Weed Terminology 101
Weed terminology is endless and ever-evolving. Regardless of if you're chatting it up with a friend or about to visit a Green Dragon Florida Dispensary, we're here to share with you our curated Weed Terminology 101 guide; So when you're out and about getting your canna-talk on, people look at you like you’re a pro:
Welcome to Weed Terminology 101:
Cannabis
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Cannabis usually refers to the plant from which various weed products come.
Marijuana
Marijuana refers to cannabis plants that have a certain level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is the cannabinoid that has has psychoactive impact on the human brain.
Hemp
Hemp is derived from cannabis plants that don’t have high levels of THC. Hemp is used primarily for commercial and industrial products like rope, clothing and even food. Not that anyone asked, but we like adding hemp seeds to our smoothies.
Bud
Bud is a nickname for cannabis flower or 'nug'. It refers to the bulbous flowers that are dried, cured, and smoked.
Nug
Short for nugget, nug is a slang term for cannabis plants because the 'buds' resemble small little nugs. We all love a good nug, don't we?
Budtender
Budtender is a person who help assist you at a cannabis dispensary. If you come visit us at one of our Green Dragon Dispensaries in Florida, one of our knowledgable budtenders will be sure to assist in getting you the best bud for your buck.
Trichome
Trichomes are the cool, microscopic, translucent mushroom-shaped glands on the cannabis plant that are sticky to the touch and make your nugs look frosty or glittery. Hardly visible to the human eye, these small hair-like glands produce cannabinoids and terpenes, which are responsible for the flavors and effects of cannabis.
Cannabinoids
Cannabinoids are a group of compounds unique to the cannabis plant. Fun fact, there are over 150 different cannabinoids found within the cannabis plant, but the two most popular cannabinoids are THC and CBD. We'll be sure to highlight other cannabinoids as we go 👇
THC
THC is the primary psychoactive compound (aka cannabinoid) derived from the cannabis plant. THC is also the most popular due to giving consumers the elevated high we all know and love. I mean really, how can you shop with Green Dragon Cannabis and not love THC?
CBD
CBD is the second most popular cannabinoid due to not necessarily delivering the psychoactive effects that THC does, but it works with the endocannabinoid system in other ways to deliver milder effects that are still enjoyable, but won't deliver a high.
CBG
CBG (aka cannabigerol) is a cannabinoid found in cannabis that has gained a lot of popularity in recent years.
CBN
CBN (cannabinol) is another cannabinoid found in cannabis that is formed as THC degrades. It is known for it's sleepy effects. While of course Indica strains are notorious for being on the chiller side, CBN is a cannabinoid that specifically delivers those effects.
Delta-8
Products with delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (aka delta-8) have been growing significantly in popularity. Delta-8 exists in the cannabis plant in small amounts and has the same elements as THC.
Flower
In the industry, flower or bud is used to refer to the part of the dried cannabis plant that can be smoked. In essence, it's the fancier way to say weed.
Strain
When shopping for the devils lettuce, you will be welcomed and suggested to try different strains. Jah Kush, Alpha Blue and Sex Grenade sound familiar? Strains come in all different types of terpene profiles, THC levels, genetics and more. Different strains also deliver different effects; If you ask a budtender or enthusiast what their favorite strain is, be prepared to be take notes.
Cultivar
Another name, or might we say sophisticated name, for a cannabis strain. As we said above, different cannabis cultivars are bred to accentuate characteristics like smell, flavor, and chemical profile.
Hybrid
You may have head the word 'Sativa' or 'Indica', but what about Hybrid? Well, a hybrid is a combination of the two. Some hybrids can be 50/50 Indica-Sativa, and others can be Indica-dominant or Sativa-dominant. When shopping at a Green Dragon Dispensary, we color code our products so you always know what you're shopping:
Terpenes
Terpenes are a diverse group of organic compounds produced by plants, NOT just cannabis. They provide weed strains with their variety of aromas and flavors as well as influence the effects of cannabinoids like THC and CBD by working together in what’s known as the entourage effect.
The top three most common terpenes are: Myrcene (also found in mangoes), Caryophyllene (also found in cracked pepper) Linalool (also found in lavender), and Pinene (also found in rosemary).
Joint
Just think...A cigarette, but weed. Shop joints (also known as prerolls) here.
Blunt
Similar to a joint, think an emptied cigar packed with weed. Yeah, they're bound to get you lit.
Bowl
A bowl can be described as a small basin (usually glass) used for smoking weed. When someone says to you 'Let's pack a bowl' they could mean a pipe bowl that's connected to the glassware OR a bowl on a bong which is not connected to the glass.
Bong
A bong is a glass water pipe. There are several varieties of bongs - Luckily we broke them down here for ya.
Edible
These are cannabis products that are consumed and digested. Brownies, cookies, chocolates and gummies are all common examples, but there are many other delectable edibles to choose from.
Concentrate
Concentrates are cannabis extracts made by extracting the resinous oils of the marijuana plant. Concentrate products contain the concentrated (obviously) cannabinoid and terpene profiles. Fair warning though, concentrates hit wayyyy harder than flower does, so err more on the side of caution if you're new to them.
Distillate
A distillate is a highly refined form of cannabis concentrate that is made by distilling the cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant material. Distillate is typically used in vaping cartridges, but it can also be added to food or drinks.
Extract
Extracts are cannabis oil products that have been concentrated using solvents like butane and CO2 to produce a rich amber oil. Similar to a distillate but different.
Vape Pens
Named for their resemblance to pens, vape pens are used to inhale cannabis concentrates and come in two types.
Dab pens are specifically for concentrated cannabis products such as wax, shatter and rosin. With vape pens, you’re typically vaping cannabis oil cartridges.
Dab
A dab is the process of instantly vaporizing cannabis concentrates on a heated surface known as a nail or banger. The term dab and dabs may also refer to the raw extract itself. Warning: Dabs are much higher in potency than when you rip a bong!
Oil
Oil is a sticky amber substance extracted from the cannabis plant that contains the resins of the cannabis plant, also called hash oil. As you may have already picked up on, there are a TON of cannabis concentrate varieties.
Tincture
This is another cannabis extract that can also be consumed but is typically faster-acting than edibles due to placing under the tongue.
Hash
One of the most popular types of cannabis concentrates is hashish – aka hash. Hash is made by separating the resin glands from the rest of the cannabis plant and compressing them into a solid block. Hash can be smoked, vaporized, or added to food or drinks.
Dispensary
We see 'em all over the place: dispensaries. If you wish to put a definition on it, it's a retail store location where you can access cannabis for medical or recreational purposes. If you're in the Colorado area, stop by and say 'high' to us!
Eighth
Eighth (also the hardest word for our Social Media Manager to write) is short for an '1/8th ounce', which is the standard weight that cannabis flower is sold in. 3.5 grams = 1/8th oz
Kief
Another popular concentrate is kief, which is made by sifting the trichomes from the cannabis plant. Kief can be added to a joint or bowl for added potency, or it can be pressed into hash. Check the bottom part of your grinder for a nice kief surprise!
Butane Hash Oil
Butane hash oil, aka BHO, is another popular type of concentrate. BHO is made by extracting the cannabinoids and terpenes from the cannabis plant using butane. The resulting oil is then purged of any residual butane and can be used in a variety of ways, including dabbing, vaping, or adding to edibles.
Rosin
Rosin is a newer type of cannabis concentrate that has become popular in recent years. This concentrate is made by applying heat and pressure to the cannabis plant, causing the resin to melt and stick to the parchment paper. The resulting product is a sticky, sap-like substance that can be dabbed or added to edibles.
Papers
Aka rolling papers, are specialized thin paper wraps used to roll cannabis into joints and pre-rolls.
Pre-rolls
Another word for a joint.
Topical
Topicals are products like creams and lotions that are infused with cannabis and applied directly to the skin. Explore our topicals.
There's your weed terminology round up!