All About Marijuana Concentrates — A Lethal Concoction
Amid bipartisan views and tussle over whether marijuana should be legalized in various parts of the world, including the United States, it is worth mentioning that when abused, the cannabis can impair learning ability and memory. For children, it can mean poor grades due to problem in concentration and learning. The result is children opting out from schools. Various researches have shown that regular use of cannabis reduces IQ levels, leading to dwindling test scores.
And when one starts abusing a marijuana concentrate, the results could be even more deadly. But what exactly is a marijuana concentrate? It is a highly potent concentrated mass of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that resembles honey or butter. Hence, its other names are “budder” or “honey oil.” THC, found in cannabis, is its main psychoactive constituent.
Marijuana concentrates are extraordinarily potent as they contain extremely high THC levels ranging from 40 percent to 80 percent. They are stronger than top quality marijuana which contains only 20 percent of THC. Marijuana concentrates are said to be four times more robust than normal marijuana.
Street names
Owing to its overwhelming popularity among addicts, marijuana concentrate has earned a plethora of sobriquets. Some of its most popular street names include 710 (it is flipped and backward spelling of the word “OIL”), ear wax, wax, honey oil, budder, butane honey oil (BHO), butane hash oil, dabs (dabbing), shatter, errl and black glass.
Preparing the concentrate
Of all the extracting methods for marijuana concentrates, the butane method is the most dangerous and also the most widely used one. When butane, a highly flammable solvent, is put through an extraction tube along with finely ground marijuana, the residue obtained is a mixture of highly concentrated THC and butane. Butane then evaporates instantly and leaves a sticky liquid called “wax” or “dab.” This is an extremely deadly method due to the flammable properties of butane. Cases of explosions at such extraction sites, with people working here receiving severe burns, are common.
Various form of abuse
There are several ways that addicts can adopt to abuse marijuana concentrates. It can be infused with various food items or drinks and can be taken orally. But smoking is the most popular method enjoyed by addicts. They use oil or water pipes for smoking.
Another harmful and popular technique of abusing marijuana concentrates is by injecting the mixture via electronic cigarettes or vaporizers. It is mostly preferred because it is odorless, smokeless and easy to conceal. This technique is referred to as “dabbing.”
Effects of marijuana concentrate abuse
The long-term effects of abusing marijuana concentrates are not yet known, but being a more highly concentrated form of cannabis, it is not difficult to assume that the effects would also be harsher than plain marijuana. The impact could be more deep-rooted, both physically and psychologically. Some of the effects of marijuana abuse are paranoia, panic attacks, anxiety, hallucinations, apart from other withdrawal symptoms. With marijuana concentrates, one can expect a severer form of the above effects.
Addiction is a disease and not a crime, but it needs an urgent attention. Recovery is possible with early intervention and by following the advice of clinicians in recognized treatment centers. When a loved one is abusing a substance and you are looking for substance abuse treatment centers in Texas, call at the Texas Substance Abuse Helpline number 866–971–2658 for an immediate response. Our experts can guide you to one of the best substance abuse treatment centers in Texas where treatment is complete and recovery is long-term.
