swag Shop.
Concentrates are way more expensive than alternatives, why would I pay more for a different version of the same thing?
Comparing concentrates to dry flower is again, like comparing 12 oz of beer to 12 oz of liquor. The truth is that it’s not about the size or volume as much as it is about the potency and clarity.
Generally speaking, concentrates are a lot stronger/more potent than dry flower; they consist of concentrate that range anywhere from 70% to 99% psychoactive purity. That’s compared to a typical dry flower strain, which has between 10% – 30% cannabinoids. That means you need much less concentrate than flower (in some cases, a fifth of the amount) to achieve the same feeling.
The average price per gram of dry flower in the legal market is about $15, so a gram of concentrate at $60 would be comparable when considering the cannabinoid percentage you actually get. Based on these averages, and assuming you know how much to consume to ensure you are getting what you want and nothing more, concentrates can cost the same, or even less, than dry flower alternatives.
Concentrates are dangerous, I wouldn’t want something like that hanging around my house where my child could find it.
Well this is certainly not something to take lightly, the assumption that the stronger the drug the more likely your child will seek it out and consume it is likely misplaced. Just like alcohol, cleaning supplies and other harmful materials, we strongly recommend that you effectively keep your cannabis concentrates hidden away from your children, but unlike most other harmful items in the home, consuming concentrates orally, without the science of decarboxylation, will not lead to the same type of trouble as other harmful products.
Long story short, we never take the safety of cannabis lightly, but if your unattended child is going to find a Tide Pod, a bottle of bleach, open Tylenol bottle or a gram of shatter, we pray for your sake that they find the shatter!
For more information on extracts – check out the following blogs already posted on the matter.
WHAT IS DECARBOXYLATION
CANNABIS CONCENTRATES: EXTRACTING TECHNIQUES AND PRODUCTS
DEWAXING AND WINTERIZING: HOW CONCENTRATES ARE MADE, AND WHY
EDIBLES: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM CANADA’S LEGALIZATION