Dabbing
Category: Slang & Culture · Level: Intermediate · Slang term
Dabbing is a method of consuming cannabis concentrates by vaporizing a small amount on a heated surface (nail or banger) and inhaling the resulting vapor.
Dabbing is a way of consuming cannabis concentrates by vaporizing a small portion, a dab, on a very hot surface and inhaling the vapor. A dab is usually the size of a grain of rice, but because concentrates such as shatter, wax, badder, live resin, rosin or diamonds often contain 60 to 90 percent cannabinoids, one dab can deliver as much THC as several joint hits at once.
The equipment: a classic dab rig is a small water pipe with a nail or banger, usually quartz, titanium or ceramic, in place of a bowl. The nail is heated with a torch and allowed to cool for a moment before the dab goes in; a carb cap placed on top traps the heat so the concentrate vaporizes at a lower temperature. Electronic nails (e-nails) and portable electronic rigs hold a set temperature without a torch, which makes results more repeatable. Dab pens are the smallest version.
Temperature and safety: lower temperatures, roughly 230 to 290 °C, keep more terpenes and flavor; very hot dabs taste harsh and can break compounds down into irritants. Because the dose is high and arrives fast, people new to concentrates should start with very small amounts, especially if their usual product is flower. Concentrates should come from tested sources, since poor home extraction can leave residual solvents, and butane extraction at home is a fire and explosion risk. Where cannabis is regulated, concentrates may be restricted or sold only to adults with potency limits.
Also known as
Dab, Concentrate inhalation, Concentrate dabbing
Used in
- Recreational
Related terms
- Wax: Wax is a cannabis concentrate with a soft, opaque consistency produced through butane hash oil extraction and whipping or agitation during the purging process.
- Live Resin: Live resin is a cannabis concentrate made from freshly harvested, flash-frozen plant material to preserve the full terpene and cannabinoid profile.
- Vaporization: Vaporization is a method of cannabis consumption that heats cannabis to temperatures that release cannabinoids and terpenes as vapor without combustion.
- Shatter: Shatter is a brittle, glass-like cannabis concentrate produced through BHO extraction, known for high cannabinoid purity and stable consistency.