It’s no secret that consuming cannabis in almost any form has amazing effects. But what are the pros and cons of smoking resin, you ask? The good news is that there are a lot of pros to smoking live resin, as long as you are already familiar with dabbing and can handle high doses of THC. And if you’re actually referring to the black tar coating your bong – scroll to the bottom of this article to read why you should never ever consume this toxic substance.
Table of Contents
What Is The Difference Between Live Resin, Rosin, Hash, and Oil?
The terminology associated with cannabis production is insane. Your local dispensary should know the difference between all of these terms, but if you are looking for something really specific it does not hurt to know your cannabis terminology well. Cannabis concentrates are prepared in a variety of different ways and there are pros and cons to each form for concentrates.
In the pros and cons list below, I’m referring to concentrates like live resin, rosin, and butane hash oil. Technically, “resin” is the sticky crystal-like trichomes on the flowers and sugar leaves of female cannabis plants. If you have ever looked at your cannabis bud up close or under a microscope, you have definitely seen them. They actually look like grains of sugar.
The resin on the cannabis plant actually develops as a protective mechanism. It protects the bud from UV rays and predators that might come around during the flowering cycle. These trichomes are actually what cause the psychoactive effects of cannabis. Resin can be collected from the plant, dried, and cured to make kief. Kief can be pressed into bricks and sold as hash.
Rosin is a method of extracting cannabis, and it is one of the few ways you can make cannabis concentrates at home because it doesn’t use any chemical solvents. Rosin is made by applying heat and pressure to dry cannabis.
Live resin is a little different and is relatively new to the cannabis industry.
Like rosin and butane hash oil, it is a cannabis extract that is consumed by dabbing, but unlike other modes of making cannabis extracts, it is produced without butane. Live resin is made using cryogenic freezing while the plant is at a peak stage of growth. The process requires super expensive equipment and it has to be done in a lab by trained technicians.
So whether you have tried concentrates before or are just looking into why you might buy it, you might be wondering – what are the pros and cons of smoking resin?
What are the Pros and Cons of Smoking Resin?
Let’s discuss.
Pros
Yep, there are pluses…
You Get Incredibly High
One of the main reasons why people enjoy resin is strength. Some concentrates have as much as 95% THC. The live resin method of cannabis production was created in Colorado shortly after cannabis was legalized and there is no doubt it is one of the strongest forms of cannabis on the market.
There are two reasons why you might want this effect. If you have been using cannabis for a long time, the effects are dramatically lessened compared to the first time you smoked weed. A lot of people claim that when they use concentrates, it feels like they are getting high for the first time again. The other benefit to the intensified high is if you use cannabis medically. It is an easy, quick way to get a high dose of your cannabis and the effects will last a long time.
The Effects are Felt Immediately
While you can take some very high doses of edibles, the effects won’t come on for a minimum of 30 minutes if not a few hours. When you smoke any kind of concentrates, the effects come on immediately.
It’s Easier To Store
One thing that is a little annoying about flower is the strong odor. It is more challenging to store weed properly, especially in situations where you would prefer to be discrete. Concentrates are smaller and give off minimal odor, which makes them way easier to store. Also, compared to something like edibles, there is less risk that another person or a pet would consume it accidentally. That being said, you should always store your products in a safe and secure place.
It’s All About the Terpenes
Here’s another cannabis term to add to your dictionary: terpenes. Terpenes are the molecules found on cannabis that give it a strong odor. Terpenes degrade during the process of drying cannabis, so they aren’t as potent in flower. Live resin is made using cryogenic freezing, so the extract contains higher levels of flavonoids, terpenes, and cannabinoids.
You’re Not Really Smoking
It might not seem like it at first glance, but dabbing concentrates is technically not smoking, it’s vaping because you aren’t burning any plant matter. Just keep in mind dabbing does use a much higher heat to burn the cannabis resin.
Cons
It Requires Special Equipment
One downside to dabbing, in general, is that it requires a whole new set-up. You might have a cabinet dedicated to your precious bong and rolling papers, but all of that is pretty useless when it comes to concentrates. To get started with dabs, you will need a special dab pipe or attachments that turn your water pipe into a dab rig, a nail, glass dome, dabber, and mini torch.
It is Really Strong, and the High Lasts a Long Time
While this is also a benefit for some people if you are new to cannabis you probably don’t want to jump right into using cannabis concentrates. Any product made out of cannabis resin is very strong. You can consult your local dispensary to see what type of concentrate and what particular strain might hold the correct level of potency for you. In general, concentrates contain more THC than flower buds. Typically flower bud is 10-25 percent THC while concentrates can be 50-95 percent THC.
It Can Be Expensive
You can’t fully discuss the true answer to “What are the pros and cons of smoking resin?” without addressing price. Live resin is by far one of the more expensive cannabis options out there. This is due to the expensive and technical process it takes to manufacture live resin, however, it uses the whole plant, which holds some great benefits.
Other options for concentrates that cost less are rosin, butane hash oil, hash, and CO2 oil.
A Note About Smoking Burnt Resin
If you go deep into cannabis forums, you might catch a story or two about someone smoking resin – as in the black, sticky tar that coats bongs, pipes, and other smoking devices. Believe it or not, this offensive substance can be collected and smoked in desperate times and will produce somewhat of a high. But just because you can do it does not mean you should do it.
Typically this substance is removed from your bong using rubbing alcohol and salt or other cleaning agents, but some people actually advocate smoking the stuff to save money. Sometimes resin is referred to as “marijuana reclaim.” In short, there’s literally no benefit to smoking this, it’s bad for you, tastes bad, and smells bad.
Overall it is a low-quality smoking experience.
Once your cannabis has been burned, the benefits of the resin are gone. Even though people might claim to get “high” from the substance, it is likely coming from a lack of oxygen and flood of toxic chemicals rather than from the cannabis plant. This tar-like substance is really bad for your health on so many levels, so if you don’t have enough money to buy cannabis (legally, of course) call up a friend who might be willing to share or just wait until payday.
