From 'dab' to 'distillate': Your guide to marijuana terms for your first dispensary visit

So, you’re going to the dispensary for the first time now that recreational marijuana is legal in Ohio.

If you’re looking for a seamless experience, asking for “the jazz cabbage” won’t necessarily help you with your order. Go ahead and give it a go if you’d like, but in the meantime, these cannabis terms might help you better prepare.

This is not a definitive list of terms used in the cannabis world but is meant to help you understand what you can consider and ask about as you purchase marijuana (if you are age 21 or older).

Cannabis versus marijuana

Cannabis is an all-encompassing term referring to the Cannabis sativa plant, which depending on the case is often categorized as either hemp or marijuana. Marijuana refers to cannabis with greater than 0.3% THC, as defined by the U.S. government, or cannabis product otherwise sold in state-licensed dispensaries or in the illicit market that does not fall under the federal government’s hemp definition.

Hemp

Hemp is cannabis or cannabis-based products with less than or equal to 0.3% THC, as defined by the 2018 Farm Bill that federally legalized hemp. Hemp plants can source CBD or other cannabinoids, as well as fibers or seeds used in non-drug applications.

Flower

Marijuana or cannabis flower refers to the flower of the female plant, which end consumers usually smoke or vaporize. After harvest, companies hang, dry and cure flowers and then trim them for packaging. Companies also use flowers to create different concentrate, or extract, products.

Cannabinoids

Cannabinoids are compounds in marijuana that create “drug-like effects all through the body, including the central nervous system and the immune system,” according to the National Cancer Institute . THC and CBD are the main types.

Delta-9 THC

Delta-9 THC is the primary psychoactive, intoxicating cannabinoid in marijuana, often just referred to as THC.

Indica

Indica cannabis cultivars, or strains, originated from mountainous parts of the world and have “a short, bushy stature and large, thick leaves,” according to the dispensary chain Sunnyside , which operates in multiple states, including Ohio, and is owned by Cresco Labs. Indicas are known for their “deeply relaxing effects,” per Sunnyside.

Sativa

Sativa cultivars first grew in Equatorial regions, according to Sunnyside, and are “tall and skinny in stature with long, thin leaves,” and that they tend to have “uplifting effects.”

Hybrid

Hybrid strains share indica and sativa genetics. Some companies label certain hybrid strains as being more “dominant” in either their sativa or indica lineage.

Concentrates/extracts

Concentrates and extracts are Interchangeable terms referring to concentrated cannabinoids such as THC or CBD in forms such as shatter, wax and hash that have been extracted from the cannabis plant. These products are used in multiple ways, including “dabbed” via dab rigs or dab pens, according to Weedmaps . Concentrates are in vape cartridges, disposable vaporizers, edibles, tinctures and topicals, but many customers elect to purchase those product types with the concentrates already included rather than making their own concentrate-based products or filling their own vape cartridges.

Dabs

Dabs are concentrated marijuana products that “come in a variety of textures,” according to Leafly . These make up most of the “concentrate” and “extract” options on Ohio dispensary menus.

Seattle newspaper The Stranger warns of dabs’ potency: “If you are trying dabs for the first time, you should certainly use restraint.”

Terpenes

Terpenes are the compounds that influence the flavor and aroma of marijuana and play a role in the “entourage effect” alongside cannabinoids such as THC, according to a 2020 paper published in Molecules that was written by Thailand-based researchers.

Distillate

A distillate is an oil extract in which the THC or CBD has been separated from other cannabis plant material, such as terpenes, according to a blog post from Ohio-based dispensary chain Terrasana Cannabis Co. Ohio dispensaries sell distillate vape cartridges and disposable vaporizers.

Live resin

A live resin is an extract sourced using cannabis plant material, including terpenes, to retain the original flavor and aroma of the plant, according to Terrasana. Ohio dispensaries sell live resin dabs, vape cartridges and disposable vaporizers.

Budtender

A take off the word “bartender,” a budtender is a person whose job is to help you at the dispensary and complete your transaction.

Tenth/fifth

A tenth and a fifth are quantities of cannabis flower, by weight, as defined by the state of Ohio. Available sizes include a “tenth” of an ounce and a “fifth” of an ounce. In other states, weights are usually different, including an “eighth” or a “quarter” of an ounce.

Pre-rolls

Joints that have already been rolled and are sold by dispensaries are referred to as "pre-rolls." These are not currently available for non-medical purchase in Ohio, as the industry is still operating under medical rules. New rules for non-medical marijuana are set to take effect by Sept. 7, and are currently set to include pre-roll sales, Ohio Division of Cannabis Control (DCC) spokesman Jamie Crawford said via email. The state does not plan to allow pre-rolls to be sold to medical marijuana patients, Crawford said.

Delta-8 THC/Delta-10 THC/HHC/THCP:

Delta-8 THC, Delta-10 THC, HHC and THCP are examples of psychoactive, intoxicating cannabinoids that are naturally present in cannabis in small amounts. When they are synthetically manufactured, their production can be scaled, which is how they have become available in sizable amounts at various locations such as gas stations, vape shops and convenience stores. According to critics, however, their creation and availability is also the result of a legal loophole. Products with large concentrations of these cannabinoids are not available in Ohio’s state-licensed medical and recreational dispensaries.

Patrick Williams covers growth and development for the Akron Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at pwilliams@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @pwilliamsOH.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: From 'dab' to 'distillate': Your guide to marijuana terms for your first dispensary visit