Alaska Cannabis Exchange, dispensary near me
Common Community Terms and Meanings

Badder/Budder

Badder/batter and budder are terms that are used to describe the appearance of cannabis extracts. Batter or badder has the look and feel of frosting and usually has a soft, golden color. Budder’s look is similar to actual butter and has a much softer texture.

Budtender

A budtender is a person who sells cannabis products to customers/patients at a dispensary. Budtenders are often the employees who engage dispensary visitors, process transactions, and provide education to customers.

Cannabidiol (CBD)

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a naturally occurring compound in the resinous flower of cannabis. It is one of the hundreds of phytocannabinoids found in the plant and has been found to have therapeutic properties. CBD does not have psychoactive effects like THC and is often used for relaxation, as a sleep aid, and for pain relief.

Cannabinoid

A cannabinoid is a chemical compound found in cannabis (Phytocannabinoids) and also produced within the human body (Endocannabinoids). Phytocannabinoids mimic the effects of endocannabinoids and are associated with the euphoric effects of THC in humans.

Cannabinol (CBN)

Cannabinol (CBN) is among the many minor cannabinoids produced in cannabis. CBN is a non-intoxicating compound that is created when THC ages and therefore, is often found in high quantities in older cannabis. CBN is primarily used as a sleep aid, but it has also been found to have pain and inflammation-reducing qualities.

Cannabis

Cannabis is a plant in the Cannabaceae – or hemp – family. Parts of the plant, including dried flowers and leaves, have been used for medicinal and recreational purposes in numerous forms throughout history. The cannabis plant can also be used to make hemp products.

Cannabutter

The quintessential way of cooking with cannabis, cannabutter is butter that has been simmered with decarboxylated cannabis to infuse the butter with the cannabinoids found in the plant itself. Making cannabutter is an essential first step to making most edibles.

Clone

A clone is a cannabis plant that is an exact genetic copy of its mother plant. It is a young female cannabis plant with stable genetics. Typically, growers elect to raise clones purchased from reputable breeders because they pose less risk of getting a plant with poor characteristics.

Concentrate

A cannabis concentrate is a broad term to describe a product that is derived from a cannabis flower that is processed into a concentrated form. There are many forms of concentrates, such as tinctures, vaporizer cartridges, hash, shatter, and wax.

Cultivation

Cultivation is the process of growing cannabis plants. This can be done through either indoor or outdoor farming and requires in-depth knowledge of proper soil, growth temperatures, light, water, pest management, and more.

Dabbing

Dabbing is the method used to consume potent cannabis concentrates and involves placing a small amount of concentrate (or a “dab”) onto a heated surface of an oil rig pipe, which is immediately vaporized and inhaled by the user. Dabbing is rising in popularity with a specific subculture within the cannabis world and is known to be a more advanced and potent option versus smoking flower or using a standard vaporizer.

Decarboxylation

The process of removing carboxyl groups from the cannabinoid acids in cannabis, converting them to cannabinoids and unlocking their psychoactive potential. This is usually done by applying heat to the cannabis, such as by combustion when smoking, or in the oven if the intention is to make edibles.

Deli-Style

Deli-style is a dispensary workflow that includes budtenders bringing flower over to a customer or patient in a jar and weighing it out in front of them. They can usually look at and smell the product but are not allowed to touch it. There are pros and cons to deli-style selling. Customers love the transparency, but it is extra work for the staff. Other risks include slowing down check out, labeling containers in-store, accidental spillage, and overweighing.

Dispensary

A dispensary is owned by a licensee in a legal market and is a place where customers or patients can access legal cannabis safely. There are two types of dispensaries — medical and adult-use. Depending on state and local laws, a dispensary may operate as both

Edible

An edible is a food product that contains cannabinoids, mainly CBD or THC. Edibles may include things like pastries, gummies, candies, brownies, beverages, and more. There are also varying levels of dosage in edibles.

Extract

Cannabis extracts are specific concentrates that are produced with the use of a solvent. Common solvents used for this include propane, butane, and ethanol. Types of cannabis extracts include crumble, wax, shatter, budder, live resin, etc.

Flower

Flower is the general term used to describe the consumable (smokable) part of a female cannabis plant. Most dispensaries sell several types or strains of flower, each with different flavor profiles, price points, and expected feelings or effects associated with them.

Hemp

Hemp is derived from non-intoxicating cannabis Sativa L. Hemp is genetically distinct from marijuana and has a variety of uses including fiber from the stems, protein from the seeds, and oils from the leaves and flowers. Hemp does not produce high levels of THC (Hemp is defined as having < .3% THC), but it can produce very high quantities of CBD. Hemp is regulated very differently from cannabis as it’s legal to cultivate and sell under The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill).

Hybrid

Hybrid strains of cannabis are a mixture of Indica and Sativa strains. They allow the consumer or grower of the plant to take advantage of the best parts of each parent plant and create a hybrid option that fits their desired effect and flavor profile.

Indica

Indica is a subspecies of the cannabis plant. Cannabis Indica strains generally have a short stem and broad leaves and are associated with a more physical high in comparison to Sativa strains, which are often considered more cerebral. However, this thinking is no longer scientifically accurate as it has been found that different combinations of cannabinoids and terpenes are much more telling of the effects of the strain. Many dispensaries and cannabis industry professionals are moving away from the traditional Indica vs. Sativa nomenclature as it’s more beneficial for customers to purchase products based on feelings or moods.

Kief

Kief, also known as pollen or dry sift, refers to the resin glands which contain the terpenes and cannabinoids from the marijuana plant. While flower without kief still contains those elements, kief alone will contain much higher levels than the remainder of the plant.

Nail

A nail or spike is a piece of metal that’s essential to a dab or globe rig used to smoke marijuana concentrates. It’s typically made of glass, quartz or titanium and is heated to a specific temperature (typically by a hand torch) and then touched with a piece of concentrate via a dabber/wand, that is consequently vaporized. The resulting vapor is inhaled and results in a high for the user.

Pre-Roll

A pre-roll is a joint that has already been prepared by either a cannabis dispensary or vendor. They are consumer-ready and save the buyer the trouble of grinding and rolling their own joint.

Rosin

Rosin is a cannabis extract that is created by applying heat and pressure to the flower in order to withdraw resinous sap.

Sativa

Sativa cannabis plants are taller than Indica plants. They also have narrower leaves and longer flowering cycles. The effects of Sativa are often attributed with energetic feelings, although due to years of cross-breeding, the effects are more easily identified through cannabinoid and terpene levels.

Shake

Shake consists of smaller marijuana buds that fall off of the larger nuggets. Shake can be of varying qualities and is often sold for a lower price than the standard bud at a dispensary.

Shatter

Shatter is a cannabis extract that is typically made through butane extraction. The extract has grown in popularity due to its glassy look and high THC content.

Strain

Cannabis strains come from the process of breeding male cannabis plants with females to create different varieties that include some aspects of each parent plant. Different strains are associated with different effects due to lineage information and terpene content.

Terpene

Terpenes create the flavor profile in cannabis flower. They are oils that are secreted in the same glands as cannabinoids, such as CBD and THC, and they were developed by the plant to repel predators and lure pollinators.

THC

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a cannabinoid found in cannabis. THC is the most well-known molecule in marijuana and is sought after for its euphoric, psychological effects.

Tincture

A tincture is a liquid form of marijuana, typically made from glycerin (sweeter) or alcohol (harsher). The majority of tinctures are flavored and distributed via an eyedropper under the tongue for faster absorption into the body. Some people relate tincture highs to that of an edible, but without consuming actual food. After taking a tincture directly, a user will typically feel its results in a shorter time period than that of consuming an edible

Trichome

Trichomes appear at first glance similar to sugar crystals coating the leaves and buds of a cannabis plant, but under magnification they appear similar to a very tall and thin mushroom. They protect the plant against predators, pathogens, and UV rays from the sun. They also contain the majority of the plant’s cannabinoids and terpenes, and so are responsible for the effects commonly associated with cannabis.

Wax

Wax is a cannabis concentrate that often looks similar to honey and contains very high levels of THC.

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