You’ve heard of smoking cannabis, vaping it, and even eating it, but have you ever heard of dabbing? It’s another way to enjoy the benefits of cannabis that can seem intimidating if you’ve never done it before. If you’ve tried other forms of cannabis and are looking for a new method to try, here’s how to do a dab.
What is Dabbing?
Dabbing is a method of consuming cannabis that involves flash vaporizing and inhaling cannabis concentrates. These concentrates are much more potent than other forms of cannabis. Where flowers test around 10% to 25% THC (some as much as 30% or more), concentrates test between 50% and 90% THC.
Types of Dabs
Dabs (cannabis concentrates) require extraction from the plant material. The process involves using a solvent such as butane, propane, or carbon dioxide to remove the cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and other desirable compounds from the plant.
There are several different types of cannabis concentrates, including:
- Shatter
- Wax
- Budder
- Crumble
- Honeycomb
- Live resin
- Oil (such as BHO or CO2 oil)
Dabbing Equipment
Knowing how to do a dab does require a bit of equipment. The right setup helps to ensure that you have a good experience. To do a dab, you will need:
- Your chosen cannabis concentrate
- A dabber, which helps you to measure your concentrate
- A water pipe
- A nail
- A dome, which covers the nail
- A torch, such as a crème Brulee torch or a propane torch
How to Do a Dab
Once you have the appropriate equipment, it’s time to get started. The first thing that you need to do is get a small amount of your dab ready to go. Since the dab is highly concentrated, you need very little.
Start with a crumb-sized amount. It might not appear like much, but concentrates pack a lot of THC in an incredibly small dose. It’s better to start with less than you think you need and gradually increase your application to find what works best for you.
When you’re ready to begin, aim your torch directly at the nail and heat it up. It won’t take long for it to turn red hot. Turn your torch off, place the dome, and let the nail cool for just a bit. You only need to wait about 10 seconds for a titanium nail and about 45 seconds for a quartz one.
Next, apply the dab to the nail using the dabber and inhale very slowly. Rotate the dabber to get as much of your concentrate as possible Inhaling slowly is key. If you go too fast, you could inhale vapor that’s too hot, which can harm your lungs. Finally, exhale slowly and enjoy your experience.
If you’re brand-new to cannabis, dabbing may not be the best starting option. If you’re interested in trying it, you can work your way up to dabbing by combining a small amount of concentrate with your favorite flower and smoking it in a joint, pipe, or bong. You can also use a vape pen designed for use with concentrates.
While dabbing involves a more delicate dosing process, it can provide you with a very enjoyable experience. Just be sure that you invest in quality dabbing equipment and get your concentrates from a licensed dispensary.