The Meaning of Dabs and Dabbing: What You Need to Know About Cannabis Concentrate

Smoking and vaping may be the best-known ways to get a fast cannabis rush. But dabbing – inhaling the potent vapors of a cannabis concentrate called a dab – is gaining popularity among both recreational and medicinal cannabis consumers, thanks to its ability to deliver a high dose of THC more quickly than any other method. Dab users claim that this method of consuming cannabis is safer and more effective than smoking or vaping, but recent research reveals that making and using cannabis dabs can pose significant risks of illness or injury. Here’s what to know about dabs and dabbing.

What Does Dabbing Mean?

In recent years, dabbing has been gaining a higher profile in the cannabis community, but the practice probably originated in the 1960s. During the Vietnam War, American soldiers created strong cannabis extracts by pouring solvents over raw cannabis leaves and straining them. [1] Since then, the process has remained nearly the same, but the resulting product has become considerably more refined.

Today, pieces of solid cannabis concentrate are called “dabs” or “butane hash oil (BHO).” Depending on their consistency and color, dabs can also go by other names such as “wax,” “shatter,” and “budder.”

“Dabbing” is the act of using cannabis in this way. In dabbing, a single dab of concentrate is placed on a small, heat-conducting surface called a nail, heated to temperatures as high as 500F or higher. In the early days of dabbing, actual carpenter’s nails were used. But now, nails can be made of any heat-conducting substance, including titanium and ceramic.

When a dab reaches the right temperature, it releases vapor, which the user inhales through a pipe in one breath. Because it’s highly concentrated, a dab has a high level of THC, and its effects can be felt almost immediately [2].

Depending on the strain of cannabis used and other aspects of processing, THC levels in a typical dab can range from 25 to 80 percent or more.[3] Cannabis plants also contain varying amounts of more than 100 other terpenes, and these terpenes, such as cannabidiol(CBD), myrcene, and limonene, can end up in a finished dab as well.

How Are Dabs Made?

To create the solid, highly concentrated dabs, raw cannabis plant parts are soaked in liquid butane, which dissolves and draws out the terpenes, including THC. Then, the butane is either left to evaporate or purged out using heat or a vacuum oven. That’s why cannabis dabs are also called butane hash oil, or BHO. Variations in processing produce types of concentrates ranging from brittle shatter to creamy budder.

In areas where cannabis is legal, dabs are made and sold by commercial enterprises that work to ensure consistency, quality, and safety.

Is Dabbing Safe?

Research on the safety and benefits of dabbing is relatively limited compared to studies on other ways of consuming cannabis. But as dabbing gains in popularity, scientists are taking a closer look at how it compares to smoking and vaping in terms of safety. These studies suggest that while using dabs, smoking, and vaping have similar risks for lung and heart health, the regular use of dabs raises other risks of injury and complications. [3]

Inhaling cannabis in any form exposes the lungs and other parts of the body to a variety of toxins. Smoking cannabis creates carcinogens from burning plant particulates and can also irritate the tissues in the mouth and lungs. Although vaping eliminates exposure to burning particulates, it exposes users to other contaminants. Dabbing bypasses these issues, but the high heat and butane create health and safety risks of their own.[3]

Dabbing May Pose Significant Health Risks

The high heat of a dab nail can cause terpenes in the dab to break down. When heating a nail at home with a blowtorch or other tool, temperature control is virtually impossible, and temperatures on the hot surface of the nail can reach as high as 900F. That can cause cannabis terpenes to degrade, triggering the release of toxins, including the known carcinogens methacrylate and benzene. Inhaling the vapor from highly concentrated, extremely hot butane hash oil allows those toxins to enter the lungs and bloodstream.[4]

The most dangerous aspect of dabbing involves the use of liquid butane – a highly flammable and toxic solvent most commonly used in disposable cigarette lighters and petroleum products. When poorly processed, a dab can also contain residual solvents from butane or other processing agents, as well as other toxins that are released under extreme heat.

Dabbing also exposes users to very high levels of THC, which can cause adverse outcomes, including paranoia, neurotoxicity, and cardiovascular problems such as rapid heartbeat and arrhythmia. The high THC content of most dabs, combined with the rapid onset of effects, can send a dabber to the hospital with extreme side effects.[5]

Dabbing Raises Safety Risks

For many consumers, a dab rig is still a homemade apparatus made with easily accessible equipment like metal pipes, pieces of coffee filter, and actual nails. That kind of DIY setup opens the door to safety risks that can impact the user and their environment.

Do-it-yourself dabbers are at high risk of burns and explosions – a leading cause of hospitalizations from dabbing. The combination of high heat from unreliable sources and very volatile liquid butane in a closed environment such as a garage or shed can cause severe burns on the face and hands, larger explosions, and fires that injure not only dabbers themselves but also pose risks to others nearby.

Certain Groups Face More Risk

Cannabis products of all kinds can be addictive, and dabbing is no exception. Since cannabis use among teens and young adults can affect brain development and neural processing, the concentrated effects of dabbing can pose a special risk.[3]

For users of medical cannabis, dabbing can be appealing thanks to its reputation for providing fast and effective pain relief. However, these patients may be especially vulnerable to the health and safety risks involved.[3]

Conclusion

Although it’s been around for more than half a century, dabbing is gaining popularity across the spectrum of cannabis users for its fast action, high THC content, and easy production at home. But those factors can also set the stage for the very real risks dabbing can pose.

While dabbing might seem safer than smoking or vaping, it’s important to consider the short and long-term effects of large amounts of THC and chemicals such as butane on the body and brain. Knowledge about dabbing and its effects can save lives and help to support those working toward recovery.

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