Getting baked isn’t like it once was, and it’s all thanks to dabs! Over the past few years, dabbing has become the new way to get baked. Cannabis concentrates even have the honor of having their very own cannabis holiday, 710. Many consumers no longer just want a joint; in fact, concentrates have become one of the top marijuana products on the market.
With that said, dabbing is relatively new, and many new consumers are still confused when it comes to dabs. Not only do new consumers not fully understand the potency of concentrates, but determining the dosage, or dab size, is a challenge on its own.
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The Cannabinoid Content of Dabs
Cannabis Concentrates are a new and improved way of getting high. While a majority of concentrates are high in THC content, the development of dabs over the years has brought ratio concentrates to the market. Consumers may not choose the cannabinoid profile they desire. Whether it be a 1:1 THC to CBD ratio or a 15:1 CBD to THC, cannabis concentrates are one of the easiest ways to consume high dosages of marijuana.
Understanding the Potency of a Dab
The average potency of a dab is around 60-99% THC. Compared to an average bud, concentrates are nearly 3-5 times more potent. A cannabis bud will regularly test about 18-23 percent THC. When a standard size bud is smoked in a bowl, the amount of THC entering the body is relatively small. A bud that tests 20 percent THC will only contain around 200mg of THC if the whole bud is consumed. Concentrates are a completely different type of high that hits quick and hard.
What is the Average Dab Size?
Even though concentrates are widely consumed in established cannabis markets, many consumers do not fully understand the dosing of dabs and what dab size is best for them. When it comes to micro-dosing, dabs are not always the most straightforward product. Nevertheless, they are the most potent product for the price.
Since dabbing is still new to many consumers, understanding what size the average dab size is can be a bit difficult. As a good rule of thumb, consumers say the average dab size is about the size of the tip of a nail or ballpoint pen. It may seem a bit small to the eye, but the amount of THC in that little dab is still high. It is also always best to start low and slow. Work up to larger dabs as necessary, but do not overdo it. Dabs can cause consumers to feel too high if they are not used to the potency.
What Dab Size Do Other Consumers Take?
New consumers should always start low when it comes to dab size. There are plenty of crazy videos on social media and the internet of consumers dabbing ridiculously large dabs. Some even try to take down a whole gram in one dab. While it may seem like a fun thing to try, trust us, those people are going through a bit of pain to inhale that much at once.
Concentrates are great and serve a purpose in the marijuana community, but nothing is ever good in excess. Dabbing already gets consumers nearly four times higher than smoking flower; do not push it unless you are a genuinely seasoned consumer.
How Do You Gauge Dab Size?
When thinking about what dab size to consume, it is always a good idea to put the potency into perspective. Dabs are purchased by the gram, usually, and tend to test around 60 to 99 percent THC. Here is how much THC is in a gram of dabs depending on potency:
- One gram of 60% THC dabs is about 600mg of THC.
- One gram of 70% THC dabs is about 700mg of THC.
- One gram of 80% THC dabs is about 800mg of THC.
- One Gram of 90% THC dabs is about 900mg of THC.
- One Gram of 99% THC dabs is about 999mg of THC.
The potency is based on the potential of 1000mg per gram; however, a gram of dabs will only have 1000mg if it tests at 100% THC which is unheard of on the market today. Most dabs range from 60 to 80 percent THC, while the highest quality dabs may achieve around 70 to 99 percent THC.
After understanding the breakdown of potency from the percentage of THC to mg of THC, consumers can then weigh out their dabs to ensure the desired dosage. Not every consistency of concentrates is easily weighed out. In particular, shatter is the easiest type of concentrates to micro-dose. Crumble, wax, and live resin are far more difficult to weigh out, and you may lose product trying to do so.
If handling shatter, go ahead and try weighing out pieces of the shatter to micro-dose. If using any other style of concentrate, try breaking it up into multiple serving sizes based on the potency. If it is 80 percent THC wax, and you break it into eight servings, you’ll get about 100mg of THC per dab. That is the best way to split dosages of most concentrates.
Different Dab Sizes
To provide a full understanding of the differences in dab sizes, let’s take a look at one gram of concentrates testing at 60 percent THC. (Remember these are very general guidelines. Always ask a budtender if you’re unsure).
- 0.025 grams – 0.05 grams = 15 to 30 milligrams of THC
- 0.05 grams – 0.1 grams = 30 to 60 milligrams of THC
- 0.1 grams – 0.2 grams = 60 to 120 milligrams of THC
- 2 grams – 0.4 grams = 120mg to 240 milligrams of THC
- Half Gram Dab: 0.5 grams = 300 milligrams of THC
- Full Gram Dab: 1 gram = 600 milligrams of THC
The above numbers show just how much a full gram of dabs contains. For those who think 600 milligrams of THC is nothing, remember that a gram of flower is 3-4 times less potent. Also, think about eating a 600mg edible and how potent of a high that is for most people. While taking a full gram dab does not go through our digestive system producing 11-hydroxy THC, it is still a high amount of THC to inhale. For that reason, it is not recommended to try taking a full gram dab.
Conclusion
Overall, most people will never even try to take a full gram dab. Those who do have either developed a ridiculously high tolerance or just enjoy wasting product for a video. On average, consumers do not go past a middle-sized dab, and even that is a hefty dab for some consumers. Be sure to start low and work up to a higher tolerance. Dabs are great but are not always suitable for every consumer. Dabbing is also known for causing relatively intense coughing fits.
For this reason, it makes it tough to take too large of a dab; which is probably a good thing. Nevertheless, everyone takes a slightly different size dab. It is up to the consumer to find the dab size best for their needs.
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