Beginners Guide to Cannabis: Glossary of Terms

Written By Ginja Club

Can you keep up?

If you’re new to the cannabis scene (or it’s just been a while), words like live resin, dabs, and spliff might seem foreign. Don’t be embarrassed; it’s difficult to keep up with weed’s evolving lexicon. In fact, we wrote this blog precisely because we had to research many of these terms ourselves.

This post simply serves as a foundation for all the following posts. It is an introduction to common cannabis terminology and will help readers navigate future cannabis content.

It is important to note that this list is by no means complete and that it is subject to updates.

Blunts: Cannabis rolled in tobacco leaf cigars or cigarillo papers.

Bong: A large pipe (usually made of glass) filled with water used to inhale cannabis.

Bud: The trimmed flower of the cannabis plant. This is the smokeable portion that carries the highest concentration of THC and other cannabinoids.

Budtender: Customer-facing dispensary professional that advises consumers on purchasing decisions based on strains, effects, and personal preferences.

Butane Hash Oil (BHO): A potent concentrate made by using solvent (usually butane) extraction methods and presents itself as thick sticky oil. Depending on the manufacturing method, the end result can be categorized as crumble, honey oil, earwax or shatter.

Cannabidiol (CBD): The second most highly concentrated cannabinoid found on the cannabis plant. Considered to play a large role in the medicinal benefits of cannabis which includes reducing pain, inflammation, and anxiety.

Cannabinoids: The chemical compounds that are unique to the cannabis plant and act on the human body’s natural endocannabinoid system. There are currently over 113* different known cannabinoids, all culminating to produce the psychoactive and medicinal effects of marijuana. THC and CBD have the highest concentration among the many cannabinoids available.

Cannabinol (CBN): A mildly psychoactive cannabinoid found in trace amounts on the cannabis plant. Considered to act as a sleep aid, CBN is found in larger concentrations in aged cannabis.

Cannabis: A psychoactive drug primarily used for recreational and medicinal purposes. Cannabis has been proven to treat a wide range of ailments including, but not limited to pain, anxiety, stress, and insomnia. The main component of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). With over 1200 slang names and 2300 different strain names, cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the world. (See: Weed, Marijuana, Pot)

C. Indica: A species of the Cannabis plant that is known for its short broad leaves and longer flowering season. Believed to produce a body, night time high.

C. Sativa: A species of the Cannabis plant that is known for its long thin leaves and short flowering season. Believed to produce a cerebral, daytime high.

Clone: A stable trim of the “mother plant” that can be rooted and grown into a separate adult plant. It is a clone because it is genetically identical to the original plant.

Concentrates: Any post-processed product that includes the concentrated psychoactive and medicinal elements of cannabis. Products that fall under this category include, hash, wax, rosin, budder, shatter, etc.

Cross: Usually refers to a process wherein two different plants are cross-bred to form a new strain.

Dab/Dabbing: Slang term used to describe the act of consuming concentrates by melting them on a hot surface and inhaling the vapors.

Dank: A slang term used to refer to high-quality cannabis

Decarboxylation: In the context of cannabis, refers to the process of converting THC-A to its active form THC. Particularly important in preparing edibles and concentrates.

Chemical Process of Decarboxylation of THCA to THC

Dispensary: Storefront retail location that is legally licensed to sell recreational and/or medicinal marijuana.

Edibles: Refers to the digestible form of cannabis. Comes in many varieties including baked goods, gummies, and beverages.

Eighth: Standard measurement for cannabis. Refers to 1/8th of an Ounce, or exactly 3.5 grams.

Flowering time: Refers to the time it takes for a plant to produce mature flowers (or untrimmed buds). Flowering times are dependent on multiple factors including strain and light exposure.

Flowers: Reproductive organ of the female cannabis plant that can be fertilized by male plants to produce seeds or isolated, to produce cannabinoid-rich resin.

Picture of Full Melt Bubble Hash

Hash: Also known as Hashish, a solventless cannabis extract containing the concentrated resin of the cannabis plant. There are many ways to produce hash, but all involve some form of filtration or sieving to separate plant matter from resin.

Hemp: A variation of the cannabis plant, hemp is popular for its many industrial applications. Hemp contains non-psychoactive levels of THC yet still produces significant levels of cannabinoids and terpenes. Hemp-derived CBD products are some of the most popular products on the market.

Hybrid: Genetically a cross between one or more different strains. Commonly bred to produce desired effects. The majority of strains are hybrids and the term is typically used to indicate strains that mimic a combination of C. sativa and C. indica.

Hydroponics: A system of gardening that uses water instead of soil. Nutrients are added to the water, allowing for better control of nutrient intake and concentration.

Joints: A form of consuming cannabis that involves grinding up the flower and rolling it into the shape of a cone using smoking paper.

Kief: The less refined form of hash, consisting mainly of separated trichome heads.

Kush: Refers to a genetic line of cannabis plants that originate from the Hindu Kush mountains located in Pakistan and Afghanistan. These strains are Indica dominant and are known for their earthy, piney aroma.

Live Resin: Concentrate made by flash freezing fresh cannabis plants to use as starting material for the extraction process. Live Resin is known for its flavorful terpene profile and can be found in a variety of forms.

Marijuana: Refers primarily to the female cannabis plant or its dried flowers.

Nug Run: Refers to the use of whole flower buds (vs. trim) in the extraction process.

Ounce: Common measurement for cannabis. Refers to 28 grams or 1/16th of a pound.

Pistils: The hairy-like appendages on the female cannabis plant that are typically indicators of plant maturity. In the reproductive process, these pistils are used to collect the pollen from the male cannabis plant.

Pot: Slang term for marijuana

Pre-Roll: Refers to previously prepared joints or blunts made from ground-up flower or shake.

Picture of Rosin

Rosin: The purest form of solventless extract, uses high pressure and heat to filter the resin glands using a special “rosin bag”. The end result is a very light, pungent, sticky oil.

Residual Solvent: A volatile organic compound used in the manufacturing and extraction process of cannabis that cannot be removed by normal techniques.

Shatter/Ice: See BHO.

Shake: The remnants and debris that fall off from physical agitation of cannabis. Low-quality cannabis.

Spliff: A mixture of cannabis and tobacco.

Strain: Refers to the specific variety of cannabis plant (ex. Sour Diesel, Jack Herer, LA Confidential). Each strain has a unique genetic/hereditary makeup and chemical profile.

Terpenes: Oils secreted from the resin glands that provide unique aromatic and defensive properties. Believed to be the determining factor for the variation in taste, smell and effect of different cannabis strains.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC): The primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. Also the highest concentrated cannabinoid on the female cannabis plant. Research has shown that THC acts on the bodies natural endocannabinoid system to help produce many beneficial effects, primarily pain relief.

Tincture: Liquid cannabis extract that is usually made with alcohol or glycerol. Tinctures are taken sublingually (under the tongue) and have a quicker onset.

Topical: Cannabis products such as balms and lotion applied externally on the skin.

Trimming: The process of removing stems, leaves and seeds to produce proper buds.

Trichome: The resin-producing glands of the cannabis plant. Often appear as translucent spheres under a microscope, they give cannabis its “frosty” visual appearance. They are rich in cannabinoids (THC, CBD, etc..) and are the primary component extracted when manufacturing different concentrates.

Vaporizer: A device used to consume cannabis through inhaling vaporized cannabinoids. Considered a healthier alternative to inhaling cannabis by avoiding lung irritants associated with smoke.

Wax: See BHO

Weed: Slang term for cannabis and marijuana.

*Number constantly changing as more cannabinoids are being discovered.

If you believe we made any mistakes or would like to suggest any additions, please leave a comment or contact us at ginja.club@gmail.com.

Ginja Club
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