In previous eras, weed consumption was commonly related to smoking cannabis flower. Today, the cannabis industry is just in the infancy stages of unlocking the plant's full potential, and we already have many new options.
The continued potential comes thanks to the whole plant profile and advancements in cannabis extraction technology. Cannabis has over 400 chemical compounds--including terpenes, cannabinoids, and flavonoids. Cannabinoids and terpenes are produced in the glandular trichomes of the cannabis flower. Terpenes are the molecules that determine the distinctive smell and taste of different strains and play a crucial role in the cannabis experience.
Thanks to legalization and innovative compound extraction methods, smoking flower is not the only way to consume and maximize the cannabis chemical profile. From different extraction methods to compositions, there are now several presentations for cannabis lovers.
Recently, live resin has become a consumer's favorite weapon of choice for dabs and vaping. But what is live resin, you ask? The answer is a rather unique and potent approach to cannabis consumption.
Made from fresh, frozen, "live" flowers rather than dried and cured buds, this unique extraction process produces an oily, consumer-popular concentrate focused on flavor, taste, and effects. Plus, it carries a punch regarding THC potency.
Overall, live resin is a concentrate made from a unique technique using buds of freshly harvested flowers. Once cut from the plant, the harvested flower is immediately frozen. A few hours to a day or two later, it will come out when ready for extraction.
Freezing helps retain the plant profile, including its flavor, aroma, and effects. Because of this, live resin tends to have higher cannabinoid and terpene levels than most concentrates.
Why Is Live Resin So Popular?
Live resin can be malleable to the touch; like wax, live resin can have a runny consistency or a more solid state like budder, depending on how it's made.
Live resin's biggest differentiator is its rich terpene profile, which remains intact due to being flash-frozen after harvest. This desirable trait can enrich the cannabis experience and its different compounds, creating what is commonly known as the entourage effect.
It used to be rare to come across live resin, making it expensive. An intricate manufacturing process also drove prices out of reach for most consumers. With legalization spreading and an abundance of cannabis brands, so too is affordable live resin.
Let's not forget the THC factor. Most dried flowers offer between 10% and 25% THC, while a live resin product can have as high as 80%, sometimes 90% THC. While potency can be significant, keep in mind that the whole plant experience is critical to determining a strain's effect.
3 Ways To Consume Live Resin Carefully!
As mentioned, live resin is more potent than dried flower and can outpace many concentrates. As with everything cannabis-related, start with a smaller dose and gradually work your way up.
Being a resin, there are several ways you can consume it safely:
- Dabbing,
- Vaping with a dab pen or
- on top of a bowl, joint, or blunt.
Many cannabis consumers love to mix live resin with other forms of cannabis to enhance the entourage effect. Moonrocks, prerolls, and other flower and/or hash and live resin mixtures are becoming increasingly popular at dispensaries.
Be sure to check the product's potency to ensure it's within your tolerance level, and consume new types of cannabis products slowly. Remember, you can always consume more, but you can't consume less. Try giving yourself about 5 to 10 minutes between puffs if you've never consumed concentrates before. Most first-timers find that one puff is sufficient.
Be sure to ask your doctor if inhalation is the correct form of consumption for your particular condition or conditions. Edible forms or topicals may be more appropriate if you have lung disease or other respiratory problems.
What Is The Difference Between Live Resin and Live Rosin?
The names and compositions might be similar. However, live resin and live rosin are different.
Their manufacturing process is considerably different. The main difference is that live resin relies on low temperatures and a solvent, like butane, for extraction. Live rosin involves the extra step of making bubble hash–an entire process that does not use any solvent other than water, ice, and agitation of the buds. The bubble hash is then pressed with a rosin press machine using low heat and equal pressure across its plates.
How live resin is made
Live resin production requires specialized equipment and knowledge. It certainly is more complicated to make at home. In fact, it's downright dangerous and should never happen.
When the whole plant gets frozen, the tiny resin glands (trichomes) that produce terpenes get brittle. Home producers are likely to only successfully freeze the plant and preserve those terpenes if they have freeze dryers or other commercial-level equipment to reach temperatures below -30ºF. A conventional home freezer probably sits around 0ºF.
The next part is where home production becomes impossible. Low pressure, low temperatures, and explosive compounds like butane are all part of the extraction process. Butane bonds with the plant's cannabinoids and terpenes and strips them from the plant. Lipids, fats, and waxes are then removed before heating the solution slightly to boil the dangerous butane off.
When safely produced, the result is a potent solvent-based concentrate. However, home producers have instead created deadly outcomes, where labs, homes, and neighborhoods have gone up in flames while individuals lost their properties or lives.
Leave live resin production up to the professionals, folks.
How do you store live resin?
Store your live resin as you would any cannabis product.
Live resin should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark setting, like your refrigerator. Use the smallest container possible. The less air it's exposed to, the less it dries out. Be sure to preserve those terpenes and the excellent experience created by live resin.
Now that you know more about live resin, you're ready to give it a try! Remember to start low and go slow with concentrates because live resin is extremely potent compared to flower.
If you have any questions about using live resin or other consumption methods and how they might affect your treatment plan, NuggMD's expert physicians are always here to help.
The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about laws, regulations, or your health, you should always consult with an attorney, physician or other licensed professional.
