What is dabbing?
The best thing about the vaporization method is that it is by far the healthiest way to smoke cannabis. The traditional burning of cannabis flower or hash to produce an inhalable smoke produces carbon monoxide and carcinogens, which are unhealthy but necessary to breath in whenever you smoke cannabis.
The vaporization method required to consume extracts is completely different. Instead of combustion, heat causes the concentrate to change state, from a solid to a liquid and then vaporize into a gas. No harmful fumes are produced in this process for you to inhale. And best of all, uncoloured by any burnt tastes, vaporized cannabis’ flavor is far superior to any other method of consumption.
How Does Dabbing Work?
The dab is usually smoked using a vaporizer pen or water pipe, to get the most effect from the powerful THC.
When smoking the dab with a water pipe, the blowtorch is used for preheating the surface which is commonly referred to as the nail.
This nail is made of either glass or titanium, and after properly heated, the concentrate is then dabbed onto the surface. The end result, the vapor that is given off can be inhaled for a powerful hit.
What Effects Result from Dabbing?
Dabbing is commonly referred to as the most efficient way to get a good buzz. Due in part to the extremely high concentration of the THC, only a very minute amount of BHO is needed to get the perfect high.
Many today refer to this process as the crack of smoking marijuana. Because of the high potency of THC, first-time smokers will get wasted quickly.
Recreational smokers will get a buzz unlike any, and those who smoke frequently will eventually develop a tolerance to the powerful after-effects.
Because of the extremely powerful punch, this smoking method is often left to the experienced.
Risks of Dabbing
The biggest risk that a person will have when they are dabbing is in the process of creating the BHO.
Many accidents have resulted from people trying to make this at home, and because that butane is extremely flammable, if you are not fully versed on the proper way to follow through, there is a significant risk of explosion or house fire as a result.
As far as the health effects, this type of smoking is still in its infancy and there have not been too much research conducted on the long-term negative effects of dabbing.
One study that was conducted by the University of Albany, showing that users can quickly develop a marijuana tolerance and suffer from severe withdrawal symptoms.
To contradict the research being conducted in Albany, the National Institutes of Health has released information stating that ingesting small amounts of the butane while dabbing does not pose any type of danger to the individual.
Dabbing is growing in popularity and allows users to get the biggest bang for their buck each time they want to get high.
The process is simple, the effects are quick, and the high is probably one of the better you will ever experience.
The Making Of Dabs
Dabs are rich doses of cannabis that are manufactured by extracting psychoactive compounds from herbs with solvents like butane and carbon dioxide. THC and other cannabinoids are the main psychoactive ingredients in the dabs and their method of preparation gives them a high ratio of cannabinoids per gram. The resulting product is a thick, viscous oil which has been called many names such as wax, shatter and butane hash oil (BHO). A prepared dose, that is incredibly rich in psychoactive compounds such as THC, is the fastest and strongest ways to get high using grass.
The dabbing apparatus has a bong along with a twist. The contraption called the dab ring needs a dose housing element which is retentive and conducive to heat. This element will allow the rig to vaporize the cannabis concentrates, the shape of this element is mostly in the form of a skillet or pad and the materials used to make these are either titanium or quartz.
The skillet is then heated with a torch, mostly a blowtorch, once it is hot enough, the skillet is put back in place. Then the dose can be dabbed from the center of the skillet. It is recommended to inhale the concentrate at the same instant that it touches the pad, which save a lot vapor from going to waste.
In other operations nails are also used. The best ones have the same material of construction that is, titanium or quartz. However, glass nails are the cheapest and widely available. The reason that they are made of glass makes them brittle, and they are very prone to break after periods of prolonged use. If longevity is your requirement, then these may not be right for you. A very sturdy glass nail can give you a couple of months at best.
Effective use with dabbing nails requires another piece of complementary equipment, called a dome, that fits over on top of the nail. These domes have tiny openings which prevents the highly prized vapor from escaping. The dome plus nail designs can be a little difficult for beginners to grasp and in cases in the past has also lead to burnt fingers. These novices can then be directed towards domeless nails, although have their own shortcomings, such as leaving the nail exposed.
The mechanism of using is similar to the dab rig usage. The first thing is to place the dab on the nail and heat it with a torch. Once the dose has been heated and starts giving off vapors, fasten the dome on top of the nail and start dabbing the concentrate while inhaling, to use up most of the vapors.
Some companies have also developed electronic nails which help you adjust the temperatures to heat up the concentrate, so that one can entirely do away with open flame torches. Asides for increasing comfort it can tremendously increase the level of accuracy and control which can never be possible with torches.
I’d rather have my child smoking weed/wax than literally anything else. Crack, meth, pills is a fat NO.