Cannabis industry terminology

Every industry has its jargon or terminology, that they use to describe the specifics of the industry. Cannabis industry terminology is no different and there are endless terms that are specific to us. Whether it’s for a type of weed, the way you smoke, or how you feel after, there is a specific cannabis industry term for everything. Time to freshen up your knowledge of cannabis with this helpful list. When going through these lists, keep in mind much of this terminology is not going to be relevant in a dispensary, but is more industry jargon or street terms. Most seasoned smokers will know most or all of these, but just remember your dispensary visit will be streamlined with access to help on-site.

General slang terms for cannabis

No matter what we call it, we all know when we hear some variation of “weed” being offered, we are most likely in for a good time. Some other common names for cannabis:

•Pot •Weed •Grass •Herb •Ganja/Ganj •Bud •Nuggs •Reefer •Smoke •Sticky-icky •Trees •Green •Flower

Quality 

When the inevitable time comes to refresh your stash, you’ll want to make sure that the price you are paying is relevant to the quality you’re buying. There are a wide variety of terms to describe the quality of the weed you’re consuming. From the highest quality to the lowest of the low, there is a name for it.

The Good. If you hear any of these terms tossed around about the weed you’re about to smoke, know you’ll be dealing with some high-quality bud.

•Dank •Hydro •Herb •Chronic •Exotic •Fire •Kind/kind bud •Sticky Icky •Purple or Purps •Gas

The Bad. These terms are for mid-low-grade strains that will do the trick, but may not smell or taste that great. Don’t worry-NYS dispensaries won’t be carrying this type of weed.

•Mids •Creeper •Pot •Carpet Weed •Ouid

The Ugly. These terms mean you are getting the bottom of the barrel, seed- and stem-filled, “weed”. It can be considered weed but doesn’t taste or smell like anything other than dirt or dry grass. You may not notice anything after smoking these low-grade strains, or you could even feel worse than before smoking. You may want to extend a “no thank you” if you’re ever offered this type of weed. Like with mids, you won’t find any of this type of weed in a dispensary in NYS.

•Schwag •Ditch Weed •Garbage Weed •Brick Weed •Boof •Shake •Bunk

Size DOES matter

When talking about the amount of weed you’re looking for, knowing the correct term can help ensure you get what you’re looking for and don’t get taken advantage of. While you will only be using the terms gram and eighth in the dispensary, these are more street terms but are commonly known. Starting from smallest to largest, here are some common terms for purchase sizes.

•Dime bag. A dime bag is about 1/2 gram and generally costs about $10. It may be hard to find in this little amount in today’s economy, though.

•Dub sack. A dub sack, or a G, is a full gram and costs about $20. In the dispensary, they will just call it a gram and will most likely only apply to pre-rolls.

•An eighth. 1/8 is 3.5 grams of weed, or 1/8 of an ounce, and will vary in cost depending on brand and quality. Most jars found in dispensaries are an eighth of weed.

•A quarter. A quarter is kind of like it sounds-2 eighths or 7 grams.  This comes out to be a quarter of an ounce.

•A half. You guessed it-a half an ounce or 14 grams.

•An Oz. A full ounce of your favorite strain will provide 28 grams of sticky goodness.

•One pound. This is a huge quantity of cannabis and will offer up 453 grams of your favorite bud.

Ritual terms 

Even the ritual of smoking has a variety of names. Some friends and circles who smoke often even make up their own code words for partaking, but we’ve come up with some of the more commonly known ones.

•Bone cruising •Toking •A Sesh •Blazing up •Smoking trees •Mowing the grass •Wake and bake •Burn one •Clam bake •Puffing

After your bone cruise, you’re sure to be delightfully high. Depending on how hard it hits, you may need an even better term to describe your feelings besides “high”. Try one of these!

•Stoned •High •Baked •Toked •Gone •Faded •Fried •Lit/lit up •Toasted •Smacked

Other misc. useful terms in the industry

•Banger-A popular type of nail used to dab concentrates. The shape is typically bucket-like and is often made with quartz or titanium. A torch is used to heat the banger, then a piece of cannabis concentrate is placed on the banger and vaporized.

•Blunt-Cigar leaves used to roll a joint-like cannabis cigarette.

•Bong-A glass smoking device that includes a bowl, downstem, water chamber, and neck that the inhaled smoke travels through.

•Bowl-A pipe, usually glass or metal, where ground cannabis is placed and smoked.

•Bubbler-Like a hybrid of a bong and bowl, it’s a glass smoking chamber with a water filtration chamber.

•Buds-the smokable part of the cannabis plant.

•Budtender-A retail cannabis employee that assists customers or patients in the shopping process. A budtender is the main customer point of contact at a dispensary.

•Burnout. Term for someone who chronically over-consumes cannabis and is in a constant highly-lifted state.

•CBD-Cannabidiol, a cannabinoid found in cannabis that is known to hold a host of medicinal benefits including reduced inflammation, better control of epilepsy and seizures, cancer-fighting properties, and more.

•Chillum-A straight, joint-shaped glass pipe used to smoke cannabis.

•Cotton mouth-term for when your mouth is extremely dry after consuming cannabis.

•Couch-locked-just as it sounds, you’ve smoked so much you are locked to the couch.

•Cultivation-Growing cannabis for consumption.

•Dab-A term for one “dose” of cannabis concentrate. A dab is placed on the nail and vaporized for consumption.

•Dab rig-A set-up for consuming concentrates that includes a banger and water chamber. A dab rig is very similar to a bong, but instead of a bowl, a dab rig uses a banger.

•Decarb-The process through which the inactive forms of cannabinoids are activated (THCa → THC, CBDa → CBD). Decarboxylation is typically achieved via the introduction of heat or the passage of time. Without this process, the cannabis in an edible would not have any psychoactive effects, and that is why we must heat the cannabis bud to achieve the desired effect.

•Distillate-A method of extraction that allows for the separation of specific terpenes and cannabinoids through temperature manipulation. Also known as concentrates mixed with additives that allow for consumption through a hand-held vape.

•Edible-An infused food product that contains THC, CBD, or another form of cannabis.

•Endocannabanoid system-the internal system responsible for regulating our appetite, sleep, memory, reproduction, and cannabis introduction into our system.

•Gravity bong-A bong design that uses gravity (instead of inhalation) to fill up the chamber with smoke.

•Hash-A form of cannabis concentrates created by mechanically separating the resin (cannabinoids) from the flower. Hash varies from BHO, PHO, and other chemical extraction methods as the cannabinoids are physically removed, not chemically.

•Hydroponics-A grow system that uses sand, gravel, water, coco peat, rock wool, or clay pellets instead of soil to cultivate cannabis.

•Indica-Cannabis plant genetics originating from India or Central Asia that are typically shorter and bushier than Sativa strains. Indica strains are responsible for the calming and sedating effects seen when smoking.

•Joint-Cannabis rolled in paper, resembling a cigarette.

•Keif-The term for the fine powder, cannabis trichomes to be exact, that comes off the bud. The keif can be collected in a grinder with a mesh screen and can be added to joints, bowls, bongs, or even smoked by itself. Can produce an intense high because of its concentration.

•Live resin-A form of cannabis concentrate created by using freshly-frozen cannabis material. Traditionally, concentrates are taken from fully-cured cannabis plants that were cut down before the curing process. Live resin requires using cannabis material that was flash frozen shortly after harvesting, thus skipping the curing and drying process. Typically yields a product with higher terpenoid content.

•Sativa-Cannabis plant genetics originating from Europe and Eurasia that are typically taller and skinnier than Indica strains. Sativa strains are the ones responsible for an uplifting and exhilarating session.

•Shatter-A concentrate consistency that resembles shattered glass when forcefully bent.

•Spliff-Similar to a joint, a spliff is cannabis rolled in paper with tobacco added, but in a cone form that includes a filter.

•Strain-The term for the genetic variants of cannabis that contain different terpenes and cannabinoid profiles. Also the name of the product you buy at a dispensary.

•Terps-A slang term for terpenes. Terpenes are sometimes added to cannabis concentrates to enhance the flavor.

•THC-Tetrahydrocannabinol is one of the most popular cannabinoids in cannabis. THC is known for its psychoactive effects, meaning it’s what produces a mind-altering experience when consumed.

•Tincture-A cannabis ingestible typically mixed with a carrier oil (like coconut oil, for example) that is taken orally.

•Pothead. Term for someone who habitually smokes cannabis. Not to be confused with burnout, a pothead is still able to completely function in the real world but carries their passion for cannabis with them.

Now that you are armed with an arsenal of useful cannabis industry terminology, you’re ready to head into a dispensary and find exactly what you need or show your friends that you’ve brushed up on your weed knowledge. Find Juniper Jill products at Upstate Canna Co. in Schenectady (now offering delivery as well as in-store service), NY; Good Grades NYC in Queens, and by delivery from the Capital Region to Long Island with Legacy Dispensers. Good friends are not included, but highly recommended.

Must be 21+. Please consume responsibly.